The Federal Highway Administration has greenlit New York City’s congestion pricing plan – a plan that is expected to have a major impact on New Jersey drivers.

The plan comes with toll increases for drivers entering central Manhattan during peak hours.

The initiative is not sitting well with many in New Jersey – residents and politicians alike.

“I already pay $30 a day to go to work. I cross the bridge every day. I work in Queens,” says commuter Tracy Smith.

Gov. Phil Murphy says that the decision is “unfair and ill-advised.”

He wrote in a statement, “Everyone in the region deserves access to more reliable mass transit, but placing an unjustified financial burden on the backs of hardworking New Jersey commuters is wrong. Simply put, it is a money grab.”

Several members of Congress from New Jersey are also expressing their concern about the plan and are calling on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to cancel it.

“The idea that New York wants to turn around our families, our commuters, is totally outrageous. It is a sucker punch,” says Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer.

The governor said that his office is “closely assessing all legal options.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says that congestion pricing is a generational opportunity to make it easier for people to get around in and get to Manhattan’s Central Business District by reducing traffic and funding improvements to the public transit system.

“Not a nickel goes to Jersey. Every single dollar goes to the MTA transit system to deal with years of mismanagement. They lose so much money because of how poorly they run,” Gottheimer says.

The public transit authority hasn’t determined how much to charge drivers but has considered fares ranging from $9 to $23 for passenger vehicles and between $12 and $82 for trucks.

“Big half of my check goes to my E-ZPass, pretty much,” says Smith.

According to the MTA this new tolling program could begin as soon as spring 2024.