In the summer of 2023, New York reached a long-awaited milestone: the Federal Highway Administration green lighted congestion pricing, setting the stage for a more efficient, sustainable, and economically competitive city. In the weeks since Governor Hochul implemented the program, the region has already transformed. New Yorkers can finally walk down Fifth Avenue without a wall of honking cars. New Jersey commuters aren’t trapped in the Holland Tunnel for an hour just to get into Manhattan. Buses are running faster and more reliably. Emergency vehicles can reach their destination before it’s too late.
The early results of congestion pricing speak for themselves. Since the program took effect, traffic has eased across the region: Lincoln Tunnel crossing times have improved by 17%, and at the Holland Tunnel, they’re 48% faster than in January 2024. Travel times on the Williamsburg and Queensboro Bridges have improved by 30%. Express bus ridership is up 5.8%, and subway ridership has jumped 7.3%—with an even bigger 12.2% boost on weekends. And for commuters in Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx, express bus trips are already 10 minutes faster. More than a million fewer vehicles have entered the Congestion Relief Zone, cutting congestion and improving air quality.
Make no mistake: congestion pricing is essential to New York’s economic future. And it isn’t just about faster commutes—it’s about ensuring the future of our transit system and the jobs it supports – key projects and the MTA’s capital program depends on this funding.
One of the most transformative projects on deck is Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, extending subway service from 96th Street to 125th Street in East Harlem. In the first two years of construction on Phase 1, the project created 16,000 jobs, generating $842 million in wages and $2.87 billion in economic impact. Thanks to the revenue that congestion pricing is generating, this long-stalled expansion is moving forward, connecting underserved communities to reliable transit, easing pressure on existing subway lines. The revenue from the program is funding public infrastructure projects that support American manufacturers, workers, and businesses, supporting at least 57,000 good-paying jobs in New York State alone.
Congestion pricing will provide funding for transit improvements from Bay Ridge to the Bronx. From more stations with elevators, to new signals, to the Interborough Express, which will be a game-changer for commuters in Brooklyn and Queens. Running along the existing Bay Ridge Branch and Fremont Secondary freight lines, this 14-mile corridor will create a new option for nearly 900,000 residents and 260,000 workers in the surrounding neighborhoods. With connections to up to 17 subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road, the IBX will help New Yorkers move more efficiently while easing pressure on our overcrowded roads.
A more efficient transportation network means faster deliveries, more predictable commutes for workers, and a transit system that can modernize, expand, and meet the needs of our growing city. Businesses can waste valuable time and money waiting for goods and services to move through a congested system, driving up costs and limiting growth. For workers, unreliable transit isn’t just an inconvenience—it can mean the difference between making rent or falling behind. The transit system is the economic backbone of the region, connecting commuters from New Rochelle and beyond to the jobs, businesses, and cultural institutions in Manhattan.
Congestion pricing has become the new normal. In just a few short weeks, this innovation has blended seamlessly into daily life, reshaping how we move through the city. What once seemed like a bold experiment is now an essential part of our urban landscape—one that future generations will take for granted, just as we do with past innovations like the subway, the grid system, and car-free plazas.
Governor Hochul positioned New York to lead the nation with the launch of congestion pricing earlier this year. She ensured this program works for businesses, for New Yorkers of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and for the economy.
New York has always embraced bold ideas to keep moving forward, and with congestion pricing, it’s once again setting the standard for urban innovation—delivering real results in real time.
Carlo A. Scissura is the president and CEO of the New York Building Congress.
