New York City's congestion pricing went into effect in the center of Manhattan on Sunday, one day after a federal judge rejected a request from New Jersey officials to halt the program. Why it matters: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the first road toll policy of its kind in the U.

New York City has introduced a congestion pricing fee in Manhattan's central business district, reducing traffic by 7.5%. The initiative aims to raise billions for mass transit improvements and has already increased bus speeds.

The introduction of a $9 congestion fee has resulted in faster speeds on some of the city’s famously snarled streets and fewer commuters on the bridges and tunnels. “The traffic is absolutely less, even during rush hour,

With the first week of New York’s Congestion Pricing toll in the books, commuters are reaping a reward, spending less time in traffic in exchange for their $9 toll to enter lower Manhattan, said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.