Coming Real Soon: $8 To Enter Manhattan By Car

A controversial new plan is about to be implemented to improve the quality of life in New York City. This weekend Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to introduce an $8 congestion fee for drivers who enter Manhattan below 86th Street. On the city's traffic-clogged arteries Friday, Bloomberg was not a popular guy. "Next thing he's gonna charge us to cross the street," one driver said. Complaints like those echoed among drivers who'd heard that the mayor is about to propose tolls for vehicles entering Midtown Manhattan. A mayoral panel has proposed charging motorists to enter Manhattan below 86th Street from 6 am to 6 p.m. That charge would: -- Include any bridge or tunnel tolls people already pay -- Exempt drivers who bypass the business district on their way to another part of the city. -- Exempt taxi drivers, and possibly give discounts for people who live and work in the zone. Advocates said it's crucial for a city that's expected to add another million people in the next 20 years.