MTA: Congestion pricing reduces Manhattan traffic by 7.5%
The MTA released its first congestion pricing data, revealing a 7.5% decrease in vehicles entering Manhattan’s congestion zone south of 60th Street. FOX 5’s Linda Schmidt has this story.
new york – New York City’s new congestion pricing program resulted in a slight decrease in traffic in the first week, according to preliminary data released by the MTA.
What we know:
Congestion pricing began on Sunday, January 5th, and will impose a $9 charge on most passenger cars entering Manhattan below Central Park during peak hours. Early data from the MTA shows daily traffic is down 7.5%, or about 43,000 fewer cars compared to the same time last year.
Officials compared numbers from October 2024, when about 642,000 vehicles entered the congestion pricing zone south of 60th Avenue each day, to last week, when just 539,000 vehicles entered the zone. .
The impact in New York state was most pronounced during morning rush hour, with travel times at certain intersections, such as the normally congested Holland and Lincoln tunnels that run under the Hudson River from New Jersey, reduced by more than 40%. did.
Despite anecdotal reports of crowded trains, the MTA has not seen significant increases in subway ridership due to its high baseline of more than 3 million daily riders. However, certain bus routes from Brooklyn and Staten Island have seen a slight increase in ridership.
Back story:
Congestion pricing was first proposed decades ago and was modeled after similar programs in cities such as London, Singapore and Stockholm. It is intended to ease traffic and increase revenue for the MTA. But the program faced delays last year, when Gov. Kathy Hochul lowered the fee from $15 to $9 and suspended it after consulting with residents and business owners.
What they are saying:
Juliet Michelson, MTA deputy director of policy and external relations, said the results are already visible. “Look out your window. There’s less traffic and the streets are quieter. . I think everyone saw that.”
Some, like INRIX transportation analyst Bob Picheux, remain cautious.
“We’re seeing fewer people entering Manhattan, but we haven’t seen a big impact on speeds in the zone yet,” he said, cautioning against drawing broad conclusions after just a week, saying many drivers are “wait-and-see.” ” approach.
Tarek Soliman, owner of Comfort Diner in midtown Manhattan, said he spoke directly with the governor in New Jersey about his concerns about losing customers. He said it’s too early to tell whether the program has had a negative impact on business, but he said the new fees have already had at least one effect on him.
“I used to drive to the garage next to the diner every weekend,” Soliman, who lives in Astoria, Queens, said by phone Monday. “Now I don’t take the car, I use the subway.”
What’s next:
The MTA plans to monitor and analyze traffic patterns over the next few months to assess the long-term effectiveness of the program.
But the program’s future is in doubt after a group of New York Republican lawmakers met with President-elect Donald Trump and believe he will help eliminate congestion pricing.
source: This article used information from the MTA and the Associated Press.
