New York on Sunday became the first US city to launch a congestion charge zone, after the controversial scheme aimed at easing traffic and raising billions of dollars for local transit was beset by years of delays and legal challenges.
Motorists entering some of Manhattan’s busiest neighbourhoods during peak hours will face a $9 congestion charge fee. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority said early on Sunday that the congestion relief zone, which stretches from the bottom of Central Park to the southern tip of Manhattan, was “fully operational”.
The scheme, which was paused by New York governor Kathy Hochul in June last year before being revived at a lower price than the original fee of $15, is expected to cut the number of vehicles entering the zone each day by around 10 per cent. It will also help to raise $15bn for the MTA to put towards public transit projects.