Data from the first week of New York City’s congestion pricing policy shows it’s having an effect. MTA, New York’s public transit authority, reported a small but noticeable dip in traffic on some of Manhattan’s busiest streets.
The program faced major pushback in New York and New Jersey. However, officials from the MTA said total traffic dropped by 7.5% compared to the same time last year, removing roughly 43,000 cars from traffic each day.
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The program charges $9 for most cars entering Manhattan south of 60th Street, with a handful of highways exempted and a lower rate outside of rush hour. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reduced the price from $15 following a public backlash.
An MTA spokesperson told the Associated Press that morning traffic into Manhattan in the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels, two of the busiest entries into the heart of the city, saw drops of 40% or more.
It’s unclear whether the city’s public transit had more riders, but express bus routes moved faster. One route from Brooklyn into Manhattan crossing the Williamsburg Bridge saw its travel time reduced by 28%.
The MTA’s chairman told The New York Times, “There’s so much evidence that people are experiencing a much less traffic-congested environment. They’re seeing streets that are moving more efficiently, and they’re hearing less noise, and they’re feeling a less tense environment around tunnels and bridges.”
However, while the early data shows signs of success, MTA officials say it will take longer than one week to determine if the program is successfully reducing traffic and shifting drivers to public transit.
