New York officials say the city’s new congestion pricing program is already making a big impact. Since it launched in January, 17.6 million fewer vehicles have entered Manhattan—about a 12%
decline compared to last year.
The program, the first of its kind in the U.S., charges most passenger cars a $9 toll during peak hours to drive south of 60th Street. City leaders say it’s designed not only to ease gridlock but also to raise billions for mass transit upgrades.
Governor Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reported Tuesday that the plan is showing results. Travel through Manhattan has sped up—crossing the Brooklyn Bridge is 13% faster, the Holland Tunnel is moving 36% quicker, and the Lincoln Tunnel is 5% faster.
Fewer cars also mean fewer accidents. Crashes in the congestion zone are down 14%, while traffic-related injuries have dropped 15%. Meanwhile, public transit is seeing gains: bus ridership has climbed 13% and subway ridership is up 9%.
Hochul says the revenue will support $15 billion in capital improvements to strengthen the city’s transit system.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, under President Joe Biden, approved the program last year. Because the plan affects federal highways, federal sign-off was required. Electronic license plate readers are being used to track vehicles entering the zone.
Still, the program faces opposition. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and other critics argue it unfairly burdens working drivers who don’t have toll-free alternatives. Duffy has also warned that up to 25% of New York’s federal transit funding could be withheld unless the MTA addresses worker safety issues on subway tracks.
New York now joins London and Singapore in using congestion pricing to combat traffic and invest in public transportation. Photo by ILMRT, Wikimedia commons.
