New York City did something one year ago that no other American city had ever done before. It put a price on driving into the heart of Manhattan.

It was a policy passed after controversy, with commuters in open revolt and warnings from Washington, D.C.

Twelve months later, News 12 went to find out if congestion pricing is helping or hurting the tri-state. News 12's Tara Rosenblum, Rich Barrabi and Eric Landskroner met in the middle of the congestion pricing relief zone to test the theory and examine the promises, pushback and the fight for the future of New York's streets.

Rosenblum, Barrabi and Landskroner met at West 60th and 11th where the congestion relief zone starts - and drivers have to shell out $9 at peak times just to get in the area.

Rosenblum headed into New York City from Westchester County. She spent $3.18 for the toll on the Henry Hudson Bridge - toll by mail would have cost $8.25. Once the $9 congestion pricing toll was added in, her total driving fee was $12.18.

Landskroner headed in from New Jersey, where it cost $16 to go over the George Washington Bridge, bringing the total - including the $9 congestion pricing fee - to $25.

Barrabi took a ride on the Long Island Rail Road, where the peak time toll was $20.50. He still had a subway swipe ($2.90) and had to pay parking in the commuter lot ($5), totaling $28.40.

Inside the zone, politicians point to results, with fewer cars, quieter streets and millions pouring into the MTA. Nearly $2 million a day on average has been flowing in because of the program.

Outside the zone, officials and commuters slam it as a cash grab. Some say traffic is still as bad as ever.

The MTA, a historically cash-strapped agency, is raking in money due to congestion pricing, including a total of $639 million through November. By the end of the first year, it will be a nearly $690 million for the first year of the program - beating its own estimates.

But where is cash going?

The ultimate goal is to fund $15 billion in improvements - all paid by drivers in the congestion pricing zone.

Even with congestion pricing, there is still a staggering amount of vehicles that come through the area. The MTA says every 10 minutes, 4,000 vehicles go into the congestion relief zone.

Still, the MTA says the number of drivers is dropping - down about 10% most months - and about 2 million entries.

Kate Brockwell was hit by a car at the intersection of East Houston and Elizabeth Street in 2017. It left her with with severe internal injuries, but she turned the hardship into a hope for change.

Brockwell joined Families for Safe Streets - an early supporter of congestion pricing.

Studies have shown since the congestion pricing program began, incidents are down in the zone.

"When you have congestion, people are losing time," says Sam Schwartz, former MTA traffic commissioner. "And they often try to make it up when there is a break in the traffic. The less congestion, the better."

Jack Greenwood, a researcher for Transportation Alternatives, says the data speaks for itself - in the first nine months of the program, traffic fatalities and serious injuries dropped by a little more than 10%.

Total car collisions is also down more than 15% as of November, according to the NYPD.

"We're seeing that congestion pricing is making Manhattan safer at a rate twice as fast," says Greenwood.

Another promise tied to congestion pricing is funding subway accessibility.

Currently, only a small fraction of stations can be used by riders with disabilities, but the MTA says progress is being made. Last year, nine stations were upgraded, and another 12 are on track for this year. If it does happen, it's a record-breaker.

Still, advocates say they are looking closely to see if the MTA delivers.

Read the full story here: Disability advocates push for MTA to move forward with accessibility improvements

People who drive to work could easily spend a total of $2,000 per year if traveling into the zone. This has some people literally driving out of their way and adding time to their commute to keep down costs.

Shaquilla, from Long Island, says she has been driving significantly more to pay less.

"I have to find a no-toll route just to get to work, and it adds - I think it's it's like a three-hour commute, as opposed to an hour and a half," she says.

One way around the zone is taking the West Side Highway and the FDR Drive. Both are exempt as long as drivers don't get off until they leave the zone.

There are other ways to go into the zone and pay a little less, including disability exemptions and discounts for low-income drivers.

Illegal tactics have also surfaced, including obstructed, damaged or even fake license plates that can't be read by the cameras.

