MTA Board passes final vote on congestion pricing plan
CNN
Congestion pricing is coming to New York soon with transit officials officially approving the toll structure at a hearing on Wednesday.
Congestion pricing is coming to New York soon with transit officials officially approving the toll structure at a hearing on Wednesday. The controversial plan, which advocates and lawmakers say will mitigate traffic and help fund repairs to key infrastructure, is the first of its kind for a major US city. New York City will soon join other cities such as London, Stockholm and Singapore, with the new congestion pricing plan. The toll for drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street is expected to start around June 15. An official date will be unveiled once a federal review on the tolling structure is completed and when critical infrastructure for the tolling, such as more license plate readers, are installed, according to a transit official. “New York has more traffic than anywhere in the United States and now we’re doing something about it,” MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said at a news conference after the vote. Passenger and commercial vehicles will now pay $15 once they enter the “congestion relief zone,” which is below 60th Street in Manhattan. During the overnight hours when there is less traffic, the toll drops to $3.75. The charge will only happen once a day. Trucks and some buses will be charged either $24 or $36 during the day below 60th Street depending on both their size and function. At night, that toll drops to either $6 or $9. Yellow taxi, green cab and black car passenger cars will pay a $1.25 toll for every trip through a zone. Uber, Lyft and other ride share vehicles will pay $2.50.
The US government on Thursday banned internet service providers (ISPs) from meddling in the speeds their customers receive when browsing the web and downloading files, restoring tough rules rescinded during the Trump administration and setting the stage for a major legal battle with the broadband industry.