By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – New York City drivers had to pay $9 on Monday to enter Manhattan under the first congestion charge of its kind in the United States, which seeks to raise billions for public transportation and reduce traffic. traffic jams.
The fee went into effect Sunday after New Jersey failed Friday to convince a judge to suspend it pending an appeal.
The city rushed to implement the fee ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. Trump, who has a residence in Manhattan, opposes the fee and said he would seek to block it.
New York is imposing a $9 fee on passenger vehicles during the day in Manhattan south of 60th Street. Trucks and buses will pay up to $21.60. The rate is reduced by 75% at night.
Charged through electronic license plate readers, private cars will pay once a day regardless of how many trips they make. Taxis will pay 75 cents per ride and ride-sharing vehicles booked by apps like Uber (NYSE:) and Lyft (NASDAQ:) will pay $1.50 per ride.
While New York is the first American city to impose such a toll, London implemented one in 2003 and the fee is now 15 pounds ($19).
Sarah Kaufman, director of the Rudin Center for Transportation at New York University, said Monday that the experience of other cities around the world shows that the fee is initially very unpopular.
Then residents “started to appreciate the reduction in traffic and the increase in transit services. So, ideally, that’s what’s going to happen here in New York,” he said.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the program will result in 80,000 fewer cars per day, about an 11% reduction, in what it called the most congested district in the United States.
More than 700,000 vehicles enter Manhattan’s central business district daily, reducing traffic to about 7 mph (11 kph) on average. This is 23% slower than in 2010.
The city estimates the congestion charge will generate $500 million in its first year. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the money would support $15 billion in debt financing for investments in subways, buses and other public transportation improvements.