How does congestion pricing impact tourists visiting NYC?
NEW YORK (PIX11) – Congestion pricing kicked off on Sunday, in which drivers entering Manhattan at or below 60th Street are charged a $9 once-daily toll.
But if you're visiting New York City as a tourist, do you also need to pay up? Will your rideshare from the airport be more expensive?
Here's how congestion pricing affects visitors coming to the Big Apple.
Will you have to pay the congestion pricing toll?
If you're planning to use Uber, Lyft or other rideshare services, you'll be charged an additional $1.50 per trip if you enter Manhattan's Central Business District. The cost of the toll falls on the passenger, not the driver.
If you decide to take a yellow cab, green cab or black car, you'll have to pay $0.75 per trip.
Where is the congestion pricing zone?
The congestion pricing zone, also known as Manhattan's Central Business District, starts at 60th Street and continues to all the roads below.
The FDR Drive, West Side Highway and Hugh L. Carey Tunnel are all excluded from the congestion pricing plan – as long as you don't exit into Manhattan at or below 60th Street.
What are some alternatives to paying the toll?
If you want to save some money on your trip, the MTA recommends taking the subway and bus. Each ride costs $2.90.
Lyft is also crediting passengers the $1.50 toll until the end of January.
The MTA's goal with congestion pricing is to improve infrastructure and reduce traffic in Manhattan. Some celebrated the start of the plan, while others argued it's an unfair burden for drivers.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.