24 million fewer vehicles: One year of congestion pricing in New York City

"It's been one full year of congestion pricing in New York City, and downtown Manhattan looks markedly different: 23.7 million fewer vehicles, traffic delays down 25%, and a 22% drop in air pollution, to start. And that's just within the "congestion relief zone." The program, which implements tolls on drivers who enter certain, once often-gridlocked areas of Manhattan, is even having positive effects outside of the streets that are subject to the toll."

"Congestion pricing is a way to mitigate traffic, and when it was implemented in New York City on January 5, 2025, it was the country's first such program. Congestion pricing plans have been rolled out in cities around the world, though, including London, Stockholm, and Singapore. The program covers a "congestion relief zone" that spans almost all of Manhattan below 60th Street and includes major routes like the Lincoln, Holland, and Hugh L. Carey tunnels and bridges that go into both Brooklyn and Queens."

Congestion pricing in Manhattan produced 23.7 million fewer vehicle trips, 25% shorter traffic delays, and a 22% drop in air pollution within the congestion relief zone. The program began January 5, 2025, as the country's first congestion pricing system and covers nearly all of Manhattan below 60th Street, plus major tunnels and bridges. Passenger cars with E‑ZPass pay $9 during peak hours and $2.25 overnight; commercial vehicles face higher tolls and non‑E‑ZPass users pay a 50% premium. The tolls aim to reduce congestion, fund the MTA, and deliver environmental benefits, and courts have repeatedly upheld the policy despite lawsuits.

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