The first congestion pricing plan in the US went into effect yesterday, with drivers heading into a large swath of Manhattan paying a $9 fee during peak hours. The program, meant to reduce notoriously gridlocked traffic and encourage the use of public transit, is the culmination of an effort first proposed by then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) in 2007.
The pricing zone extends from the bottom of Central Park to the island's southern tip (see map), with the charges dropping by 75% during overnight hours. City officials say the toll is expected to generate $500M in revenue annually over the first three years, which will be reinvested in public transportation infrastructure.
Manhattan is one of the most densely populated counties in the US—average taxi speeds in midtown sank below 5 mph early last year. One analysis pegged New York City as the world's most congested metro area, with drivers losing 101 hours due to traffic delays each year.
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