New York governor Kathy Hochul announced renewed New York City congestion pricing program, reviving an initiative to charge vehicles entering the city’s Central Business District.
The NYC congestion pricing program was originally going to take effect on June 30 but, after backlash from citizens, trucking groups, and other Democrats, the governor in June postponed the program indefinitely. On November 14, Hochul announced a new congestion pricing program, with lower prices, set to take effect after January 5, 2025.
The congestion pricing program would be the first in the nation, following examples set by other global cities like London and Singapore. The toll size would be highest during daytime peak hours and would cost 50% more if the vehicle does not have E-ZPass.
See also: Clark: How to mitigate the traffic congestion headache
The new plan lowers pricing for all vehicles but more so for passenger cars. Trucks previously faced a $24 fee during peak hours with E-ZPass—the new price for that scenario is $21.60. The city would charge its tolls through a vehicle's E-ZPass accounts or through mailed toll bills. Trucks would be charged separately for each entry into the zone.
Trucking organizations pushed back against the program’s first iteration, saying it could drive up prices for consumers. The Trucking Association of New York filed a lawsuit against the city’s Metropolitan Transit Authority for the program.
The city hopes to use congestion pricing to reduce traffic and fund transit upgrades.
