There's only a handful of downtowns in the U.S. where such an idea might work, and Manhattan is one of them. (Boston, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco are the others. Maybe Seattle, too.) London's experience proves that the technology works. The question is more a matter of political will.
Even with Bloomberg's new electoral mandate, however, I can't see him doing this. (A Bloomberg aide tells the NY Times: "This isn't on the mayor's second-term agenda.") Congestion pricing may be one of those odd issues that conservative economists and pro-transit lefties agree on. But that doesn't mean that New Yorkers won't absolutely freak out at the thought of spending $7 for the privilege of driving cross-town a bit faster.
