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Drivers coming into Manhattan from New Jersey may be eligible for a discount on the congestion pricing toll. At a meeting of the Traffic Mobility Review Board on Monday, board members indicated that motorists traveling from New Jersey may be able to deduct the cost of Port Authority tunnel tolls from the congestion charge. This means that New drivers coming from the Garden State through the Lincoln Tunnel or the Holland Tunnel could potentially pay less than $23 during peak hours; though the George Washington Bridge was reportedly not included. Cabs would also be exempt from the congestion fee under that proposal.
The congestion pricing plan for the southern third of Manhattan was unveiled by the MTA earlier this year and was met with mixed reactions. While some believe that it is necessary to reduce traffic and fund the MTA, others have criticized it as being unfair.
The Traffic Mobility Review Board’s decision to provide a discount for drivers coming into Manhattan from New Jersey could be seen as an attempt to address some of these concerns. It remains to be seen what the exact discount will be and how it will be implemented. However, it is clear that this move could provide some relief for New Jersey drivers who are already paying tunnel and bridge tolls to cross into Manhattan.