By Daniel Afanasyev
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the revival of the congestion pricing program on Thursday, Nov. 11, which will charge drivers who enter Manhattan below 60th Street a fee. Prior to its pause on June 5, the original plan aimed to charge drivers $15 to drive into Midtown and lower Manhattan starting June 30. The updated plan will charge drivers $9 and is slated to begin Jan. 5.
“As I said from the start, a $15 toll was just too high in this economic climate. That’s why our plan cuts the daytime toll to $9 for cars,” Hochul said in a press release. “By getting congestion pricing underway and fully supporting the MTA capital plan, we’ll unclog our streets, reduce pollution and deliver better public transit for millions of New Yorkers.”
New York will become the first city in the world to have a congestion fee if the program goes through, and the governor, among others, has said that the program is needed to fund the MTA and many of its projects. This includes the Second Avenue subway extension, and the commencement of the Interborough Express, as previously reported by The Vanguard.
President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to return to the White House on Jan. 20, has previously said that he would axe the program on Truth Social as it has already begun facing renewed criticism from local Republican representatives. Across the aisle, Democratic politicians argue that it will hurt working-class New Yorkers.
“I reiterate my very strong objection to the program,” NY State Senator James Skoufis told City & State. “Whether $9 or $15, this new toll will pose a severe hardship to many working-class New Yorkers who have little to no rail alternative.”
New York, a historically Democratic-leaning state, underwent a marked shift towards the Republican party in the 2024 presidential election, partly due to the party’s ability to appeal to working class voters due to their economic policies, as The Vanguard previously reported. For the people that voted with the current state of the economy in mind, the plan will prove to be highly unpopular for those that depend on commuting into the city to make a living.
“All of us need to listen to the message that voters across America sent last Tuesday, which is that the vast majority of Americans are experiencing extreme economic strain and still feeling the effects of inflation,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a statement. “There could not be a worse time to impose a new $9 toll on individuals who are traveling into downtown Manhattan for work, school or leisure.”
Despite the amount of continuing opposition to the program, Hochul vowed to follow through and deliver on the long-promised plan.
“All I know is that we are serving a very large population,” Hocul said according to City and State. “So I encourage you to realize that what we’re doing here is fully funding improved services to make sure that this does not fall into disrepair, to make up for decades of disinvestment.”