Federal judge hearing arguments on challenges to NYC’s fee for drivers into Manhattan

NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s first-in-the-nation plan to levy a hefty toll on drivers entering much of traffic-choked Manhattan is the focus of a legal battle set to play out in federal court Friday.

A Manhattan judge will hear arguments in a series of lawsuits from unionized public school teachers, local Republican officials and other New Yorkers seeking to put the brakes on the plan.

Most drivers in private cars, locals and tourists alike, heading into Manhattan south of Central Park should expect to pay about $15 during the daytime, with higher tolls for larger vehicles and lower rates for motorcycles and late-night entries into the city, according to the proposal finalized in March. Those who aren’t enrolled in a regional toll collection program will pay $22.50.

The lawsuits argue that the tolling scheme was given the green light by federal transportation officials without proper scrutiny and that more comprehensive environmental studies need to be completed.