NJ residents speak out on congestion pricing
As we inch closer to the start on congestion pricing on January 5, FOX 5 is speaking with residents in New Jersey about the impact the coming toll will have on their wallets and their lives.
NEW JERSEY – Congestion pricing is still set to begin on Sunday, January 5, leaving commuters in New Jersey bracing for a potential financial double whammy.
Under the congestion pricing plan, drivers heading into Manhattan below 60th Street will pay an estimated $9 toll per trip. For those traveling through Port Authority crossings, an additional $16 toll applies. Even with a crossing credit, the daily cost will hover around $22—roughly $5,700 annually, not including gas and other expenses.
“It’s going to cost me like close to $50 to get in there every day,” said one driver from Rutherford.
Public Transit Not Always a Solution
While public transit may seem like an alternative, New Jersey Transit has its own challenges. The system, plagued by delays, cancelations, and disruptions, saw a 15% fare increase on July 1, with an additional 3% hike planned annually.
The Regional Plan Association (RPA) supports the congestion pricing initiative but emphasizes that its success depends on improving public transit systems like NJ Transit.
“90% of the people coming into Manhattan south of 60th Street for work are on public transit already,” said an RPA representative. “…so the goal is to both get congestion pricing implemented, see its effects, and also address the service and reliability issues on NJ Transit separately.”
Further toll increases are scheduled for 2028 and 2031.
On Friday, New Jersey lawmakers will return to the courtroom to argue that the tolls will disproportionately harm New Jersey residents and families.
