NEW YORK — As New York City prepares for the start of congestion pricing this summer, LIRR and Metro-North riders could see some savings.
Sources tell CBS New York the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is considering a 10 percent discount on monthly tickets for certain fare zones within the city.
On the LIRR, a monthly ticket between Jamaica and Penn Station or Grand Central would go from $220 to $198, saving $22 a month. As for Metro-North, a monthly ticket between Grand Central Terminal and the northern Bronx would go from $199.75 to $180, saving nearly $20.
The discounted fares would be part of a year-long pilot program, sources say.
The MTA Board is expected to vote on the measure Tuesday. If approved, the program would start July 1, one day after congestion pricing begins in Manhattan.
Congestion pricing coming soon
The MTA announced last week it plans to start congestion pricing on June 30, charging most drivers $15 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street.
The newly dubbed “Congestion Relief Zone” includes the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Queensboro Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge, as well as the Holland Tunnel, Hugh Carey Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel and Queens-Midtown Tunnel.
More than 100 cameras have been installed to scan drivers’ E-ZPass and license plates as they enter the zone.
The MTA says the new tolls will cost about 50% more for drivers who do not have E-ZPass, and there will be a $5 credit for drivers who do use E-ZPass when they take the tunnels during peak hours.
Peak hours are scheduled from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the weekends.
See our map of the congestion zone, plus a full breakdown of the fees, including exemptions.
