Following New York, major US cities may charge a toll on traffic jams.

After New York approved a controversial “congestion fee” that motorists must pay to drive through the city center, several other major US cities are planning to follow suit.

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In April, New York State lawmakers approved a collection at all entry points to Manhattan below 60 Street, culminating in the many years of struggle that began in 2007 when the former mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, began to promote this idea. Fox News. Now supporters of a similar gathering in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle and Portland are considering the possibility of following the example of New York to reduce the flow of cars, reduce pollution and raise money for public transport.

But critics say the fees in New York and beyond will only ultimately penalize commuters - leaving them with no choice but to continue commuting downtown. This will also affect businesses and individuals who need delivery to the city center.

“The traffic jam itself is a sufficient deterrent for people coming into the city,” Pennsylvania Republican Todd Stevens told Fox News.

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Stevens represents the Montgomery suburban district outside of Philadelphia, which for the first time reviews traffic jams. A spokeswoman for Kelly Kofransisko said the city would study the experience of New York, “to understand how this can help improve justice, security, sustainability and mobility.”

Some local lawmakers welcome this idea, motivating their decision by the fact that large cities are at a standstill because of the huge number of cars and do not know how to solve this issue.

A report recently published by the Government of Southern California recommended a fee of $ 4 for entry into West Los Angeles and Santa Monica during peak hours on a weekday. This change is expected to reduce congestion by approximately 20%.

“Congestion monetization is a creative solution to gridlock that values ​​road use, generates significant funding for transit while reducing pollution. The alternative is to simply do nothing and let the traffic jams continue without problems. I think it's a positive thing that cities around the world and in California are willing to try [innovative] solutions instead of doing nothing,” said California Democrat Richard Bloom, who represents part of Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, The Boston Herald reports that state legislators presented a new bill aimed at imposing a traffic charge in East Boston. This decision may be difficult, because Governor Charlie Baker vetoed such a bill last year, and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh faced an intense negative reaction from commuters at the time.

Inrix analytics, which uses more than 350 of millions of points to collect traffic data, estimates Boston as the most congested city in the country. New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Portland are also in the top 10.

Seattle was also studying the issue before New York approved its plan. Democratic Mayor Jenny Durkan floated the idea last year to make the city compliant with the Paris climate accord after President Trump withdrew the US from the pact.

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Democratic Councilman Mike O'Brien, who led his city's initiative, said Seattle is assessing the potential impact on low-income households, noting the need for reasonable pricing. So Seattle launched a study more than a year ago to "better understand who goes downtown, when those people go there, and why."

Since these cities are still considering the idea, they will likely face the same resistance that New York experienced. During the debate, the Independent Drivers' Guild (representing more than 70 app-based taxi drivers) called the idea a "bogus" and "unfair" levy. At the same time, Uber lobbied for the initiative.

Independent Drivers' Guild spokesman Robert Sinclair told Fox News that "from our point of view, it's all about the money, and it's terribly unfair."

Congestion pricing is an idea first popularized abroad. Back in 2003, London introduced an £11,50 ($15) charge to travel into the city center, and a few years ago added another charge for older cars.

While no price has been set for New York City, a report commissioned by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office recommends that peak-hour entry into Manhattan be charged $11,52 for cars and $25,34 for trucks—on top of any other tolls for crossing the bridge.

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