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You'll be paying for it.
New York City’s congestion pricing plan, set to begin on Friday, Jan. 5, aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and fund crucial public transit upgrades.
Vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street will incur a toll, with rates starting at $9 per day.
The Federal Highway Administration approved the program last month. However, lawsuits could potentially stop the planned rollout.
The toll is aimed at reducing gridlock and enhancing traffic flow in the Central Business District, where over 700,000 vehicles enter daily, according to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA).
The city’s streets have become increasingly clogged, with average travel speeds in the area dropping 23 percent since 2010 from 9.1 mph to 7.1 mph.
Revenue generated from congestion pricing will fund significant improvements to New York’s public transportation system.
Planned investments include upgrades for accessibility at over 20 subway stations, modernized signal systems on subway lines, hundreds of new electric buses, and the extension of the Second Avenue Subway to East Harlem, according to the MTA.
For drivers, congestion pricing will reduce traffic, leading to quicker trips, the MTA added, noted that public transit riders will benefit from less congestion, faster commutes, and improved service.
Exemptions to the toll will apply to emergency vehicles, buses, vehicles carrying disabled individuals, and certain low-income commuters.
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