Excluded roadways are the highways along the edge of Manhattan that are not part of the congestion zone, even though they run below 60th Street. State law says the zone "shall not include the FDR Drive, and New York state route 9A otherwise known as the 'West Side highway' including the Battery Park underpass and any surface roadway portion of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel connecting to West St." (VTL §1704).
Drive through on them only, and your car is not charged. Leave them onto Manhattan streets at or below 60th Street, or park on or just off them, and it is (MTA FAQ).
Why it matters to TLC drivers
Where you will see this term
- MTA toll pages and FAQ, which describe the zone as local streets "excluding the FDR Drive, West Side Highway/Route 9A, and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel connections to West Street" (MTA).
- MTA data: the vehicle-miles dataset reports two areas,
CRZ(zone streets) andER(excluded roadways) (jbxx-kxff). Driving on the excluded roadways fell too after tolling began; see vehicle miles in the zone. - The MTA's one-year evaluation, which notes that TLC trip records can't separate the zone from the excluded roadways, so its taxi and FHV counts include both.
Common mix-ups
- Travel inside the zone is never charged, even across an excluded road. Starting on Chambers Street and crossing West Street into Battery Park City costs nothing (MTA FAQ).
- Not every camera is a toll point. The MTA says some equipment on the excluded roads and on the way out of the zone is for traffic monitoring. But detection points along the FDR and West Side Highway do track whether you stayed on the highway.
- Not the 96th Street line. The state congestion surcharge uses a different area, Manhattan south of 96th Street (Congestion Zone), and it is a per-trip surcharge, not a camera toll.
The full map and ramp list are in Congestion Relief Zone boundaries. Related: driving in empty, your own car, tunnel crossing credits, the Lincoln Tunnel, and what changes in 2028 and 2031. Main guide: congestion pricing for TLC drivers. More in the tolls hub.
Frequently asked questions
What are the excluded roadways?
The FDR Drive, the West Side Highway (New York State Route 9A, including the Battery Park underpass), and the surface roadway parts of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel that connect to West Street. State law says the congestion zone does not include them.
Am I charged if I use an excluded roadway?
Not if you use only excluded roadways to drive through, from one entry point to a different exit point. If you leave them onto Manhattan streets at or below 60th Street, or park on or just off them, you are charged.
Why are there cameras on the FDR Drive if it is excluded?
The MTA says some equipment on the excluded roadways and north of 60th Street is for traffic monitoring, not toll collection. Separately, toll detection points along these roads check that a vehicle stayed on the highway and then left the zone; a vehicle that drops out of sight along the way is charged.
What does 'ER' mean in MTA data?
In the MTA's vehicle-miles dataset, area 'ER' is the excluded roadways and 'CRZ' is the Congestion Relief Zone streets. The MTA reports them separately.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1704 (central business district) nysenate.gov
- MTA: Congestion Relief Zone FAQ mta.info
- MTA: About the Congestion Relief Zone toll mta.info
- NY Open Data: MTA Vehicle Miles Traveled in the CBD (jbxx-kxff) data.ny.gov
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.
TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.