New York City will begin charging tolls for drivers wishing to travel through southern Manhattan.
It is expected that the federal government will approve the Central Business District Tolling Program after the end of a public review period this Monday (12).
What is the program and how does it work?
The toll program aims to reduce congestion in the southernmost area of Manhattan, where 700,000 vehicles circulate daily.
If implemented, drivers will have to pay between $9 and $23 to drive below 60th Street during peak hours starting next spring. Some drivers, such as taxi drivers, rideshare drivers, and low-income drivers, may receive discounts or exemptions.
Opponents, including taxi drivers, rideshare drivers, suburban residents, and those from peripheral neighborhoods, have been fighting against the tolling for over a decade. But proponents say the new program is significant because traffic in the area costs New Yorkers an average of 117 hours and approximately $2,000 in lost productivity annually; it creates pollution (including noise pollution). Furthermore, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York would use the revenue generated from the new toll to improve public transportation, which residents could use to dine, shop, and work in the area – without the stress of driving and parking.
Car enthusiasts may go crazy over this type of measure, but the truth is that similar policies have been implemented elsewhere and the results are positive:
• London improved congestion by 30% after implementing charges in 2003;
• A study found that Stockholm, which permanently implemented tolls in 2007, reduced air pollution by 5% to 15%;
• But the champion of the subject is Singapore, which has been doing this successfully since 1975.