When it comes to large cities, one of the biggest problems is often traffic. It doesn't matter if you're living there or just visiting, there are a lot of vehicles on the road in pretty much every major center. The unfortunately reality is that city administrations have limited means at their disposals to mitigate these issues. Since restructuring the roads is rarely a possibility in these cities, the plan is to make it more expensive to drive at peak hours in the hope of changing people's habits.
New York, specifically Manhattan, has become the most recent urban center to implement a congestion toll which is also referred to as congestion pricing. London, Singapore, Stockholm, Milan, and more have already started the practice. Other cities such as San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. have reputedly either discussed the idea or are at least looking into it.
The essential premise of the congestion toll is that fees are charged to drive in an area during peak hours. The goal is to reduce traffic in a region by getting people to change their driving habits. Congestion tolls have led reduced pollution and increase mass transit use in addition to minimizing traffic on the streets. The practice also has its critics who have pointed out that it could negatively impact businesses and that it unfairly targets poorer drivers who can't afford the additional fees.
One thing many of the urban areas who are using congestion tolls have in common is they are popular tourist destinations. Large numbers of tourists inevitably leads to increases in traffic and congestion. If these efforts in Manhattan and London prove effective, then its highly likely that other tourist destinations will follow suit. It's another expense to keep in mind when planning your next trip.