After years of debate, New York state has adopted congestion pricing to deal with traffic problems in New York City. Starting in 2021, fees will be imposed on all vehicles entering a pricing zone that covers lower Manhattan, from 60th Street at the southern edge of Central Park to the southernmost tip of the island.
This approach has succeeded in cities including London, Singapore and Stockholm. For scholars like me who focus on urban issues, New York's decision is welcome news. Properly used, congestion pricing can make crowded cities safer, cleaner and easier for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to navigate.
The details matter, including the size and timing of charges and the area that they cover. Congestion charges also raises equity issues, since rich people are best able to move closer to work or change their schedules to avoid the steepest costs.
Are congestion pricing plans the wave of the future in American cities?
(Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday April 03 2019, @11:14PM
NY has the most aggressive tax law for nonresidents. Even if an employee does not spend a second on the island, she has to pay taxes if she stays out for "convenience". https://www.hodgsonruss.com/newsroom-publications-NewYork_srevisedconvenienceruleprovidessomeclarity.html [hodgsonruss.com]
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.