Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s plan to charge drivers in Manhattan’s most congested neighborhoods finally began to take shape in his budget address on Tuesday, five months after he publicly embraced the idea.

The governor ruled out placing new tolls on bridges in favor of creating a geographic zone where drivers would be charged fees depending on the time of day and what kind of vehicle they drove. The overall goal of the so-called congestion pricing plan would be to reduce traffic and raise money to modernize the city’s decrepit subway system.

Mr. Cuomo acknowledged that the contours of that zone had yet to be determined, as well as the times, the fees that would be charged and practically every other operational aspect. “It’s literally an ongoing spectrum of options, “ he said.

Still, he added, “my point is it has to be fair to all people and all industries.”

Mr. Cuomo said a report by a state task force, called Fix NYC, that has been looking at the issue, would be released this week. The report may signal where Mr. Cuomo is heading, though he can also reject any of its recommendations.