The public is invited to share their opinions on the congestion charging program planned for Lower Manhattan this year.
The MTA committee organized meetings for this Monday and Wednesday, in order for people to express their concerns about the price of said toll.
The controversial proposal was presented at the end of last year and aims to charge a fee to all drivers who enter Manhattan below 60th Street.
Vehicles would be charged $15 to enter during the day, and about $3.75 to enter at night.
The toll would not apply to major highways, including FDR Drive, the West Side Highway and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel.
The two meetings scheduled this week will be open to the public.
During a court hearing on February 6, MTA attorney Mark Churtok presented a timeline for congestion pricing, saying the agency wants to implement the tolling plan by mid-June.
The agency had previously hoped to begin congestion pricing tolls in the spring, but multiple lawsuits stalled the plan.
The plan, which the Traffic Mobility Review Board recommended a week before the vote, also includes a fee of $24 for small trucks and $36 for large trucks, while establishing several discounts and exemptions for certain vehicles, such as city buses and yellow taxis.
The toll structure would apply from 5 am to 9 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 9 pm on weekends.
Toll rates would be 75% lower at night.
A closer look at the plan reveals that only cars with E-ZPass will see the $15 base rate. Those without E-ZPass will pay $22.50 to enter the central business district.
Additionally, on traffic jam alert days, the MTA reserves the right to charge 25% more.
Changes can still be made before congestion pricing is implemented in the spring.
The Traffic Mobility Review Board’s plan outlined some discounts, including the following:
- There will be a 50% discount for low-income drivers after the first 10 trips in a calendar month.
- Cars will charge $15 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. At night it will be reduced to $3.75.
- Small trucks will pay $24 and large trucks will pay $36. Both will have a 75% discount overnight.
- There will be a $5 discount for drivers, including trucks, passing through the Holland, Lincoln, Hugh Carey and Queens Midtown tunnels. The discount, however, will not be applied overnight.
- Yellow taxis avoid the toll and charge their passengers $1.25. Rental vehicles, such as Uber and Lyft, will charge passengers $2.50 more each way.
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