It has been over 100 days since congestion pricing was supposed to begin, an unfortunate marker in the effort to become the first city in the nation to implement this climate- and public health-friendly program that has proven successful in London, Singapore, and Stockholm.
On Tuesday, October 8 – the 101st day since the program scheduled start date – the Congestion Pricing Now coalition released “101 Reasons Why Governor Hochul’s Pause on Congestion Pricing is Hurting New Yorkers.” The list quantifies the ways this decision is harming New Yorkers, public health, the economy, public transportation, street safety, the environment, and the suburbs.
“We cannot drive our way out of the climate crisis, and congestion pricing will not only reduce traffic above ground in the nearterm, it will fund substantial upgrades that are needed to build up system-wide resilience against future climate-fueled catastrophes and improve service so more people ditch their cars in favor of mass transit,” said Patrick McClellan, Policy Director for the New York League of Conservation Voters. “Climate change won’t wait, and neither should we: implement congestion pricing now.”
[Take Action: Tell your legislators and Governor Hochul to unpause the pause!]
The Governor’s eleventh hour decision to halt congestion pricing impacts New Yorkers’ ability to get to work and school, breathe clean air, and live in a safe city. From poor air quality and elevated asthma rates in communities of color to unreliable transit service and delays in moving people and goods in and out of key commercial districts, the list stresses the urgent need for the Governor to turn on congestion pricing.
On June 14, in a comprehensive re-evaluation report, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) verified that the finalized Congestion Pricing Plan will not negatively impact the environment, but will instead offer numerous significant benefits.
The FHWA’s report confirmed that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Congestion Pricing Initiative will significantly benefit the environment and reduce traffic congestion by 17%. This significant reduction in traffic volume would lead to improved air quality not just in New York City, but across the entire region, benefiting 10 counties in New York State and two in New Jersey.
[This live tracker from Streetsblog NYC shows the potential of congestion pricing and what we’ve lost, from the number of cars that could’ve been removed from the congestion zone, to the toll revenue that could’ve funded public transit.]
Without timely action from Governor Hochul, New Yorkers will continue to face real challenges caused by the pause every day. Congestion pricing is about more than just getting cars off the road – it’s a critical tool to make our city better and more functional for everyone.
Last week, we wrote about how the MTA’s ‘25-’29 Capital Plan should be approved and how congestion pricing is critical to funding the plan.
“Every day of the congestion pricing pause is another day spent choking on traffic, pollution and transit delays,” said Andy Darrell, Senior Advisor, Environmental Defense Fund. “It’s time to undo the pause and get to work for less traffic, cleaner air and better transit.”
“101 Reasons Why Governor Hochul’s Pause on Congestion Pricing is Hurting New Yorkers” can be viewed here.