The Daily Populous Sunday January 5th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by bbc.com and submitted by brothenberg

New York becomes first US city with congestion charge

The scheme aims to ease New York's notorious traffic problems and raise billions for the public transport network, but has faced resistance, including from famous New Yorker and President-elect Donald Trump.

The congestion zone covers an area south of central park, taking in well known sites such as the Empire State Building, Times Square and the financial district around Wall Street

Car drivers will pay up to $9 (£7) a day, with varying rates for other vehicles.

The first congestion charge scheme for vehicles in the US has come into effect in New York City.

New York state Governor Kathy Hochul made the case for a congestion charge two years ago, but it was delayed and revised following complaints from some commuters and businesses.

The new plan revives one scheme that she paused in June, saying there were "too many unintended consequences for New Yorkers".

Most drivers will be charged $9 once per day to enter the congestion zone at peak hours, and $2.25 at other times.

Small trucks and non-commuter buses will pay $14.40 to enter Manhattan at peak times, while larger trucks and tourist buses will pay a $21.60 fee.

The charge has been met with plenty of opposition, including from taxi drivers' associations.

But its most high-profile opposition has come from Trump, a native New Yorker who has vowed to kill the scheme when he returns to office this month.

Local Republicans have already asked him to intervene.

Congressman Mike Lawler, who represents a suburban district just north of New York City, asked Trump in November to commit to "ending this absurd congestion pricing cash grab once and for all".

A judge denied an 11th-hour effort Friday by neighbouring New Jersey state officials to block the scheme on grounds of its environmental impact on adjoining areas.

Last year, New York City was named the world's most-congested urban area for the second year in a row, according to INRIX, a traffic-data analysis firm.

Vehicles in downtown Manhattan drove at a speed of 11mph (17km/h) during peak morning periods in the first quarter of last year, the report said.

ramriot on January 5th, 2025 at 13:45 UTC »

Wow 11mph as an average speed in downtown NYC, that's way faster than London was before the confection zone was introduced.

whatyousay69 on January 5th, 2025 at 11:32 UTC »

Anyone know how the revised plan differs from the original?

Ordinary-Leading7405 on January 5th, 2025 at 09:55 UTC »

Five years from now, New York gubernatorial candidates will be running on congestion pricing reform and annulment.