Governor Kathy Hochul claims the controversial Congestion Pricing scheme it is a huge success six months in to its implementation. Hochul vows to “keep the cameras on”.
Activated at 12:00 am on January 5th, the nation’s first urban congestion pricing program reduces gridlock in Manhattan’s Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) below 60th Street by charging motorists to enter the zone. Hochul says revenue from congestion pricing is on track to reach the forecasted $500 million in 2025, allowing the MTA to advance $15 billion in critical capital improvements to mass transit on its subway, bus, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad systems.
“Six months in, it’s clear: congestion pricing has been a huge success, making life in New York better,” Governor Hochul said. “In New York, we dare to do big things, and this program represents just that - traffic is down throughout the region, business is booming, transit ridership is up, and we are making historic upgrades to our transit system. The cameras are staying on.”
Many continue to be opposed to this tax scheme claiming it just props up a terribly mismanaged MTA.
“No matter how they spin it, congestion pricing is nothing but a cash grab to throw more money at the bloated and mismanaged MTA,” charged Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano. “Sadly, this money is being drained from Long Island drivers and those from other suburban areas the city treats like piggy banks to cover their wasteful spending.”
NY officials say that crashes in the Congestion Relief Zone are down 14%; traffic injuries are down by 15%; vehicles entering the zone are down by 11% with 67,000 fewer vehicles entering the zone each day. Traffic delays are down in the Zone by 25% and across the metropolitan region by 9% with time lost to traffic jams down 12%.
New York State and the MTA have successfully fought off repeated legal challenges to congestion pricing and have stood up to block the unlawful attempts of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Trump Administration to terminate the program. In May, a preliminary injunction was issued in the case of Metropolitan Transportation Authority v. Duffy, keeping congestion pricing in effect pending further court proceedings and enjoining the federal government from taking retaliatory measures in response.