NYC congestion pricing gets key federal approval possibly in place by April 2024 - Gothamist

The long-discussed plan to start charging New Yorkers for driving into Midtown and Lower Manhattan was given a federal green light, clearing the road ahead for the toll’s rollout.

The Federal Highway Administration approved the plan Friday, determining it would have no significant environmental impact and foregoing a more involved environmental review. Construction for the initiative, the first of its kind in the U.S., can now begin, and NYC motorists could be paying the toll as soon as spring of 2024.

“Congestion pricing will reduce traffic in our crowded downtown, improve air quality and provide critical resources to the MTA,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “I am proud of the thorough environmental assessment process we conducted, including responding to thousands of comments from community members from across the region. With the green light from the federal government, we look forward to moving ahead with the implementation of this program.”

Congestion pricing was conceived as a way to raise money for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, cut traffic and pollution, and steer more people towards mass transit. The final approval was seen as something of a foregone conclusion after the FHA gave preliminary approval to the plan in May.

Following Friday's green light the state has about 310 days to get the system up and running, putting the estimated arrival date of congestion pricing in April 2024.

It is projected to make $1 billion in annual revenue for the MTA, which operates the city’s subways, buses and trains. The agency has notoriously struggled to stay afloat in an ocean of debt, which has been further widened as a result of sinking ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the plan, drivers with E-ZPass could pay as much as $23 to enter any area south of 60th Street during peak hours, and $17 at off-peak times. While discounts and exemptions have yet to be finalized by the 6-person Traffic Mobility Review Board, the plan will include some rate cuts for lower-income drivers. Passenger cars, taxis and other for-hire vehicles would only be charged once a day.

MTA officials estimate the plan will cut down the number of vehicles entering the area each day by as much as 20%.

The plan faces potential roadblocks from New Jersey politicians.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat, vehemently opposes congestion pricing, and has buddied up with some New York Republicans to create legislation that would strip funding away from the MTA if this plan becomes reality. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is another naysayer, vowing through a spokesperson to explore legal options to block the measure.

In response to the pushback, a spokesperson from Hochul’s office emphasized the multiple public transit routes that are available to take Garden State residents into the Big Apple, including PATH trains and buses.

While New York City would be the first place in the country to have implemented congestion pricing, similar programs have long been in effect in other cities around the world.

Stockholm has had congestion tolls in place since 2006, following cities like London, which implemented the program in 2003, and Singapore, which started with congestion pricing back in 1975.

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