The MTA held a cheery celebration to unveil a brand new “Congestion Relief Zone” register Manhattan, simply hours earlier than drivers will really feel the ache because the controversial toll goes into impact within the Huge Apple.
The company’s CEO Janno Lieber appeared to don’t have any concern for the various lawsuits and pleas from commuters aiming to cease the brand new $9 toll, as he personally unveiled a toll signal Saturday at one of many entry factors to the zone at Broadway and W. 61st St.
Video shared by the MTA on social media exhibits a small crowd of toll supporters and elected officers cheering Lieber as he stood in a crane and revealed the brand new worth signal.
Regardless of the cheers, the celebration drew on-line jeers from opponents of the toll — which begins at midnight.
“How do you cheer for this,” one particular person commented on Instagram.
One other wrote: “Who’s celebrating bro… like who is happy to pay more ugh.”
Some discovered the tone of the celebration distasteful in gentle of the monetary pressure it should placed on many commuters.
“We ain’t happy about this, just put the sign up and go about y’all day. No unveiling necessary,” one other Instagram person wrote.
Regardless of the criticism, Lieber took time to boast final Saturday in regards to the contentious plan as one thing that may enhance security, air pollution and site visitors situations.
“We’ve been working on this for five years but if you stand in Midtown for five minutes you know we have to deal with the traffic problem,” he stated.
“Now we’re showing the world that in New York we do something about our challenges.”
Tonight on the stroke of 12, the company will start charging passenger autos $9 throughout peak hours of 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
Motorists shall be charged $2.25 throughout all different occasions to enter Manhattans’ busiest neighborhoods south of sixtieth Avenue.
Tolls for these not utilizing an E-Zpass shall be increased.
Small vans shall be charged $14.40 throughout peak hours whereas massive vans shall be charged $21.60.
The brand new congestion pricing would be the first of its form within the nation.
Cash generated by the toll is anticipated to supply $15 billion towards MTA capital initiatives.
