E-ZPass NY Website Crashes On First Workday Of Congestion Pricing

NEW YORK CITY — The E-ZPass New York website crashed on Monday morning during the first workday of New York City's congestion pricing plan.

Around 9:45 a.m., E-ZPass NY notified users that the website was "experiencing higher than normal activity."

By around 10:20 a.m., the website seemed to be back up and running.

E-ZPass drivers will pay $9 to enter Manhattan's Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) which covers 60th Street to the southern tip of Manhattan, excluding highways like the FDR Drive and West Side Highway.

Drivers without E-ZPass will be tolled by mail and will have to pay $13.

NYC's Congestion Pricing Begins First Week

The purpose of the plan is to reduce gridlock in Manhattan's busiest areas and encourage public transit use, officials said.

Between 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, drivers will be charged $9. All other times, drivers will be charged $2.25, Patch previously reported.

The charges will be recorded via camera tolls, the MTA said.

But, the prices won't stay that low forever. The MTA plans to increase the toll charge to $12 in 2028, and then bump the price up to $15 in 2031.

However, drivers who earn less than $50,000 a year will get a 50 percent discount on every toll after the 10th toll each month, according to the MTA.

The plan is expected to generate more than $15 billion for public transportation upgrades in New York City, the MTA said.

“Commuters deserve a world-class transit system that’s safe, efficient and modern. Local residents deserve clean air and safe streets. Drivers deserve less congestion and reduced traffic. This is what we will begin to achieve — at a lower cost to drivers — when congestion pricing begins on January 5,” Governor Kathy Hochul previously said.