Avoid NYC Congestion Pricing by Traveling from Brooklyn to Uptown Manhattan and Vice Versa

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New York City’s Congestion Pricing Program, launching on January 5, 2025, will charge vehicles fees to enter Manhattan streets below 60th Street. While this initiative aims to reduce traffic and improve air quality, drivers entering Manhattan have a cost-effective way to avoid these fees: by taking the Brooklyn Bridge to the FDR Drive and continuing uptown.  This route should be helpful for businesses from 61st Street to Harlem and from Harlem to Brooklyn.

The Free Route: Brooklyn Bridge to FDR Drive

Drivers traveling from Brooklyn can bypass the Congestion Relief Zone entirely by following a specific route:

1.Take the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan.

2.Enter the northbound FDR Drive immediately upon crossing.

3.Continue on the FDR Drive beyond 60th Street.

NOTE: As long as you stay on the FDR Drive and do not exit onto local streets below 61st Street, you will not incur the congestion fee.  Keep in mind that you will incur fees if you get off the FDR at 61st St and then drive back downtown, through local streets, below 60th St.

Why This Route is Free

The Congestion Relief Zone toll applies only to vehicles entering local Manhattan streets below 60th Street. Through-traffic routes, such as the FDR Drive, are exempt. The exemption ensures that vehicles traveling through Manhattan without stopping are not penalized.

What to Keep in Mind

•Exiting the FDR Drive below 60th Street triggers the congestion fee. Plan your route carefully to avoid unnecessary charges.

•Returning via the Brooklyn Bridge is also toll-free. However, entering Manhattan through other bridges or tunnels with existing tolls will still require paying those fees.

Additional Information on Congestion Pricing

The Congestion Pricing Program aims to fund public transit improvements through fees on vehicles entering the designated Congestion Relief Zone. Here’s a quick breakdown:

•Passenger Vehicles:

•Peak Hours (Weekdays 5 a.m.–9 p.m.; Weekends 9 a.m.–9 p.m.): $9 per entry.

•Off-Peak Hours: $2.25 per entry.

•Trucks:

•Peak Hour Rates: $14.40–$21.60, depending on vehicle size.

Bridges and Tunnels with Existing Tolls:

•Hugh L. Carey Tunnel

•Queens-Midtown Tunnel

•Triborough (Robert F. Kennedy) Bridge

•Henry Hudson Bridge

•George Washington Bridge

Toll-Free Bridges:

•Brooklyn Bridge

•Manhattan Bridge

•Williamsburg Bridge

•Queensboro (59th Street) Bridge

Plan Ahead to Save

The Brooklyn Bridge to FDR Drive route offers a smart way to navigate Manhattan without paying congestion pricing fees. Whether you’re commuting, running errands, or just passing through, this route keeps costs down while providing easy access to uptown Manhattan and beyond.

For more information on NYC’s congestion pricing system, visit the MTA’s official website.

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