Starting just after midnight on Sunday, drivers began paying a new fee to enter the heart of Manhattan. The toll is part of New York City’s plan to reduce some of the world’s heaviest traffic while raising billions of dollars to pay for improvements to mass transit.

New York City’s controversial congestion toll came into effect Sunday at midnight, taxing Midtown Manhattan drivers as much as $9 to make their way around the busiest part of the city. The congestion pricing system will charge drivers entering Manhattan below 60th street $9 during the peak hours of 5 a.