New York City received approval on Friday to begin congestion pricing on Jan. 5, with most drivers paying $9 to use some of the busiest streets in Manhattan.
The tolling plan, the first of its kind in the country, aims to raise money for mass transit while relieving some of the world’s worst gridlock and clearing air pollution.
Gov. Kathy Hochul paused the program in June, saying that it would be too much of an economic burden for New Yorkers. Some critics of the governor, however, questioned whether the suspension was also meant to shield Democrats at the ballot box from any possible fallout from the start of the plan.
Earlier this month, Ms. Hochul revived the program with a 40 percent reduction in the price of the tolls, dropping the fee to $9 from $15 for most motorists during peak hours.
The plan, which has stalled for decades, has now completed its breakneck comeback. The final greenlight on Friday came from the Federal Highway Administration, according to officials with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
“This is an exciting moment,” said Janno Lieber, the chief executive of the authority, which will implement the plan. “Everybody knows this has been a long journey getting to this point.”
The incoming administration of Donald J. Trump will likely not be as accommodating. The president-elect is opposed to the tolling plan, saying that the added cost of the tolls could keep tourists from Manhattan and hurt businesses. He has vowed to undo the plan as one of his first acts in office, though his options are limited now that the federal government has signed off.
Even with the lower rates, the program has been highly unpopular in the New York City area. At least nine lawsuits currently threaten the plan, and a group of opponents escalated their efforts last week by requesting an injunction to block it from advancing.
A Siena College survey conducted in April revealed that about two-thirds of New York State residents said they opposed the program.
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