The Early Returns on NYC’s Congestion Pricing Are Pretty Impressive

It’s been a little over four months since New York City’s congestion pricing rules, which charge vehicles a toll to enter certain parts of the city, took effect. The goal of the pricing system, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, was to produce “cleaner air, safer streets, and better transit.” So, how exactly is that going?

Well, according to data collected by the New York Times, it’s going pretty damn well! The $9 fee charged to enter Manhattan between the hours of 5 AM and 9 PM has changed the traffic patterns and behaviors of Tri-State area goers, and it seems like it is working out to the benefit of just about everyone. The upshot: overall traffic is down, the traffic remaining is moving faster, and public transit usage is up—but attitudes haven’t quite caught up yet.

That all starts with traffic declining, which it has quite a bit, per the New York Times, even below the city’s expectations. The publication reported a 12% drop in total vehicles per day in the congestion zone, an equivalent of 2.3 million fewer cars for the month of April alone. With fewer cars on the road, those that remain are moving faster. Available data indicate that traffic speeds increased by 15% during the first two months of the pricing scheme, and up to 20% during peak commuting hours, representing the first time gridlock has dropped and movement has increased in the post-pandemic era.

It’s not just cars moving faster, either. MTA buses are reportedly seeing upticks in speed, too, which has also meant fewer delays and the buses running on time more frequently. And that is with increased passengership, too, as the buses have seen a 13% uptick in daily ridership since the congestion prices went into effect. Similarly, the city’s subway has seen an 8% increase in riders. The Long Island Rail Road, the Staten Island Railway, and the Metro-North commuter lines are all carrying more people, too. Even taxi rides are up, per the Times, despite concerns from cab companies that the prices could hurt their already flagging ridership. Citi Bike, the city’s ride-sharing bike program, is also seeing more people saddle up and peddle, with rides up as much as 9% on the year.

The side effects of these shifts in behavior, which have seen more people leaving their cars at home while opting for public transit or other alternatives, are largely positive. Vehicle-involved accidents have declined by 14% through the first half of the year, traffic violations are down nearly 4%, and noise complaints have dropped by a whopping 45% within the congestion zone. Emergency response time is up, as is the number of tourists visiting the zone and the number of restaurant reservations.

So, is anything not working? The health benefits aren’t clear yet—air pollution is down, but the Times writes that it’s too early to say anything definitive there. But the biggest issue seems to be public opinion. In December, just 32% of New York City voters supported the program. That has gone up since the pricing went into place, but supporters can’t crack the majority quite yet—42% of city folk want the program to stay, per an April Marist poll.