MTA: March congestion pricing effectiveness expanding

According to the statistics released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) last week, in March of this year, an average of about 82,000 vehicles chose not to enter the toll area south of 60th Street in Manhattan due to congestion pricing each day. This marks a 13% decrease in traffic compared to the estimated 642,500 vehicles before the policy was implemented, indicating a more significant reduction than the initial 8% drop seen in January. These results reflect the increasing effectiveness of the measures month by month, achieving the primary goal of easing traffic congestion.

MTA’s Deputy Director of External Affairs, Juliette Michaelson, stated in a declaration that the data shows the policy is working as expected, alleviating traffic congestion and enabling New Yorkers to reach their destinations more quickly.

Overall, the number of vehicles entering in March decreased by approximately 2.5 million compared to the same period in previous years. While there was a slight increase in vehicle entries compared to January, MTA officials attribute this to seasonal trends, as there are typically fewer vehicles entering the city center during the winter months.

Under New York state law, the funds collected from congestion pricing will be used to finance a $15 billion public transport system maintenance and upgrade plan. The basic fee for entering the toll area during the daylight hours is $9. MTA anticipates raising $500 million through this policy this year.

However, congestion pricing is currently facing challenges from the federal government. President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticize the measure for increasing the burden on the working class and have demanded that MTA cease tolling by April 20th.

MTA has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to block the termination order. The scheduled court briefings may delay any rulings until after October.

The U.S. Department of Transportation warns that if MTA does not comply with the termination order, it may consider freezing some federal funds, although it has not specified which funds would be withheld. MTA currently relies on approximately $14 billion in federal funding as a source of financing for their next five-year construction plan.

Secretary Duffy posted on an X platform last month, stating, “Federal support for New York is not a blank check. Continued violations will be dealt with severely.”

Currently, the congestion pricing system remains in effect, and MTA continues to collect fees in accordance with the policy.