London Congestion Charge Cameras: Locations And Fines

Congestion charge cameras are being installed in New York City to monitor and charge fees for drivers entering Manhattan. The MTA has installed high-tech devices at over 100 locations around Manhattan, including W61st Street and West End Avenue, with plans to implement 120 toll readers in total. The cameras will be used to track and toll cars driving below 60th Street, with charges ranging from $9 to $23 for entry into the congestion zone. The scheme has faced opposition from some drivers and officials, including the Governor of New Jersey, who filed a lawsuit to block the congestion tolling program. Despite the controversy, the MTA is moving forward with the plan, which is expected to reduce vehicles entering Manhattan and raise funds for transit upgrades.

Congestion charge cameras installed at W61st Street and West End Avenue in Manhattan

Congestion charge cameras have been installed at W61st Street and West End Avenue in Manhattan. The cameras are part of a scheme to charge drivers a fee for entering the heart of Manhattan, with charges ranging from $9 to $23. The scheme is set to go into effect in the spring of 2024 and will apply to drivers heading below 60th Street in Manhattan.

The cameras were first installed on Friday, July 22, 2023, with New York starting to install the first of 120 toll readers on W61st Street and West End Avenue. These toll readers will monitor and charge congestion fees for drivers, with the aim of reducing the number of vehicles entering Manhattan by up to 20%. The scheme is expected to raise billions for transit upgrades and improve air quality, safety, and transit in the area.

The congestion charge cameras are installed overhead and use infrared illumination to photograph vehicles' license plates without using a flash. The cameras can automatically detect the size and type of vehicle entering the congestion zone, with different toll rates planned for personal vehicles, motorcycles, small trucks, large trucks, and buses. The system will capture a vehicle's front plates when it enters the congestion tolling zone, scan for an E-ZPass tag, and then photograph the rear plates to determine the correct toll amount.

The scheme has faced opposition from some drivers and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who filed a lawsuit to block the congestion tolling program. However, MTA Chair Janno Lieber has defended the plan, stating that it will benefit commuters by encouraging the use of public transportation and reducing congestion. The final congestion charge plan includes once-per-day caps on charges for taxis, funding for electric truck conversions, and local park improvements.

The MTA has installed high-tech devices at dozens of locations around Manhattan

The MTA has installed high-tech devices at 104 of the 110 planned locations around Manhattan. The equipment, designed to automatically track and toll cars driving below 60th Street, contains E-ZPass readers and cameras that use infrared illumination to photograph vehicles' license plates without using a flash. This is a shift from the cameras at the MTA's tolled bridges and tunnels, which use bright camera flashes. The MTA's new devices can also automatically detect the size and type of vehicle entering the congestion zone.

The technology was set up by the private company Transcore, which in 2019 signed a $507 million contract with the MTA to design, build and operate the infrastructure for congestion pricing. The MTA has expressed concern about drivers evading the tolls by covering their license plates and has called on the state legislature to increase the penalties for toll evasion.

The first congestion charge cameras were installed on W61st Street and West End Avenue, on the border with the Upper West Side. A third of the readers are hung on existing street poles, pedestrian walkways and overpasses, with the rest on poles and gantries built by the MTA.

The standard toll under the controversial congestion pricing plan starts at $15 for passenger vehicles, though it can vary based on vehicle type. The toll would be charged on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tolls would only be charged when entering the CBD and would be capped at once per day for passenger vehicles, passenger-type vehicles with commercial plates and motorcycles.

The MTA's Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) has been authorised to establish the Central District Business Tolling Program (CBDTP), which will charge travellers a variable fee for driving into Manhattan's Central Business District, defined as any area south of 60th Street. Congestion pricing refers to the use of electronic tolling to charge vehicles for entering certain areas, ideally resulting in reduced traffic congestion and increased revenue for transit projects.

Congestion pricing scanners debut on Broadway

Congestion pricing scanners have been installed on Broadway, with new scanning devices hovering over streets near Columbus Circle. This marks the first tangible signs of the tolls motorists will be charged to drive into Midtown Manhattan. The installation of E-Z Pass readers and license plate-scanning cameras is similar to those already in use at the approaches to the MTA's nine bridges and tunnels.

