Drivers will face $9 a day fee as controversial congestion charge takes effect despite last-ditch legal battle
Over the weekend, a $9 daily congestion fee was implemented for drivers in a major US city.
This is true even though a last-ditch legal struggle was fought to stop the contentious charge.
Drivers must now pay $9 to enter the busiest areas of the city during peak hours due to New York City’s new congestion pricing, which went into effect on Sunday.
The toll was implemented in an effort to lessen city traffic and generate funds for the city’s public transportation system.
However, it has angered many drivers, and advocacy organizations have cautioned that the policies may unfairly impact small companies and low-income New Yorkers.
Asserting that the charge would injure its citizens, especially those residing close to the George Washington Bridge, New Jersey filed a move for an injunction, asking for a temporary restraining order.
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According to ABC7, they thought that more traffic would be on the GWB as a result of drivers trying to dodge the new tolls at the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels.
However, the injunction was eventually rejected by a federal judge, enabling the congestion pricing plan to proceed.
The office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has stated that it intends to appeal the decision.
“We’ve been studying this issue for five years and it only takes about five minutes if you’re in midtown Manhattan to see that New York has a real traffic problem,” Janno Lieber, the chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, told reporters on Friday.
Every local street and avenue in Manhattan at or below 60th Street, near the southern edge of Central Park, is subject to the $9 penalty.
Depending on their size, trucks are subject to the highest fees during peak hours, which range from $14.40 to $21.60.
However, drivers will be able to avoid a toll by using specific major routes through Manhattan.
These include the West Side Highway and FDR Drive, which circle the island’s sides.
Additionally excluded is the Battery Park Underpass, which runs across the southernmost point of Manhattan between FDR Drive and West Side Highway.
In addition, passengers who use ridesharing applications like Uber and Lyft will be subject to tolls, which are an additional $1.50 per ride, while New York Yellow taxis will charge $0.75 per journey.
While tolls would be 75% less outside of peak hours, the maximum tolls will be in effect between 5 am and 9 pm on weekdays and between 9 am and 9 pm on weekends.
The E-ZPass system will be used to collect the majority of tolls; drivers without an E-ZPass will get a bill in the mail and be required to pay a higher rate.
Certain vehicles, such as emergency vehicles, specialist city vehicles, buses with regular public routes, and buses with city school contracts, are exempt from the congestion charge.
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Additionally, certain low-income commuters and cars with disabled passengers will also be exempt.
Low-income drivers might also receive additional reductions and tax rebates.
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