NYC approves $15 toll to enter central business district in anti-traffic effort

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday approved the imposition of a $15 toll on most passenger vehicles entering the city's central business district in a bid to curb traffic congestion.

The fee is slated to take effect in June, which the MTA hopes will also encourage the use of public transportation and raise funds to overhaul the subway network, the Associated Press reported.

Under the plan, the fee would be lower during an overnight period ranging from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the week, and until 9 a.m. on the weekend. The plan further includes some exceptions to the toll applying to emergency vehicles and other city-operated cars and buses. The type of vehicle will also affect pricing, which could reach as high as $36 for some buses.

The New York Legislature in 2019 approved a toll system that was required to raise $1 billion annually to fund public transit, though its implementation was stalled in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.