The tolling devices will be installed at an estimated 120 detection points, with some already spotted at West 61st Street and West End Avenue. The tolling zone will extend south from 60th Street, except for vehicles driving through using the FDR Drive, the West Side Highway, and the Battery Park underpass. The federal government's June 26 Finding of No Significant Impact put the MTA on a 310-day clock to install, test, and activate the country's first congestion pricing system.

The congestion pricing system is expected to charge motorists between $9 and $23 during peak hours to drive south of 60th Street, with discounts of at least 50% considered between midnight and 4 a.m. The system aims to provide close to $15 billion for MTA upgrades, including new subway cars and signals, expanded subway accessibility, electric buses, and the extension of the Second Avenue Subway north from 96th Street to East Harlem. It is also designed to cut the number of cars, trucks, vans, and buses entering Manhattan by 15% to 20%.

The structures that will toll vehicles going south of 60th Street and into Manhattan's central business district are being installed by TransCore. The Traffic Mobility Review Board must come up with tolling recommendations and determine any exemptions or discounts. Despite opposition from the state of New Jersey and some drivers, Richard Davey, president of New York City Transit, affirmed that the tolling plan is on track, stating, "There's nothing anybody can do to stop this. The train is rolling in."

Congestion charge cameras installed at Hell's Kitchen, the gateway to Manhattan

Congestion charge cameras have been installed in Hell's Kitchen, the gateway to Manhattan, to monitor and charge fees for vehicles driving below 60th Street. The cameras, which are equipped with E-ZPass readers and infrared cameras, were first installed in June 2023 and are set to start charging drivers a $15 toll during peak hours from June 30, 2024. The toll will be charged only once a day per vehicle, and cars will not be charged the full $15 fee until 9 am on Sundays.

Hell's Kitchen, a neighborhood on the west side of Midtown Manhattan, has long been known for its gritty reputation and working-class Irish-American population. In recent years, however, the area has undergone gentrification, with rents rising rapidly. The neighborhood is home to a diverse range of residents, including a large LGBTQ community, aspiring actors, and young Wall Street financiers. It is also known for its extensive selection of multiethnic and relatively inexpensive restaurants.

The decision to implement congestion pricing in Hell's Kitchen has sparked mixed reactions from residents and business owners. Some welcome the change, hoping that it will bring cleaner air, quieter streets, improved public transit, and reduced congestion. Others worry about the financial burden, especially for those who live inside the congestion zone or rely on cars for work or family commitments outside of Manhattan. There are also concerns about the impact on small businesses and tourism, as well as comparisons to similar schemes in other cities like London, which offers a 90% discount to residents.

The MTA, which operates the congestion charge program, expects the scheme to result in 100,000 fewer vehicles daily and raise billions for transit upgrades. Despite facing multiple lawsuits and criticism from figures such as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, the MTA is pushing ahead with its plans. With the installation of cameras at over 100 locations around Manhattan, including many in Hell's Kitchen, the MTA is preparing to implement congestion pricing and manage the flow of vehicles through this gateway to the city.

Congestion charge cameras installed on Route 9A/the West Side Highway

Congestion charge cameras have been installed on Route 9A/the West Side Highway in New York as part of the state's congestion pricing plan. The cameras are designed to track vehicles entering the congestion zone in Manhattan's central business district (CBD) south of 60th Street. The standard toll under the plan starts at $15 for passenger vehicles, but the amount charged can vary depending on the vehicle type. For example, container trucks will be charged $24, while articulated trucks will pay $36 during daytime hours.

The toll will be charged on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It will only be applied when entering the CBD and will be capped at once per day for passenger vehicles, passenger-type vehicles with commercial plates, and motorcycles.

The cameras on Route 9A/the West Side Highway are being installed despite the highway currently being excluded from the toll under state law. Motorists who drive on this route have expressed concern that the cameras could eventually be used to charge tolls on the highway. However, an MTA spokesperson stated that the license readers will be used as a "verification point" to identify which vehicles stay on roadways excluded from the congestion toll.

The congestion pricing plan is expected to generate $1 billion annually, which will be used to secure $15 billion in bonds for repairs and improvements to the public transportation system. The plan has faced opposition from some drivers and lawmakers, who argue that it will be a financial burden on commuters and residents.

Frequently asked questions