אידישע וועלט פארומס

NEW YORK CITY - NYC's congestion pricing plan will be indefinitely paused, an action that is driven by the cost of living and economic recovery concerns for NYC, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday.

"After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision that implementing the planned congestion pricing system risked too many unattended consequences for New Yorkers at this time," she said. "For that reason, I have directed the MTA to indefinitely pause the program."

The plan, the first of its kind in the U.S., was slated to turn all of Manhattan south of Central Park into one giant toll zone beginning June 30. Most drivers would have needed to fork over $15 to enter the zone.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy thanked his New York counterpart in a statement.

"We have always had a shared vision for growing our regional economy, investing in infrastructure, protecting our environment, and creating good-paying jobs on both sides of the Hudson River," Murphy's statement read.

Now, with the plan likely postponed, Hochul and the state legislature are exploring other funding options for the MTA, as congestion pricing revenue has been factored into the agency's budget.

This revenue option could be tapping the state reserves, a high-level source told FOX 5 NY.

FOX 5 NY has made repeated requests for comment from the MTA but has not heard back. We are still awaiting comment.

MTA spokesperson Tim Minton would not confirm or deny that congestion pricing is in jeopardy: "Need to speak to the governor’s office about that topic."

What is congestion pricing?
Most drivers in private cars would pay a congestion fee of at least $15, or $22.50 if they aren’t enrolled in a regional toll collection program. That would come on top of the already hefty tolls to enter the city via some river crossings, like the $13.38 to $17.63 it costs to take a car through the Lincoln or Holland tunnels.

Under the transit authority's plan, trucks would be subject to a charge of $24 or $36 per trip, depending on their size. Most drivers in private passenger cars, in contrast, should expect to pay about $15, with lower rates for motorcycles and late-night entries into the city, according to the proposal finalized in March.

That price tag, it’s hoped, will lead to fewer traffic jams, reduce air pollution and provide a desperately needed annual cash infusion of around $1 billion for the city’s subway and bus systems, which carry some 4 million riders daily.