Congestion pricing nears in NYC but advocates aren’t celebrating yet

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – Congestion pricing tolls are just days away from starting in New York City, but advocates are “not taking a victory lap” just yet. 

The program is scheduled to go into effect Sunday, charging drivers to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. During peak times, the toll will cost between $6 and $9, depending on where the driver enters. 

But the program is still facing legal challenges in New Jersey, so transit advocates are not yet ringing the victory bell. 

“It’s been a very long road, and we’re not celebrating or taking a victory lap until the tolls actually turn on Sunday morning,” said Danny Pealstein of Riders Alliance. 

A number of New Jersey drivers and politicians are still trying to throw a Hail Mary in court to stop congestion pricing in its tracks. 

Federal Judge Leo Gordon ordered the MTA and Federal Highway Administration for more information on the environmental impact of congestion pricing in a ruling on Monday, but declined to issue an injunction to stop the plan from going into effect on Jan. 5.

The state of New Jersey is scheduled to be in federal court again in Newark this afternoon sharing their environmental concerns and arguing congestion pricing would cause more traffic as people try to avoid paying to drive south of 60th street in Manhattan.  

In a statement, the MTA said the "endless litigation" is "the height of hypocrisy."

“Nobody in their right mind should take transportation advice from the New Jersey politicians who have woefully failed to manage transit in their state—while also endorsing higher tolls on their own roads and on Port Authority bridges and tunnels, and higher fares on NJ Transit," said a spokesperson for the MTA.