Starting from January 5th, it seems that the collection of congestion fees south of 60th Street in Manhattan has become a certainty. Although the basic toll is $9, the actual amount to be paid is more complex than imagined.
The actual amount of the congestion fee depends on different time periods, types of vehicles, the location of entry into the toll zone, as well as discounts, exemptions, and tolls for bridges and tunnels.
The tolling structure for congestion fees is established by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), while the tolls for bridges and tunnels are determined by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). The Port Authority also plans to increase tolls on bridges and tunnels on the same day of January 5th, with passenger vehicles using E-ZPass having to pay an additional 68 cents.
Adding to the complexity is the fact that the definitions of “peak hours” for congestion fees and bridge/tunnel tolls differ, further adding to the confusion.
The peak hours for congestion fees are from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday to Friday and from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm on weekends, with a basic rate of $9. The basic rate for non-peak hours is $2.25. For bridge and tunnel tolls, the peak hours are from 6:00 am to 10:00 am and 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm Monday to Friday, and from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on weekends. At other non-peak times, passenger vehicles entering New York from New Jersey must pay $2.
To find out the actual amount to be paid for congestion fees, the public can visit the Datawrapper website (link: https://www.datawrapper.de/_/rRY79/), which provides a calculation reference on a map.
Based on four types of vehicles – cars, trucks, motorcycles, and buses – and the entry into the congestion fee collection area via the Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, Queens Boro-Midtown Tunnel, and Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel into Manhattan (at the increased rates effective January 5th), subtracting the discounts provided by the congestion fee, the website’s calculation results in the total amount paid during peak and non-peak hours by using E-ZPass.
(1) For passenger vehicles passing through the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel from New Jersey during overlapping peak hours for tolls and congestion fees with E-ZPass, the total payment is $22.06, with a toll of $16.06 and a congestion fee of $9 (with a $3 discount), while the non-peak total payment is $16.31 ($14.06 + $2.25).
(2) Passenger vehicles traveling to downtown Manhattan via the Brooklyn-Battery or Queens Boro-Midtown Tunnel during peak hours have a total payment of $14.44, whereas the non-peak total payment is $9.19.
(3) A three-axle large truck passing through the Lincoln Tunnel into Midtown Manhattan during peak hours incurs a toll of $65.04 and a congestion fee of $21.6, with a $12 discount, leading to a total payment of $74.64.
However, the state law authorizing the collection of congestion fees provides exemptions. Any vehicle that remains on the West Side Highway, FDR Drive, or Battery Park Underpass, without entering local streets, can completely avoid charges.