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 ... Read full article.