New York Governor Kathy Hochul is actively working to tackle traffic congestion in the city. Now, drivers must pay $9 per day to enter the busy parts of Manhattan. Buses and trucks face even higher fees: they are charged $22 for entering the toll zone. This information is reported by The New York Times, as conveyed by Kazpravda.kz citing Kp.ru.
According to Hochul, this new measure is intended to encourage drivers to switch to public transport, thereby reducing the number of accidents and traffic jams in the city. The city administration has, however, provided discounts, but only for ambulances, school buses, and low-income residents of New York.
All funds collected from tolls in the city are allocated to improving public transport services. This amounts to one billion dollars, the publication notes.
Many people are dissatisfied with these changes. The teachers' union has already filed a lawsuit stating that residents of Queens and Brooklyn now find it excessively expensive to commute through Manhattan on a daily basis.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also opposes the toll charges. The article mentions that he has tried to prevent these fees, recognizing that hundreds of individuals commute through Manhattan for work and back each day.