My Brief Experience with the Tolls
There are various political and social elements at play in discussing congestion pricing, the freedom of open spaces, and the congestion resulting when too many vehicles share the same roads; government imposing how people should travel, funding a public transit system in which funding intended to improve conditions fails to meet goals.
“The war on cars is an authoritarian crusade against liberty and technological advance,” Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone) tweeted. “None of this is about anything other than control. Cars give people freedom. It’s just that simple. What’s shocking is how successful they’ve been up until now.”
On the morning of the first weekday when congestion pricing went into effect, I was fortunate to have a work car that took me to a meeting from my office in Queens to my supervisor in Manhattan. As my car entered the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, the map on the screen indicated a green road ahead with a little bit of yellow before descending under the East River. I was pleasantly surprised at the smooth commute and even more with the flow of traffic on Third Avenue. Perhaps the sticker shock of the $9 toll to drive below 60th Street scared away drivers, but just as likely it may have been the snowfall that morning.
It will take a few days of data on emergency response times, bike rentals, turnstiles crossed, taxis hailed, and rideshares ordered, to get an accurate picture of the impact of congestion pricing on the MTA’s coffers, and how much of the cost in services provided by businesses would be passed on to consumers.
“The toll revenues would amount to only $1 billion a year, which is far less than the $20+ billion cost of lost productivity, overtime and fuel expenses, environmental and health costs that are the result of excess traffic congestion,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit that represents hundreds of local businesses. Wylde expressed support for congestion pricing in an NPR interview this week.
Perhaps I am not the ideal authority on this matter as I work in Queens and never need to drive below 60th Street in my personal vehicle for work. When I travel to Manhattan for leisurely activities such as a Broadway show, museum, or restaurant, I’ve taken the train as an alternative to the pricey garages, elusive parking spots, and traffic jams.
I concede that when traveling from Queens to New Jersey, bridge and tunnel tolls are unavoidable, with crosstown and downtown shortcuts no longer an alternative to the George Washington or Verrazzano Bridges. Robert Moses built many bridges, tunnels, and highways, but he was unsuccessful in having highways cross Manhattan, east side to west side.
Looking at other major cities where I’ve traveled, rather than charge drivers for the streets, residential parking restrictions force tourists into garages or public transportation. We know little of the battles over residential parking restrictions and pedestrianization of roads running through city centers. Do you remember when Jaffa Road in Jerusalem had cars? Now it has a light rail running the route. Wylde spoke of New York as a world-class city, noting that Tokyo, Singapore, Stockholm, and London have congestion pricing in their central business districts. She added that support for the tolls picked up among residents of those cities after they experienced better productivity, cleaner air, and improvements in public transportation.
“I hope New Yorkers, whatever their opinion, can recognize that this is a significant moment when we are saying that we can do things to address the big challenges that we as a city and a region face,” MTA CEO Janno Lieber said in an interview with CBS. “We’re not going to pretend that we don’t have a limited amount on our streets. We’re going to do something about the problem that congestion is creating, and with it, improve our transit.”
How Congestion Pricing Works
All avenues in Manhattan that cross 60th Street have cameras detecting license plates and EZ-Pass. Travelers on the FDR Drive and West Side Highway are exempt from the toll, but ramps and streets connecting to these two highways have toll cameras.
Ramps connecting these highways to the Brooklyn Bridge and the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel are exempt, but streets connecting them to the Queensboro Bridge, and the Lincoln, Holland, and Midtown Tunnels have toll cameras.
The $9 peak fee is in effect Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. for E-ZPass holders. This fee covers cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, and small vans. The same vehicles are charged $2.25 on weekends or from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays.
Motorcycles are charged $4.50 during peak hours and $1.05 overnight. Small trucks must pay $14.40 during peak hours and $3.60 overnight. Large trucks and tour buses are charged $21.60 during peak hours and $5.40 overnight.
For-hire vehicles tack on a $1.50 fee for passengers. Taxis, green cabs and black cars added $0.75 per-trip fee for crossing into the congestion reduction zone.
Exempt from the Toll
Certain emergency vehicles and government vehicles are exempt from paying the congestion fee, along with school buses and commuter buses. Individuals residing within the Congestion Relief Zone with a household income of less than $60,000 are also exempt.
Individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from using mass transit can apply for an Individual Disability Exemption Plan. Similarly, the Organizational Disability Exemption Plan covers vehicles used by organizations like Access-A-Ride.
Roll It Back?
So far, lawsuits filed by New Jersey lawmakers, the public school teachers union, and the firefighters union failed to sway federal court judges to halt congestion pricing. Gov. Hochul is facing reelection next year and it is unclear whether there will be a viable primary challenger in her party opposed to the tolls, or whom the Republicans will nominate to run against her.
Among those opposed, Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres spoke of more traffic in his district as a ripple effect of the Manhattan tolls. He has not declared whether he would be running against Hochul, but in his tweets, he addressed her directly on this matter.
“It could definitely hurt the governor and some congressional candidates and state legislative candidates,” Assemblymember David Weprin said in an interview with Politico. The Queens Democrat is a plaintiff in the teachers union lawsuit opposing the toll. “It’s going to have a negative impact in two years if it’s still in effect and not stopped.”
In Congress, Republican lawmakers are proposing a bill to undo congestion pricing, with support from some of their suburban Democratic colleagues, such as Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey. Newly elected Rep. Laura Gillen, who represents the Five Towns and West Hempstead, also expressed opposition to the tolls.
The highest officeholder, incoming President Donald Trump, also expressed opposition to congestion pricing, as business groups try to sway him on the argument that less traffic congestion is better for the economy.
By Sergey Kadinsky