A law enforcement task force was formed in 2024. Since then, there have been over 900 arrests, more than 39,000 summons and more than 5,300 vehicles seized.

A total of 90% of the trucks that keep the tri-state running enter Manhattan every day. That's about 125,000 trucks. Unlike cars that have to pay the toll to enter just one time, many of the trucks pay when they come in and pay when they come out of the zone.

Antonio Chambers, of Mitchell'sNY Logistics, has been delivering to Manhattan for more than two decades. Chambers says he had to keep track of the fees this year.

"You pay almost triple time as you are going just through the streets," he says.

"I don't think it's serving the purpose it was meant to serve," says Mitchell Newman, of Mitchell'sNY Logistics.

Newman owns the delivery company with over two dozen trucks on the road. He says this year's E-ZPass bills have been considerable. He said one month alone cost him $2,700 - and that's after the E-ZPass discount.

"We have passed some of that cost onto our customers, which is driving up their costs, " he says.

He charges $5 for every delivery in the congestion pricing zone, while trying to put all in-zone deliveries together.

"It's not always possible," he says. "There are customers who want their delivery at a certain time."

These delivery costs also get transferred onto business owners and customers.

"The suppliers are charging us the congestion price on their bill, so somebody's paying for it," says John Doherty, the owner of the Playwright Irish Pub.

This is making the price of restaurant food more expensive, too. It could mean an additional $1 to $2 per menu item.

"I've built these customers over years and years. I don't want to give it away because I'm raising my prices to where people are upset," says Doherty.

One promise from congestion pricing was cleaner air.

Researchers at Cornell say in the first six months of the program, there's been a 22% drop in air pollution in the form of fine particulate matter.

An air pollution drop has also been seen across the five boroughs and the suburbs. It's good news for many, especially in The Bronx, which has the highest asthma rates in the country.

One area in the Bronx is known as "asthma alley" where residents are breathing in exhaust emissions from four nearby highways.

Some worried that the traffic would get worse with the launch of congestion pricing as some drivers looked to skirt the toll zone, but advocates say it's better.

"That simply has not happened. In fact, traffic has gotten better. Air quality has gotten better," says Andy Darrell, of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Darrell says the program has led many commuters to use public transit instead of cars.

Early data shows traffic delays down 10% in the South Bronx and air pollution has either dropped or stayed the same.

South Bronx Unite is also tracking air quality. Mychal Johnson, from the nonprofit advocacy group, says their air quality monitors are still showing high levels of air pollution.

"We actually have readings showing that...the air here has exceeded the national ambient air quality standards, and that's concerning," he says.

NYC Health tracks three real-time air monitors in The Bronx that collect data around the clock.

South Bronx Unite has more than 50 real-time air monitors deployed at street level.

"We want to make sure what they are saying is true," says Johnson.

The MTA has also promised to make $70 million in investments in The Bronx to offset air pollution.

Drivers who thought the $9 congestion price was bad should brace themselves for other fare and toll increases.

The LIRR and Metro-North are up 4.5% to start the new year. Subway prices are also up 10 cents to an even $3, and tolls are up 7.5% on E-ZPass and direct mail.

Congestion pricing tolls will rise to $12 in 2028.

News 12 took a poll on congestion pricing and 81% of people asked said they want congestion pricing gone. Others have taken it further.

As of September, 12 lawsuits have been filed to do away with congestion pricing. Even though a number of cases are still pending, no court at this point has ordered the MTA to stop it.

The MTA filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The judge ordered a temporary restraining order allowing congestion pricing to continue, but it has not issued a final ruling.

"This is an attack on our sovereign identity, our independence from Washington," says Gov. Kathy Hochul.

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are also apart on the issue. Trump said congestion pricing is not a good situation. Mamdani said he supported the program for "its potential to reduce congestion."

David Banks, a lecturer on urban planning and community development at the University at Albany, says he believes congestion pricing is working in New York.

He suggests other major cities should consider it because every major city in the United States saw an increase in traffic in 2025 - except for New York.