By Robbie Griffiths
Congestion pricing was introduced in the center of New York City on Sunday, after a late attempt by officials in neighboring New Jersey to stop it in court failed.
The measure — which charges many drivers $9 dollars to enter Manhattan during peak hours — is intended to bring relief to the country’s most populous city. According to traffic-data analysis firm INRIX, New York had the worst traffic in the world in 2023: drivers lost 101 hours to traffic during peak commuting times.
Advocates say the new charge, which is the first of its kind in America, will ease traffic gridlock, improve air quality and help raise $15 billion for upgrades to New York’s beleaguered transit system.