New York will be the first city in the US to introduce a toll for cars and trucks. The New York State Parliament yesterday voted to collect the toll in Manhattan by the end of 2021 at the latest. This is to relieve the chronically congested streets of the metropolis with millions of people. The proceeds will go to the New York subway.
The amount of the city center toll has not yet been determined. It should be at least twelve dollars a day for cars and at least 25 dollars a day for trucks.
Critics see the burden on commuters in particular
The Democratic governor of New York, who was re-elected in November, Andrew Cuomo, had campaigned for the toll as well as environmental activists. Critics say the measure mainly affects commuters from the surrounding area who live far away from public transport. Many bridges and tunnels leading to Manhattan already have tolls to be paid. The new inner city toll will then be added.
The US has traditionally relied on car traffic and neglected local public transport. The New York toll could become a model for other metropolises such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, which also have to deal with many traffic jams.
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