New York City’s congestion
pricing program aimed to reduce traffic buildup and fund renovations to the
public transit system. On Wednesday, the Trump Administration
announced they would no longer support it.
The program would charge passenger vehicles $9 and trucks
and buses $21.60 during peak traffic periods south of 60th Street in Manhattan.
NYC expected these charges would bring in over $500 million in their first year
of implementation.
Most of the revenue would go towards upgrading the city’s
subway and bus system.
The program was already approved by the Biden administration
during the final months of his presidency but was criticized by President Trump
based on its impact to commuters
from New Jersey.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that this
program would not give drivers a free highway alternative and costs too much
for them to consistently pay.
The MTA said it is willing to defend the program in court,
as it has already reduced congestion and travel times and allowed buses and
emergency vehicles to move faster. According to officials, inbound trip times
on all Hudson River and East River crossings are now 10-to-30 percent faster or more.
Congestion and traffic in
major cities around the world have continued to increase, and many cities
are looking to implement similar charges with the hope of improving this issue.
London has a £15 ($18.67) charge for vehicles, and Sweden and Singapore are
also trying their plans as well.
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