For many New Jersey residents, the trek to and from New York City has become a part of the 2024 work week, with many offices requiring in-person time. As more workers return to the office, such commuters might be in for a rather rude awakening. An additional toll for NJ commuters entering New York called the ‘Congestion Pricing Plan’ has passed in its final vote. Here’s what the NYC Congestion Pricing Plan means for New Jersey residents, including new fees + regulations.
What to Know
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had planned an additional toll for commuters headed into New York City’s business hub, south of 60th Street. This “congestion pricing plan” aims to discourage individuals from driving into the most crowded parts of Manhattan, thus curtailing a negative environmental impact and reducing traffic overall.
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While it currently costs up to almost $18 to commute into the city via Port Authority tunnels or bridges in a two-axle or single-wheel vehicle, the additional toll would cost anywhere from $9 to $35 simply to enter the “congestion zone.” The $1 billion a year collected from drivers would then be used to fund public transportation projects.
As far as the actual pricing, reports now share that:
- Cars will be charged an additional $15 to enter Manhattan at 60th Street and below.
- Trucks could be charged between $24 and $36, depending on size.
- Taxis are exempt from a major fare hike of $15 — though Uber and Lyft Surcharges would be $2.50, and yellow and black taxis will have an additional fee of $1.25 per ride.
- Motorcycles will be charged $7.50 to go into the city.
- These rates would only happen once per day; if you drive into the city, then out, then back in again — you’d only be charged once in 24 hours.
- The rates will be in effect from 5AM to 9PM on weekdays, and 9AM to 9PM on weekends.
- There are some planned exemptions, with the pricing — most will include government and emergency vehicles, school busses with a contract with the NY Department of Education, city-owned vehicles, and vehicles carrying people with disabilities.
- The plan could take effect as early as mid-June 2024; only a lawsuit can stop it now, and the MTA says it doesn’t expect that to happen, according to NBC New York.
The MTA board overwhelmingly voted to approve congestion pricing in December, saying charging drivers to enter a swath of Manhattan would contribute millions of dollars to the aging transit system.
The Response
Officials on this side of the Hudson, including Governor Phil Murphy, have been largely opposed to such a hike, noting that it would unfairly impact Garden State commuters. Many feel that because New Jersey drivers already pay a toll to enter the city, paying to enter the congestion zone would present a double tax.
A main tenet of the plan is to encourage the use of public transportation, and the revenue generated would be solely allocated towards New York’s MTA-controlled transit. Ironically, NJ Transit is also considering a 15% increase in its rates starting in the summer of 2025.
As a result, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy attempted to block the plan, and still vows to fight it, despite the final approval. Some compromises that had been proposed include the introduction of new commuter credits or funds to services such as NJ Transit or PATH.
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New Jerseyans are not alone in feeling unduly burdened. City dwellers who live in the outer boroughs have also voiced concerns that their communities would bear additional costs for an initiative that would bring cleaner air, reduced noise, and less gridlock to Manhattan. Despite the proposed environmental and traffic-related potential positives, residents in both outer boroughs and in Manhattan itself worry that they will be caught with extra expenses when traveling or will see local prices inflate to match the cost of transporting goods. Taxi advocates have also been opposed to the plan, Proponents of the plan say that the communities intertwined with New York City via the workforce will only be propelled by Manhattan’s infrastructure upgrades.
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