Governor Hochul marks six months of congestion pricing with lower traffic levels and stronger business growth across New York City

Albany, New York – Half a year after New York City flipped the switch on its historic congestion pricing program, the results are speaking volumes. Streets are clearer, subway platforms are bustling, businesses are booming, and the region’s mass transit infrastructure is finally seeing long-overdue investment. Governor Kathy Hochul, standing shoulder to shoulder with leaders from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), marked the six-month milestone with a resounding message: the plan is working.

“Six months in, it’s clear: congestion pricing has been a huge success, making life in New York better,” said Governor Hochul. “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.”

Launched at midnight on January 5, 2025, the nation’s first urban congestion pricing system placed tolls on vehicles entering Manhattan’s Congestion Relief Zone — the area south of 60th Street. Its goals were bold: reduce the relentless gridlock plaguing lower Manhattan, improve public transit, and generate new revenue to fund critical upgrades. So far, it’s hitting every mark.

Fewer Cars, Faster Commutes

Data compiled over the past six months paints a clear picture. Daily vehicle traffic into the Congestion Relief Zone is down by 11%. That translates into 67,000 fewer vehicles entering the zone every day. Compared to the same period last year, over 10 million fewer cars have driven into the zone.

That reduction has produced a ripple effect well beyond Manhattan. According to reports from Waze and the Regional Plan Association, traffic delays in the zone are down 25%, while delays across the broader metropolitan area have dropped by 9%. The Bronx has seen a 10% decline in traffic delays, and parts of Bergen County, New Jersey, are enjoying a 14% reduction.

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Travel times on the city’s bridges and tunnels are improving too. Drivers crossing into Manhattan are saving time — a lot of it. In the Holland Tunnel, rush hour delays have fallen by a staggering 65%. Express buses using the Lincoln Tunnel are now moving almost 24% faster than a year ago.

Even major feeder routes like the Long Island Expressway and Flatbush Avenue are seeing smoother flow. The MTA reports that time lost to congestion is down 12%, giving commuters back about seven minutes for every hour previously lost in traffic.

Safety and Air Quality See Gains

Beyond the obvious traffic benefits, the program is contributing to a cleaner and safer city. Motor vehicle crashes in the zone have dropped 14% since the beginning of the year. Traffic-related injuries are also down — by 15% — showing that fewer vehicles and slower speeds are making the streets safer for everyone.

The city’s Department of Transportation recently revealed that pedestrian fatalities have declined to levels not seen since 2018. Meanwhile, complaints about vehicle noise, including honking, have dropped dramatically. Reports to 311 regarding traffic noise are down 45% in 2025.

The program also seems to be delivering environmental benefits. According to a new report from the City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, levels of fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) have either stayed the same or decreased at nearly all monitoring sites throughout the city.

Transit Makes a Comeback

At the heart of the congestion pricing strategy is its support for mass transit. Encouraging people to leave their cars behind only works if trains and buses are reliable, efficient, and accessible. According to the MTA, ridership is up across the board.

In the first five months of 2025:

• Subway ridership grew 7%
• Bus ridership jumped 12%
• Long Island Rail Road use rose by 8%
• Metro-North ridership increased 6%
• Access-A-Ride demand surged by 21%

The city’s subway system, long a symbol of both urban grit and frustration, is finally showing signs of revival. In May, the system posted an 85.2% On-Time Performance rate — the best for any non-pandemic month on record. The LIRR and Metro-North have achieved 97% and 98% on-time performance, respectively.

Congestion pricing is also helping to speed up bus service. In the most congested areas of Manhattan, bus speeds have improved by an average of 3.2%, with some routes achieving up to 25% faster travel times.

To keep momentum going, the MTA has expanded service. Eight major express bus routes received upgrades in March, and 14 of the city’s busiest local routes saw increased service as of June 29. The first phase of the Queens Bus Network Redesign also launched on the same day, benefiting nearly 800,000 riders with faster, more direct routes. The second phase will roll out in late August.

“In addition to all of the benefits New Yorkers are already feeling on our streets, Congestion Relief is delivering accessibility at 25 subway and railroad stations, modern subway signals for AC and BDFM riders, new subway and rail cars, and countless other essential projects for our public transit system,” said Jamie Torres-Springer, President of MTA Construction & Development. “The new MTA is hard at work advancing these projects better, faster, and cheaper.”

Business Finds Room to Breathe

For years, traffic in New York was more than just a nuisance — it was a drag on the economy. A 2023 study from the Partnership for New York City estimated that congestion was costing the city $20 billion annually in lost time, fuel, and productivity. That trend is being reversed.

Since congestion pricing began, travel times have improved so much that commuters are saving up to 21 minutes each way. Over time, those savings amount to roughly $1.3 billion in recovered value for the local economy.

Businesses are feeling the effects. Compared to May 2024, foot traffic in business districts inside the Congestion Relief Zone was up 8.4% in May 2025. That’s more than triple the 2.7% growth seen in areas outside the zone.

The entertainment and hospitality sectors, often viewed as economic bellwethers, are surging. Broadway had its most lucrative season ever, with $1.9 billion in ticket sales. Retail is also enjoying a renaissance — with projected gains of $900 million for 2025 compared to 2024. Hotel occupancy reached 87% in April, up from 85% the year prior. Commercial office leasing jumped 11% in Q1 2025 and is now up 80% from the same time last year.

New York City employment also reached a record high of 4.86 million jobs in April 2025 — a 1.6% year-over-year increase, outpacing the national average.

Investing in the Future

All of this momentum is being used to fuel long-term investment. Congestion pricing is projected to generate $500 million in 2025 alone. That revenue allows the MTA to issue $15 billion in bonds to fund an array of capital improvement projects throughout the region — from the Hudson Valley to Long Island.

Among the investments:

• 435 new R211 subway cars, including 80 with open-gangway designs
• 44 dual-mode locomotives for the LIRR
• 300 new M9A rail cars for Metro-North and LIRR
• Upgrades to Communications-Based Train Control on the A and C lines
• ADA-compliant accessibility improvements at 23 subway stations

The MTA also plans to begin the tunneling contract for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway later this year — a long-awaited expansion of the East Side’s transit corridor.

“Congestion relief is a massive success and validation of the initiative keeps pouring in,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “The program is achieving all of its goals in terms of traffic reduction, increased travel speeds, safety, noise reduction and more. And not only is Congestion Relief delivering all the projected benefits — and more — it’s also proving that New York State government can effectively execute major, ambitious initiatives that improve the quality of life in ways New Yorkers notice and appreciate.”

A Legal Battle, Fought and (So Far) Won

The program’s implementation wasn’t without turbulence. Federal opposition — most notably from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Trump administration — attempted to halt the rollout. But New York State pushed back and prevailed in court.

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A preliminary injunction issued in Metropolitan Transportation Authority v. Duffy in May kept congestion pricing in place while barring the federal government from taking retaliatory action.

Governor Hochul made clear that the fight isn’t over — but that the state isn’t backing down.

“We’ve also fended off five months of unlawful attempts from the federal government to unwind this successful program and will keep fighting — and winning — in the courts. The cameras are staying on.”

Looking Ahead

Six months is a small sample in the lifespan of a city like New York. But if the early data holds, congestion pricing could mark a turning point — not just for traffic patterns, but for the way the city thinks about mobility, equity, and resilience.

A few months ago, critics called it risky. Today, it’s being called revolutionary.

If nothing else, it’s a reminder that big changes are possible — especially when the city that never sleeps wakes up and decides to move.