The introduction of entry fees to Manhattan has reached the finish line: when and how much will we pay
'13.06.2023'
Alina Prikhodko
US President Joe Biden's administration will allow New York to implement a groundbreaking Manhattan Central Business District Tolling Program, reports CNN.
The program includes tolls to drive into Manhattan south of 60th Street and will be the first of its kind in the US. The plan has been delayed for many years, but now finally approaching the final point of implementation, the federal government is expected to approve it in the near future.
Once approved, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will set the Manhattan congestion rates, as well as determine the categories of drivers who will receive discounts and waivers. While discussing fare options from $9 to $23 for entry into the center of New York during peak hours. The plan is to start the program next spring.
Long way
This plan is the culmination of more than 50 years of efforts by various New York City governments. Despite the support of several city mayors and state governors, car owners have consistently thwarted this initiative with protests.
In 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg called traffic jams in New York "the elephant in the china shop" and proposed congestion fees in Manhattan. Then the idea was rejected by state legislators.
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Ten years later, Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had long resisted the idea, said "the time has come." Two years later, the state granted the MTA permission to develop the toll program.
Ultimately, everything stalled at the environmental assessment of the project, which was required by the federal government. It was finally approved this year, now it's up to the Biden administration, which promises to approve the entire project in the coming days.
Traffic jams in New York are worse than an elephant in a china shop
Every day, approximately 700 cars, taxis and trucks enter Lower Manhattan. Traffic jams in the area have been described as some of the deadliest in the United States. New Yorkers on average lose 000 hours annually in traffic, costing them nearly $117 in lost productivity and other costs.
Traffic jams create real problems for everyone - both for us and for the environment. They lead to more accidents, carbon emissions and air pollution. Cars take up a lot of space that could be used by pedestrians.
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The Manhattan congestion charge is expected to reduce the number of cars entering downtown New York by 10%, and the mileage of cars within the area will decrease by 5%. In addition, the MTA will have money to improve the city's transportation system.
New York is the first in the USA, but not in the world
No other city in the United States has yet introduced a fee for entry into the center, New York will be the first. But Stockholm, London and Singapore have been using this approach for years. These cities have already experienced the benefits of these types of programs: lower carbon emissions, higher average speeds and less congestion.
Just one year after the introduction of congestion fees in central London, traffic jams have decreased by 30% and average speed has increased by the same percentage.
Studies have shown that there has been a significant decrease in the number of doctor visits for children with acute asthma attacks in Stockholm. They have decreased by 50% compared to the figures before the launch of the program in 2007.
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Concerns and solutions
Drivers of taxis and car-sharing services (Uber, Lyft, etc.), many of whom are immigrants, fear that the launch of the program will harm them, because they are already struggling to make ends meet. And the MTA said the introduction of Manhattan congestion fees could reduce taxi demand in the area by up to 17%.
But the MTA has already thought of everything - taxi drivers will pay to enter downtown New York only once a day. Drivers earning less than $50 a year or participating in certain government assistance programs will receive a monthly 000% discount after their first 25 rides. Trucks and other vehicles will receive a 10% discount during the night hours.
