The coming congestion pricing tax is already bad enough.
Drivers will be charged a staggering $15 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Even the $5 discount that drivers will receive if they take a tunnel on their way into the zone doesn’t remove the sting.
But as bad as congestion pricing sounds now, it could actually get lot more expensive in the future.
Here are 10 simple ways that congestion pricing could get even worse.
EXPAND THE CONGESTION ZONE
There are plenty of areas above 60th Street that are congested with traffic. It would be easy enough to expand the congestion zone northward and charge drivers to go there. Heck, the entirety of Manhattan is a congestion zone.
INCREASE THE CONGESTION FEE
This is practically guaranteed to happen. After all, how often does a tax, toll, fare or fee stay the same in New York City?
EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO OTHER BOROUGHS
Again, something that’s close to a slam dunk to happen. There are congestion nightmare areas in every borough. If congestion pricing works in Manhattan (in other words, if it makes money, which it will), expect the drumbeat to begin in earnest to institute the program elsewhere.
INCREASE EXEMPTIONS
Not too many drivers are exempt from the congestion tax at the moment, but that could change. Cops, firefighters, teachers and other public servants are already railing about having to pay the fee when they have no choice where they’re assigned to work. More exemptions for some would mean higher congestion fees for the rest of us to make up the difference.
INCLUDE THE FDR DRIVE AND THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY IN THE ZONE
As the program is today, drivers won’t pay the fee if they pass through the congestion zone on the FDR Drive or the West Side Highway without getting off. The plate-reading congestion cameras are already in place on those highways, so it wouldn’t take much to dun every driver who passes them whether they go into the zone or not.
‘SURGE PRICING’ WITHIN THE ZONE
Traffic isn’t equal everywhere at all times. If the Canal Street area, say, is particularly congested at a given time, charge cars an additional fee to enter that neighborhood. That would be similar to the surge pricing model used by Uber and others, which charges higher fees for the same services based on when customers use them and under what conditions.
CHARGE CARS MORE IF THEY STAY LONGER IN THE ZONE
If you zip in and out of the congestion zone, you pay one fee. If you stay longer, you pay more. Kind of like a congestion-pricing taxi meter. Think about that while you’re stuck in traffic trying to get across town. And, hey, if you’re parked on the street somewhere, you’re still contributing to congestion. So pay up.
CHARGE THE SAME FEE AROUND THE CLOCK
Under the current model, motorists who enter the zone during off-peak hours will pay a discounted congestion fee. Just charge everybody the same amount.
MAKE CONGESTION PRICING 24/7
Drivers will only be charged to enter the congestion zone during certain hours of the day during the week and on the weekend. Make them pay around the clock and you’ll make more money. Remember, speed cameras that are now in operation 24/7/365 were initially in service only during certain hours. They call that a precedent.
ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THE TUNNEL DISCOUNT
This would be an abomination, but I don’t put anything past money-grubbing New York lawmakers and neither should you.
10 easy ways that NYC congestion pricing could get even more expensive for drivers (opinion)
10
1
11.03.2024
The coming congestion pricing tax is already bad enough.
Drivers will be charged a staggering $15 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Even the $5 discount that drivers will receive if they take a tunnel on their way into the zone doesn’t remove the sting.
But as bad as congestion pricing sounds now, it could actually get lot more expensive in the future.
Here are 10 simple ways that congestion pricing could get even worse.
EXPAND THE CONGESTION ZONE
There are plenty of areas above 60th Street that are congested with traffic. It would be easy enough to expand the congestion zone northward and charge drivers to go there. Heck, the entirety of Manhattan is a congestion zone.
INCREASE THE CONGESTION FEE
This is practically guaranteed to happen. After all, how often does a tax, toll, fare or fee stay the same in New York........
© The Staten Island Advance
visit website
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Andrew Mitrovica
Mort Laitner
Rami G Khouri
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
