New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “indefinite” pause of congestion pricing officially ended on Thursday, five months after she abruptly halted the to

NYC's congestion pricing tolls to launch Jan. 5: What you need to know

submited by

Style Pass

2024-11-18 21:30:15

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “indefinite” pause of congestion pricing officially ended on Thursday, five months after she abruptly halted the tolling program that's designed to fund $15 billion worth of crucial transit repairs.

In a development first reported by Gothamist, the governor gave the MTA the green light to launch the tolls, which will impose a fee on drivers who enter Manhattan south of 60th Street (unless they remain on the West Side Highway, FDR Drive or the Battery Park Underpass).

Before Hochul hit the brakes on the original congestion fee on June 5, the MTA planned to begin charging drivers a daytime toll of $15 to enter the zone on June 30. The governor declared that price was too high — and now plans to relaunch the program with a $9 base price.

“I’m proud to announce we have found a path to fund the MTA, reduce congestion and keep millions of dollars in the pockets of our commuters,” Hochul said. “You heard that correctly: It was $15 before, and now it is $9.”