New York congestion toll slashes traffic jams in Manhattan by 25%, report says

New York passed plans to reduce road congestion at the start of this year. The results have been dramatic. Photo / 123rf

New York City’s congestion pricing toll has cut Manhattan traffic delays by 25% and reduced gridlock in nearby New Jersey counties by as much as 14%, a new report says.

The Regional Plan Association report undercuts fears the policy would worsen traffic outside the city.

Time lost due to traffic in Manhattan fell 28% from January 5, when the toll was launched, through to April 26, with congestion pricing accounting for a quarter of that drop, according to the report, which was released today.

The programme - the first of its kind in the United States - charges most motorists US$9 ($15) during peak hours to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street, excluding the West Side Highway and FDR Drive.

It aims to reduce congestion, curb pollution and generate US$15 billion ($25b) to modernise the city’s transit network of subways, buses, and commuter rails.

Critics warned that the toll would clog roads outside the zone as drivers rerouted to avoid the fee.

But the report from the RPA, which advocates for the economic development and quality of life in the tri-state area, found the opposite.

Time lost due to congestion dropped 14% in New Jersey’s Bergen County and nearly 13% in neighbouring Hudson County over the programme’s first four months.

“Contrary to pessimistic expectations, the congestion pricing programme is not causing traffic to be diverted outside the congestion relief zone,” said Rachel Weinberger, RPA’s vice-president of research strategy.

“As more people choose transit, trips to Manhattan by car are averted, resulting in less, not more traffic in the Bronx, Bergen County and all around the region.”

Across adjacent areas, including the city’s outer boroughs, Long Island, Westchester and parts of New Jersey, time lost in traffic declined by 9% overall, according to the report.

The association based its analysis on data from Waze, the crowd-sourced navigation app.

From January through into May, about 10.2 million fewer vehicles entered the tolled zone, with average daily entries down about 11%, according to data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the city’s transit system.

The MTA has raised US$216 million in revenue from the programme so far, in line with budget projections, according to the data from the authority.

“By every possible standard, congestion pricing is a success,” Janno Lieber, the MTA’s chief executive officer, said during an event highlighting upgrades to Metro-North rail stations that serve the Bronx and the city’s northern suburbs.

“It’s reduced congestion dramatically.”