It is something unheard of in a country where the car is king. On Sunday, January 5, New York launched its program urban toll for motorists wishing to access Manhattan. It is the first city in the United States that has implemented an urban access toll to the city.
Specifically, who enter Manhattan south of Central Park on the call ‘Congestion Relief Zone’ must pay $9 a day (about 8.70 euros). The goal of city authorities is to reduce air pollution in one of the busiest urban areas in the US, where motorists lose almost four days a year in traffic jams. At the same time, it will allow financing the subway, raising 500 million dollars in the first year, criticized for being expensive (2.81 euros per trip) and being outdated.
New York’s goal: fewer cars and more subways
The implementation of this urban toll has not been without controversies and legal actions to prevent its implementation. It finally went into effect on Sunday after the state of New Jersey failed last Friday in its attempt to convince a judge to provisionally suspend it pending the appeals court’s ruling.
Hundreds of thousands of people enter southern Manhattan every day from New Jersey to work and those who do so by car already had to pay the toll for the tunnels, such as the Lincoln Tunnel, and their enormous queues at rush hour.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) explained that the program will reduce traffic in the most congested district in the United States by 80,000 vehicles per day, approximately 11%. More than 700,000 vehicles enter southern Manhattan daily, slowing traffic to about 11 km/h on average. This is 23% slower than in 2010.
Its launch, two weeks before the inauguration of Donald Trumpit is not trivial. Unsurprisingly, Trump, who has a residence in Manhattan, opposes the tax and has said he would I would like to finish him off once he takes office. Congressman Mike Lawler has also said he will introduce legislation to deny federal funding to the MTA if it moves forward with the plan.
For most drivers Monday to Friday and from five in the morning until 9:00 p.m.the toll will be nine dollars if they pay with an E-ZPass, which already works for the tolls of the tunnels or access bridges. The toll will be $2.25 on weekends and at night, from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Motorcycles pay half as much as cars, while trucks and tourist buses pay $21.60 during rush hour and $5.40 at night. As for taxis, they are charged $0.75 per trip, while VTC will pay $1.50 per trip.
Residents in southern Manhattan will not pay the toll as long as they do not leave the toll zone. And although some millionaires in the area complain that they will not be able to use the car to travel a few streets, like real estate magnate Andrew Heiberger who does not understand that You will have to pay if you do not want to walk 20 minutes To go see your children, it should be noted that in southern Manhattan and around Central Park are the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city.
The New York toll is unheard of in the US, but in Europe cities like Milan or London have already implemented it for years. The oldest example is that of Londonin operation since 2003, and the toll is now 15 pounds (18 euros).
Thus, the British capital has been applying this system for 20 years and assures that in 2022 has been achieved reducing traffic congestion by 30% and an increase in bus use in the city center by 33%, also encouraging the use of bicycles.
Photo Josh Hild and David Chapter
Source: www.motorpasion.com
