congestion pricing

noun

: a system by which drivers are charged a fee to drive on highly trafficked roads or in heavily trafficked areas in an effort to reduce traffic congestion

In the long, contentious run-up to the Jan. 5 debut of congestion pricing in the city, one of the plan's main selling points was that it would tamp down traffic on some of Manhattan's busiest roads.

—Winnie Hu et al.

For decades, city leaders proposed fixes, but nothing stuck until 2002, when Sweden's parliament approved congestion pricing. The idea was simple: Charge a small fee for vehicles entering and exiting the city center to reduce traffic, improve accessibility, and clean the air.

—Katarina Hall

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above