NYC Congestion Pricing

[Rothman]

I don't understand why people would want to drive into Manhattan in the first place. Public transportation is so much easier. In addition to the bridge/tunnel tolls, then parking is a nightmare too.

Harlem River bridges have tolls?

Have to say that I enjoy driving into NYC.  I drive in and park, then use transit to get around.  NYC's secret is that free parking can be found...

[kalvado]

I don't understand why people would want to drive into Manhattan in the first place. Public transportation is so much easier. In addition to the bridge/tunnel tolls, then parking is a nightmare too.

Harlem River bridges have tolls?

Have to say that I enjoy driving into NYC.  I drive in and park, then use transit to get around.  NYC's secret is that free parking can be found...

Free parking isn't huge factor if you're not commuting. Last time I parked in a garage near LIRR Jamaica station. It wasn't too expensive compared to everything else. I would definitely park even further out if I could, though.

[RobbieL2415]

I don't understand why people would want to drive into Manhattan in the first place. Public transportation is so much easier. In addition to the bridge/tunnel tolls, then parking is a nightmare too.

Harlem River bridges have tolls?

Have to say that I enjoy driving into NYC.  I drive in and park, then use transit to get around.  NYC's secret is that free parking can be found...

Free parking isn't huge factor if you're not commuting. Last time I parked in a garage near LIRR Jamaica station. It wasn't too expensive compared to everything else. I would definitely park even further out if I could, though.

I parked at the Court Square garage a couple times before COVID, then took a 7 train to where I needed to go. I never paid more than $15 for 8 hours. City-owned garages used to be so cheap.

[mgk920]

And pushing more traffic into northern Manhattan and the outer boroughs.  Are cabs and city workers (ie, police, FDNY firefighters, public works, etc) exempt?

Mike

[SignBridge]

I don't think city workers are exempt, but I will guess that taxicabs probably are.

[kalvado]

And pushing more traffic into northern Manhattan and the outer boroughs.  Are cabs and city workers (ie, police, FDNY firefighters, public works, etc) exempt?

Mike

Taxi is $2.50/2.75 per trip passed directly to passed.
https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-03191

[roadman65]

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2024/12/27/nj-transit-amtrak-port-authority-2025/76920864007/

Does anyone know the bridge being built is in the articles cover photo?

[vdeane]

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2024/12/27/nj-transit-amtrak-port-authority-2025/76920864007/

Does anyone know the bridge being built is in the articles cover photo?

Looks like the NJ Transit bridge on the rail line connecting to Gateway.

[1995hoo]

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2024/12/27/nj-transit-amtrak-port-authority-2025/76920864007/

Does anyone know the bridge being built is in the articles cover photo?

That's the new Portal Bridge. The Portal Bridge is a notorious bottleneck on the Northeast Corridor; in addition to Amtrak, NJ Transit uses it. It's a swing bridge that doesn't always close properly, sometimes requiring workers to use sledgehammers to bang it back into place so rail traffic can resume. It was built over 100 years ago. The new bridge will run parallel to it and is at a higher clearance above the water. There are plans for a second new bridge, but I believe it isn't funded yet.

If the name "Portal Bridge" sounds vaguely familiar, it might be because you heard Biden mention it during his debate with Trump last June.

[ran4sh]

With E-ZPass being used to pay the congestion charge, do they engage in transponder discrimination?

[kalvado]

With E-ZPass being used to pay the congestion charge, do they engage in transponder discrimination?

I didn't hear anything about that. There is a discount for ezpass paid crossings into congestion zone, but otherwise no discrimination - MTA hates every driver equally.

[roadman65]

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2024/12/27/nj-transit-amtrak-port-authority-2025/76920864007/

Does anyone know the bridge being built is in the articles cover photo?

That's the new Portal Bridge. The Portal Bridge is a notorious bottleneck on the Northeast Corridor; in addition to Amtrak, NJ Transit uses it. It's a swing bridge that doesn't always close properly, sometimes requiring workers to use sledgehammers to bang it back into place so rail traffic can resume. It was built over 100 years ago. The new bridge will run parallel to it and is at a higher clearance above the water. There are plans for a second new bridge, but I believe it isn't funded yet.

