New York’s Biggest Surprises This Week: 7 Stories You Can’t Miss

Six months after New York City flipped the switch on the nation’s first large-scale congestion pricing program, early data suggest the historic Manhattan toll is reshaping traffic patterns, transit ridership and even the city’s bottom line. Traffic trends According to figures released by Governor Kathy Hochul’s office, vehicle entries into the Central Business District (CBD) below 60th Street have fallen by roughly 80,000 cars per weekday, a 17 percent drop from pre-toll volumes. Independent researchers analyzing GPS data report a corresponding 40 percent decline in average rush-hour delays citywide, with spillover benefits reaching parts of New Jersey and Long Island. Revenue windfall for the MTA The $9 daytime toll on passenger vehicles is projected to generate about $500 million in 2025, revenue the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has already earmarked for a $15 billion capital plan that includes new subway signals, ADA-accessible elevators and the long-delayed Second Avenue Subway Phase 2. In May alone, the program brought in a record $61 million, helping the agency plug operating gaps without additional fare hikes. Winners and worriers Public-transit advocates call the toll a victory for equity, pointing to a 6 percent jump in weekday ridership on subways and buses serving the Bronx and Queens. Air-quality monitors south of 60th Street show a 9 percent reduction in fine-particulate pollution, with pediatric asthma-related ER visits down modestly in Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Still, some small Midtown retailers argue foot traffic from suburban shoppers who previously drove in has softened. Delivery companies, for their part, say the per-trip charge is forcing them to optimize routes and shift more packages to cargo bikes, producing unexpected cost savings. What’s next A state review panel is expected to release recommendations this fall on whether to raise the nighttime toll, currently $7, to discourage late-evening congestion from rideshares and nightlife traffic. Lawmakers are also weighing expanded carve-outs for low-income drivers, people with disabilities and small commercial fleets. Tips for drivers and commuters • Consider park-and-ride lots in Queens, Brooklyn and northern New Jersey; many now bundle parking with a discounted monthly MetroCard. • Use real-time MTA app alerts to track subway crowding and plan off-peak trips. • Commercial vehicles can save by consolidating deliveries inside a single hour to pay only one daily toll. Bottom line New York City’s congestion pricing experiment is still young, but the early numbers point to faster commutes, cleaner air and a sizable cash infusion for the subway system—all while forcing the city’s notoriously gridlocked streets to breathe. As tweaks roll out and revenue flows into long-promised infrastructure upgrades, the rest of the United States is watching closely: if it can make it here, congestion pricing may soon make it anywhere.