MTA holds cheery ceremony to unveil congestion pricing signs — hours before drivers are set to feel the pain

The MTA held a cheery celebration to unveil a new “Congestion Relief Zone” sign in Manhattan, just hours before drivers will feel the pain as the controversial toll goes into effect in the Big Apple.

The agency’s CEO Janno Lieber seemed to have no concern for the many lawsuits and pleas from commuters aiming to stop the new $9 toll, as he personally unveiled a toll sign Saturday at one of the entry points to the zone at Broadway and W. 61st St.

Video shared by the MTA on social media shows a small crowd of toll supporters and elected officials cheering Lieber as he stood in a crane and revealed the new price sign.

Despite the cheers, the celebration drew online  jeers from opponents of the toll — which begins at midnight.

“How do you cheer for this,” one person commented on Instagram.

Another wrote: “Who’s celebrating bro… like who is happy to pay more ugh.”

Some found the tone of the celebration distasteful in light of the financial strain it will  put on many commuters.

“We ain’t happy about this, just put the sign up and go about y’all day. No unveiling necessary,” another Instagram user wrote.

Despite the criticism, Lieber took time to boast last Saturday about the contentious plan as something that will improve safety, pollution and traffic conditions.

“We’ve been working on this for five years but if you stand in Midtown for five minutes you know we have to deal with the traffic problem,” he said.

“Now we’re showing the world that in New York we do something about our challenges.”

Tonight at the stroke of  12, the agency will begin charging passenger vehicles $9 during peak hours of 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

Motorists will be charged $2.25 during all other times to enter Manhattans’ busiest neighborhoods south of 60th Street.

Tolls for those not using an E-Zpass will be higher.

Small trucks will be charged $14.40 during peak hours while large trucks will be charged $21.60.

The new congestion pricing will be the first of its kind in the nation.

Money generated by the toll is expected to provide $15 billion toward MTA capital projects.