New York’s congestion pricing sees continued reduction in traffic, increased transit use
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that New York City’s congestion relief program has continued a reduction in traffic throughout Manhattan. In August, the borough saw 2.7 million fewer vehicles than baseline enter the congestion relief zone below 60th Street, a 14% reduction. August matched June for the largest reduction seen this year.
“With summer coming to an end, the benefits of congestion pricing are clearer than ever,” Gov. Hochul said. “This program has been nothing short of transformational, making streets safer, reducing gridlock across the region and unlocking generational upgrades to mass transit, benefitting millions. Congestion pricing is working, it is legal and the cameras are staying on.”
Less traffic, Ssafer streets
Congestion pricing has reduced and sped up traffic, with the number of vehicles entering the zone down by 12% since its inception. This works out to 87,000 fewer vehicles entering the zone every day and 17.6 million fewer vehicles entering the zone since the program started.
There’s been a reduction in gridlock when entering the congestion relief zone on bridges and tunnels crossing the East River and Hudson River with peak morning travel times being reduced in 2025 compared to 2024.
- Brooklyn Bridge: 13% faster
- Holland Tunnel: 36% faster
- Hugh L. Carey Tunnel: 16% faster
- Lincoln Tunnel: 10% faster
- Manhattan Bridge: 5% faster
- Queens-Midtown Tunnel: 4% faster
- Queensboro Bridge: 21% faster
- Williamsburg Bridge: 23% faster
Vehicle collisions are also down 14% in the congestion relief zone, while traffic related injuries are down 15%. The New York City Department of Transportation also released data earlier in the summer showing that pedestrian deaths are at historic lows, reaching levels last seen in 2018.
Rising transit ridership
MTA also reports that transit ridership across has also jumped from January to August 2025 when compared to the same period last year across all modes.
- Subway: 9%
- Bus: 13%
- Long Island Rail Road (LIRR): 10%
- Metro-North Railroad (Metro-North): 7%
- Access-A-Ride: 22%
The MTA says it also achieved its best summer subway ridership week in the last six years, hitting four million subway riders three days in a row, something it hasn’t achieved since prior to the pandemic in 2019. The LIRR also broke its post-pandemic daily ridership record twice in July, moving 298,419 passengers on July 23, and 295,419 passengers on July 22.
“In less than a year, New Yorkers are seeing massive benefits from congestion relief, including new rail cars, dozens of ADA elevators and signal modernization. This initiative has demonstrated that government can do big things that deliver results — less traffic, safer streets and improved quality of life for transit users, drivers and pedestrians alike,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said.
Improving transit performance
Weekday on-time performance has also jumped for the month of August, achieving 85.2%, the highest for the month in the past decade. Overall summer on-time performance was also up year over year at 84.3%, surpassing both 2023 and 2024. LIRR and Metro-North have also seen consistent on-time performance, resting at or near 97% in 2025.
Bus times are also getting quicker as a result of congestion pricing. According to the New York City Comptroller, buses have improved speed and overall performance in excess of citywide baselines when operating in the congestion relief zone.
At the same time, economic indicators demonstrate that congestion pricing has coincided with an increase in business activity in Manhattan’s central business district. A new report from Placer AI found that New York City office visits in July exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time, the first city in the nation to achieve that benchmark in their analysis.
The program has also received honors, most recently being recognized by the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association with the Social Responsibility Award, calling the program a “historic first by reducing gridlock and advancing access — cutting congestion, improving travel times, generating critic no al transit funding, and creating new discount and exemption plans for drivers.” The program was also recognized by the Intelligent Transportation Society of New York, who awarded the program its Intelligent Transport Systems Project of the Year in June.