Less traffic, faster bus times: MTA releases first week of data for NYC congestion pricing

New York’s Staten Island — The MTA reported shorter travel times and less gridlock in New York City one week after congestion pricing went into effect.

The controversial tolling initiative has shown some initial effectiveness, according to preliminary data given by the transportation authority on Monday.

Data shows that the congestion zone, which stretches from 60th Street to the southern tip of Manhattan, had almost 219,000 fewer vehicles during the first work week with congestion pricing. Additionally, the MTA reported a 7.5% decrease in overall traffic during the same period last year.

Data from the MTA indicates that driving times on specific roads have been significantly improved:

In the morning rush hour last week, it took nearly a minute and a half shorter for drivers to travel through the tunnel on their way into Manhattan via the Hugh L. Carey.

When compared to pre-congestion pricing figures, morning commuters at the Holland Tunnel had the largest change, with drive times being cut by eight minutes.

But overall, things haven’t gotten much better. According to the data, vehicles experienced an increase of around three minutes in travel time during the evening rush on the southbound FDR as compared to January 2024.

According to MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, the preliminary data confirms what New Yorkers have been telling us all week: traffic is lower, the streets seem safer, and buses are moving more quickly. It’s encouraging to hear commuters, even drivers, discuss how much time they are saving since the initiative started a week ago, even though positive change wasn’t assured.

According to some local commuters, public transportation journey times have decreased.

Riders on the SIM4X and SIM24 saw somewhat faster travel times, with both buses averaging higher speeds along their routes, according to MTA data.

Following the implementation of congestion pricing, the MTA also noted that ridership on the SIM9 and SIM24 increased.

A number of bus routes, including the SIM24, were selected to enhance service on Staten Island in conjunction with the introduction of the toll.

In order to fight the increasingly packed morning service on the fast bus lines that operate from the South Shore to Midtown through North Jersey and the Lincoln Tunnel, commuters from Staten Island have previously lobbied for the addition of more trips and stops to the SIM23 and SIM24 buses.

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