If the name "Portal Bridge" sounds vaguely familiar, it might be because you heard Biden mention it during his debate with Trump last June.

There are many of us who didn't watch the debate, and I was one of them. 

If I asked the name it's because I don't know what that bridge was . I don't live in New Jersey and I'm not familiar with road ( and rail) projects so it is a valid question.

Go ride your I-366 at 85 mph.

[1995hoo]

Where did I say you should have known the name? All I said was, "If the name ... sounds vaguely familiar ... ." Point being, someone may recognize the name but not know where he heard it.

[vdeane]

With E-ZPass being used to pay the congestion charge, do they engage in transponder discrimination?

I didn't hear anything about that. There is a discount for ezpass paid crossings into congestion zone, but otherwise no discrimination - MTA hates every driver equally.

The MTA does engage in transponder discrimination for the bridges and tunnels (they began doing that even before the Thruway did), so they might here too.

[roadman65]

Where did I say you should have known the name? All I said was, "If the name ... sounds vaguely familiar ... ." Point being, someone may recognize the name but not know where he heard it.

Sorry man. I'm just on edge lately.  Forget I said it.

[MASTERNC]

With E-ZPass being used to pay the congestion charge, do they engage in transponder discrimination?

This article says (surprisingly) not for the congestion charge

https://pix11.com/news/local-news/congestion-pricing/update-your-e-zpass-before-congestion-pricing-starts-mta-warns-heres-why/amp/

[SignBridge]

NYC Congestion Pricing Tolling is scheduled to start at 00:01 hours tonight ! I just hope enough capacity has been built into the computer system to handle the thousands if not a million transactions that will occur daily starting with the Monday morning rush-hour. Knowing how these things often go, I'll guess that Sunday will work okay, but that this Monday when daily and rush-hour traffic returns to its normally horrendous levels, the system will get overloaded and crash. And the MTA will have egg on its face for not designing enough capacity.....

[Max Rockatansky]

Too much to hope for a system crash that I be entertained by from afar?

[kalvado]

Too much to hope for a system crash that I be entertained by from afar?

I believe they were running the system in test mode for a while. With a few months of delays, there was definitely enough time for testing.
And capacity wise, this is on the same page as Hudson crossings which feed into Manhattan.

[steviep24]

Any Ezpass users receive an email from the MTA about this? I did and I live in Rochester and have a NYSTA Ezpass.

[jeffandnicole]

Any Ezpass users receive an email from the MTA about this? I did and I live in Rochester and have a NYSTA Ezpass.

I have a NJ EZ Pass and didn't receive anything 

[kalvado]

Any Ezpass users receive an email from the MTA about this? I did and I live in Rochester and have a NYSTA Ezpass.

Same email for me

You are receiving this email because you have an E-ZPass NY account

[The Ghostbuster]

Well, congestion pricing in Manhattan is off and running, and unsurprisingly, the naysayers are already complaining about it (https://nypost.com/2025/01/06/opinion/nyc-congestion-pricing-debacle-is-already-slamming-average-joes-thanks-gov-hochul/). This is going to be a very unpopular opinion, but maybe the congestion pricing plan should have covered all of Manhattan, not just south of 60th St. Perhaps, eventually, it will be.

[kalvado]

Well, congestion pricing in Manhattan is off and running, and unsurprisingly, the naysayers are already complaining about it (https://nypost.com/2025/01/06/opinion/nyc-congestion-pricing-debacle-is-already-slamming-average-joes-thanks-gov-hochul/). This is going to be a very unpopular opinion, but maybe the congestion pricing plan should have covered all of Manhattan, not just south of 60th St. Perhaps, eventually, it will be.

Hochul tries to soften political impact - improvements to metro north and Amtrak rail service are to be proposed. Let's see if they will be funded though...

[LilianaUwU]

Well, congestion pricing in Manhattan is off and running, and unsurprisingly, the naysayers are already complaining about it (https://nypost.com/2025/01/06/opinion/nyc-congestion-pricing-debacle-is-already-slamming-average-joes-thanks-gov-hochul/).

The naysayers being anyone with a brain.