Manhattan celebrates success: Maut drastically reduces traffic jams and noise!

Manhattan celebrates success: Maut drastically reduces traffic jams and noise!

Manhattan, USA - On January 5, 2025, Manhattan introduced a toll for cars that drastically changed the cityscape and traffic behavior. The fee for cars and small commercial vehicles is $ 9 per trip and applies to vehicles that drive south of the 60th street. The main traffic periods extend on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Outside of these times, drivers can benefit from a night tariff that is 75 percent lower. This measure pursues the goal of relieving traffic in the city and promoting public transport. According to Newsflix, traffic in Manhattan has decreased by about 10 percent, which has reduced the travel times from over an hour to impressive 15 minutes.

In order to continue to regulate the traffic, motorcycles pay $ 4.50 during the day, while small trucks and some buses are asked to checkout $ 14.40. The fees for large trucks and coaches are even $ 21.60. However, there are discounts for justified trucks, emergency vehicles and taxi companies that only pay about $ 0.75 per trip. In this way, people with low incomes or disabilities benefit from a reduced tariff. This new toll is the first of its kind in the United States and is expected to increase to a maximum of $ 12 by 2028 and by 2031 to $ 15, as the Tagesschau reports.

positive effects on the city

The introduction of the toll already shows positive effects on the quality of life in Manhattan. The complaints about car noise have decreased by 70 percent, and both buses and public transport benefit from the measure: the number of passengers in public transport has increased significantly, which at the same time led to an increase in visitor numbers on Broadway. It turns out that more New Yorkers support the toll than rejecting, which not only increases the efficiency of traffic, but also promotes the satisfaction of the residents, such as Newsflix emphasized.

The history of the stem fees goes far back. The initial considerations were initiated by the economist William Vickrey in the 1960s; However, an earlier version failed at the congress in the 1970s. It was only in 2019 that governor Andrew Cuomo put the current regulation into force, which was then postponed several times, most recently by Kathy Hochul, until she finally became a reality in 2025. With this Mautideee, which it developed it itself, New York lanked for a long time.

the view above the box

In the USA there are numerous toilet-subject roads that are billed by systems such as E-Zass, as travel tip-USA. Drivers can research online which routes are covered with toll, and the payment methods vary depending on the state and toll system. For tourists who use rental cars, it is advisable to find out about the toll regulations and possible additional costs in advance in order not to experience unpleasant surprises.