Numbers are in and NYC congestion pricing is a big 'success,’ Hochul says
“Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA on Saturday touted congestion pricing as a “huge success,” saying 67,000 fewer vehicles are entering Lower Manhattan each day, while mass transit ridership is up across the board.
The program is also on track to reap the forecasted $500 million in revenue in 2025, allowing the MTA to move forward with $15 billion in improvements to subways, buses, and the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad systems, officials said.
The program, launched Jan. 5,
charges motorists in passenger vehicles who enter the Congestion Relief Zone below 60th street a $9 toll during peak periods.
“Six months in, it’s clear: congestion pricing has been a huge success, making life in New York better,” Hochul said in a statement.
The dip in vehicle volume – 10 million all told – has led to substantial drops in traffic delays, the governor’s office said. At the Holland Tunnel, rush hour delays are down 65%. And drivers coming into the city are getting back 7 minutes for every hour spent commuting, according to the governor’s data……..”
“At the same time,
public transportation ridership is up. Subway riders are up 7%; bus ridership is up 12%; LIRR ridership is up 8%; Metro-North ridership is up 6%, and Access-A-Ride ridership is up, 21%.”
The controversial program has trimmed traffic volume in the congestion zone by 11% daily, according to new data.
gothamist.com
nypost.com
