New York City’s congestion pricing plan has shown promising early results, with a noticeable drop in traffic congestion since its implementation on January 5. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reported that over 1 million fewer vehicles have entered the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) than they would have without the toll.
The MTA said that an average of 490,000 vehicles enter the CRZ daily, while a significant number travel through the Central Business District using toll-exempt roadways. Drivers are experiencing faster commutes, with inbound trip times on Hudson and East River crossings being 10% to 30% faster than in January 2024.
The majority of drivers entering the CRZ are passenger vehicles, accounting for 57%. Other vehicles making up a small percentage include taxis, small trucks, and large trucks. The MTA also reported that bus ridership is growing, with express weekend ridership seeing a 21% increase and weekday ridership up 6%.
Subway ridership has also seen growth, with a 7.3% increase on weekdays and 12% on weekends compared to January 2024. Long Island Rail Road ridership at select stations surged ahead of the overall LRR growth.
The MTA’s congestion pricing plan aims to reduce gridlock in Manhattan’s busiest areas, encourage public transit use, and fund approximately $15 billion in transit infrastructure improvements. With these early successes, it appears that the plan is making a positive impact on reducing traffic congestion and increasing ridership for public transportation.
Source: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/has-nyc-congestion-pricing-worked-mta-releases-dramatic-new-traffic-volume-numbers