New York City has officially introduced its much-anticipated congestion pricing plan, which began on Sunday. This initiative requires drivers entering the heart of Manhattan to pay a $9 toll during peak hours. The primary aim of this policy is to alleviate severe traffic congestion while generating funds for the city's aging public transit infrastructure. “We’ve been studying this issue for five years," stated Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber following a court ruling that cleared the way for the tolls. "It only takes about five minutes if you’re in midtown Manhattan to see that New York has a real traffic problem,” he noted.

The toll schedule differentiates charges based on the time of day and whether drivers utilize an E-ZPass. For most passenger vehicle drivers with E-ZPasses, the charge is set at $9 for entering south of Central Park on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Off-peak hours will see a reduced toll of $2.25. Furthermore, drivers can also expect to pay bridge and tunnel tolls when entering the city, though a credit of up to $3 will be granted for those already charged for certain crossings during peak times.

Reactions to the toll have been politically charged. Notably, President-elect Donald Trump has publicly denounced the initiative, suggesting it will disadvantage New York City relative to competing cities and states. “This is a massive tax to people coming in; it is extremely inconvenient,” Trump remarked, indicating his intent to dismantle the program upon taking office.

Furthermore, although New York's congestion pricing mirrors similar initiatives in cities like London and Stockholm, it is the first of its kind in the United States. The plan had initially aimed for a $15 charge the prior year, but due to political pressures from the impending 2024 election, Governor Kathy Hochul paused the rollout.

After the election, Governor Hochul relaunches the scheme at the lower $9 price, asserting that a thorough evaluation convinced her that the original amount was excessive. Despite the legal challenges, including those from New Jersey officials attempting to halt the program, the congestion pricing system has begun operating as planned.