As of this past midnight, Congestion pricing is in effect in the southern part of Manhattan, below 60th St. During peak hours, The additional toll for most drivers of private passenger cars will be nine dollars.
The stated goals of this program are to reduce congestion in the central business district, and to use the toll monies To fund needed mass transit infrastructure work. If these Two things happen – that congestion is reduced, and that all the money is efficiently, used for transit infrastructure, then I’m for it.
You would never know that anyone is in favor of it if you listen to the New York Post and WABC AM talk radio. They’ve criticized congestion pricing endlessly.
I think that any normal person Who works normal hours and who drives into Manhattan every day is probably a complete fool. I’ve driven into Manhattan during peak hours a few times, it is no fun at all.
But for some – medical workers, and first responders who work Unpredictable hours, Or those blue collar workers who live in places like Northeast Pennsylvania that don’t have good transit options, The additional $45 a week toll will bite hard.
I think that similar congestion pricing plans have worked fairly well in places like London, and in the well run city of Singapore. Let’s See this scheme in New York really does what it’s supposed to do.
