New York City has entered its third week of congestion pricing, with preliminary data showing an increase in both subway ridership and bus ridership. On Tuesday, subway ridership was up 12.7% compared to the same day last year, reaching 3.777 million passengers. Bus ridership also saw a significant jump, with around 1.28 million passengers.
However, traffic speed data paints a different picture. The average speed in Manhattan decreased from 11.7 mph last year to 11.5 mph on Tuesday, indicating slower speeds. Despite this, some roads have seen improvement, such as southbound FDR Drive, which reached 28.2 mph compared to 18.2 mph last year – a 55% increase.
The plan’s effectiveness has been questioned by Mayor Eric Adams, who stated that it wasn’t his idea and expressed concerns about circumvention of the payment system. He emphasized the importance of ensuring no one is evading the fees, as it could lead to increased costs for low-income residents.
Meanwhile, New York City is encouraging citizens to ride the subway, with 200 additional police officers set to patrol trains and platforms to address safety concerns.
Source: https://abc7ny.com/post/congestion-pricing-nyc-subway-ridership-jumps-slightly-first-weekday-new-toll-program/15776359