Visiting the Big Apple? Prepare to pay more if you drive to busiest part of Manhattan

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s much-debated plan to charge drivers to enter the center of Manhattan is set to take effect Sunday, following years of bureaucratic and legal roadblocks.

The goals of what is known as “congestion pricing” are to reduce gridlock and pollution and raise revenue for public transit. Gov. Kathy Hochul said this week that the state will push forward with the plan.

Here are some things to know if you plan to come into Manhattan by car after Jan. 5:

Will I have to pay the toll?

The toll applies to the most congested part of Manhattan, south of Central Park. It will vary depending on the time and whether a car has E-ZPass, which is an electronic toll collection system used in many states.

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-congestion-tolls-123ad0724cddfd061fb3e5a573d8417a

[kelly1mm]

1. Are the tolls based on income/wealth? If not it is just (another) tax on the poor camouflaged as for the environment. nt

[RubyRose]

8. I think it's entirely based on number of cars and congestion

[kelly1mm]

17. I get that. How does that account for the working class that commute into the city with their equipment? nt

[FakeNoose]

15. They are trying to discourage commuters from bringing cars into Manhattan

People who live in Connecticut or New Jersey should leave their cars home and take the train to work. That's what Manhattan wants to accomplish with this new toll. But it's a huge burden on anyone who lives in Manhattan and owns a car.

[kelly1mm]

18. What about the working class that needs to come into the city with their equipment? More tax on them? NT

[Renew Deal]

2. I wonder if Hochul's political career instantly ends with this.

[Meowmee]

12. I don't know but she is going to be criticized for it for sure, and she should be imo

Not everyone can take mass transit to / in Manhattan, or anywhere This will cut down on people visiting who are middle class who spend money there, and it's unfair to all, many people have to drive there to work for specific jobs. We used to drive in frequently. I drove there a lot about 10 years ago or more. I don't go in anymore at all with everything going on now the past few years and due to my health I can't use public transport anymore and would not be able to afford the fee as well if I wanted to go or had to go to a doctor etc.

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. I never drive in Manhattan.

I take a bus there and get around by subway. Their system is amazingly efficient.

Driving in the city is generally a nightmare under the best conditions.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. I drove through Manhattan once. What a clusterfuck

My grandfather before he passed lived in Weehawken NJ.

I might have pity on delivery drivers or building contractors but usually tolls and the cost of parking are passed on to the customer as an expense.

[tulipsandroses]

5. Why would anyone want to drive to Manhattan? Save yourself the headache and time, by taking the Subway

When I lived in NY, very few people that I knew drove to Manhattan. Especially during the week. Aside from the hellish traffic, there's limited parking. Parking garages are ridiculously expensive.
Growing up, my dad only drove to Manhattan on the weekends. During the week, he took the subway.

[newdeal2]

6. Good idea

Already implemented in cities like London.

Btw “poor people” do not drive in Manhattan.

[LeftInTX]

7. Price of limo rides will go up

[Meowmee]

11. It's a bad decision-

anyone who is not wealthy will be affected- which means the middle class, who can not afford to pay a huge fee just to drive into Manhattan's center. Not everyone can use mass transit and that is not cheap either. It is always the middle class that gets screwed. A lot of people work and commute there who need to drive.

[newdeal2]

14. It's going to fund mass transit projects

And create thousands of middle class construction jobs along with it. Not to mention reduced pollution.

The 2019 state law directing the MTA to implement Congestion Pricing specified that 80% of the revenue, or $12 billion, be spent on capital improvements to the subway and bus system, and $1.5 billion be spent on each of LIRR and Metro-North.

[Meowmee]

16. Which they will only charge even more for

I can't take mass transit anymore either which is true for many. I used to commute years ago by train to school and then work for a few years and it cost a fortune to ride the train etc. even way back then....and the service was awful. I got stranded there in a severe snow storm one year and fortunately stayed with a friend but it took me hours to get to her place due to subways also being affected.

[Meowmee]

9. I can't believe they are going ahead with this

There is apparently a law suit against it, I wonder what will happen. It's a terrible decision imo.

[edhopper]

10. Come to NY

Just don't drive. No need to have a car in Manhattan.

[FakeNoose]

13. My son and daughter-in-law live on the Lower East Side

They've been talking about this new toll for over a year. It was bad enough that their regular parking garage charges ridiculous monthly fees. Now this new toll is just about the breaking point. They might even get rid of their car, and that's exactly what NYC wants everyone to do.