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Tunnel Traffic: How it started; how it’s going
I’ve gotten a few notes from folks about the shift in traffic patterns in the neighborhood since congestion pricing started on Jan. 5, and so far it seems congestion pricing has really shifted things around here.
“This was shot at 5pm when it’s usually gridlock!” N. wrote when he sent the video above from Hudson and below from Laight and Washington. “It’s like we’re in the burbs now, ha ha.”
“It’s wonderful!” V. wrote. “I live on Greenwich and Harrison. Hudson is a stone’s throw away and Independence Plaza is like a big ear. Well, after years of having to hear the continuous blaring of horns on Hudson as the cars were all trying to get into the tunnel after work, which would go on from from 4 to 6p, it has disappeared so far! (Why they beep their horns — that will not move cars — and the nabe has to put up with their frustrations. Thanks, Jersey.)
The photos below are my pictures of Hudson from November, and one from a neighbor last year.
And the initial data from the MTA:
- 219,000 fewer vehicles entered Manhattan south of 60th Street in the first week
- Overall traffic times were 30 to 40 percent faster on inbound river crossings
- Traffic baselines overall are down 7.5 percent
- Bus travel times generally down by 3 to 5 minutes
17 Comments
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This is good news, and something I had hoped would happen once CP effectively tolled the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, removing the incentive for people to take it crosstown from Jersey to the Island and vice versa.
Anyone who has read my comments here knows I am a huge proponent of the tolling system. That said, I think $9 is still pretty low, and if two people are traveling, it’s still cheaper than a round trip subway fare, so it’s not out of the question that the traffic goes up again. I still think the new normal will be less than the horrifying situation before, and at least we’re raising revenue. (Get that Chambers St renovation going, please!)
It’s unlikely Hochul will speed up the personal vehicle rate increases, so in the interim, I’d definitely be a proponent of raising the per-trip yellow cab and FHV rates. Then we’d see a better decrease in intra-CBD travel along with the notable decrease in river crossings and Canal St river-to-river traffic.
Unfortunately, despite the implementation of congestion pricing in NYC, traffic and pollution along the FDR in the Lower East Side continue to rise. While this outcome was predicted, it remains largely ignored.
This underscores the urgent need for a more comprehensive approach that addresses not only congestion but also the broader environmental impacts on environmental justice communities. The MTA’s own modeling experts have forecasted that traffic will return to pre-congestion pricing levels (and even worse), a trend that is actually needed to meet their expected revenue projections.
Enhancing public transportation, improving traffic flow management, and increasing investments in green spaces could help alleviate the burden on the local community.
Until we effectively reduce traffic and pollution in these sensitive areas, congestion pricing will continue to fail communities like the Lower East Side.
I was indifferent to congestion pricing (I don’t own a car and take the train a lot already, and I rarely go above 59th street..), but I’ve seen a measurable reduction in traffic (as a pedestrian) on Broadway.. The metrics are too early (it’s beginning of the year, many are tapped out financially from the holidays, budgets and understanding will change over the year..) to determine if this is the new norm, but even at 5pm on a weekday a previously congested intersection of Broadway was similar to the above (a ghost town) and I’m loving it!! (I haven’t taken a car service yet, so my opinion might change, but what I’ve read, their rates are down too..)
Question:
For people enthusiastic about Congestion Pricing and particularly if seeking fewer vehicles on the streets….
Are people making their own personal changes such as reducing ordering from Amazon/E-Commerce?
Reducing Uber use?
Wondering….
Why would anyone reduce e-commerce orders? Now it gets here faster & less damaged.
Same with Uber — faster trips. Heck, why use Uber at all when citibiking it might be less dangerous, with fewer cars?
Anyway, non-car-owners save soooo much $ per year not paying insurance, parking, maintenence, etc, that any price increase of deliveries, or ubers, isn’t going to register much.
Methinks the comment is primarily a tu quoque fallacy. They have been abundant in the last 10 days!
This is promising indeed.
As for the horn honking, why is there no enforcement against that? It’s a disgrace.
If the cops actually enforced the traffic laws, many of the irritations would go away. Unfortunately I don’t see it happening. There is a part of me that can sympathize with the cops and there is another part that has no sympathy at all. Illegal tags, outdated inspections, unsafe vehicles are all easily checked things yet you don’t see a vehicle pulled over for anything like that. And only with the congestion pricing are they actually observing the illegal and covered tags!
Re:Excessive Honking,
Just requested that I asked 311 for help with patrolling /ticketing for honking violations. Over a 2 year time-period there was no help received, only excuses, these are from Dept of Transportation, Port Authority of NY & NJ, Dept Environmental Control, and a general noise complaint.
I heard back from 311 that my “complaint” was “closed”
ie: When the agency “investigated” the location 9-4pm they did not find any issues (Issues are at Rush Hour late afternoon to-9pm).
I explained that the honking happens when drivers drive in wrong lane ( the right turn lane) rather than going in the straight lanes to go into Tunnel. When those “Cheating” cars try to “Cut-in” to the front of line to enter tunnel drivers honk and sometimes yell.
About 10 months ago cones and poles segregating turn traffic from tunnel traffic helped a little.
Cars block the “the Box” at intersections and cross walks. Everything Stops and honking is extreme. Pedestrians are blocked from crossing but don’t honk.
Our local precinct said they are not traffic enforcement and do not issue tickets, they did suggest the 311 calls and to attend one of the community board meetings. I did go and I also sent a complaint. The reply I got was that this has been an issue for over 25 years but it’s impossible to fix.
We installed double panel windows in our home which is on Hudson Street near Laight.
Thanks for asking
Only measuring the impact on traffic misses the point. Obviously a tax will make traffic go down – almost all markets have some elasticity, especially those with a big discretionary element.
What you also need to know is a) the net impact on revenue for the MTA (via total tolling which is down with less cars + congestion tax + increased – or not – mass transit usage) – congestion pricing might be net negative if a lot less people are coming to Manhattan! b) the impact on Manhattan businesses south of 60th. This latter point is most important because the impact is likely far greater than the $9 tax collected. c) the inflation experienced by residents in Manhattan – companies are already raising prices blaming congestion pricing. Maybe the MTA could take a look at its bloated cost structure as well?
Also, as a local resident, I find it ridiculous that if you live in congestion zone you get taxed if you drive around the block crossing onto the WSH without leaving Manhattan/going north of 60th.
I came here to say a lot of what Berty pointed out, so I won’t repeat all of it! But if traffic and congestion is reduced in the zone but people aren’t using public transportation to get to the same businesses (restaurants, shops, etc) then is congestion pricing really a success other than for the MTA money grab? I have read that ridership is up slightly on the subway, but I would also argue it’s been particularly cold which usually forces more people underground (versus walking). I think we need more time to pass before anyone can consider it a success (or a failure).
I still have an issue with zone residents paying full price for a variety of reasons, but assuming that is not going to change, one situation I find ironic – leaving a garage a half of a block from the WSH to get onto the WSH to get out of the city and getting charged on the return seems silly, but yet someone can drive their car within the zone, causing congestion, all day long and not get charged?
While the Congestion Toll seems to be alleviating traffic at first glance (definitely working downtown), this is absolutely not true in their areas (uptown) that have been significantly affected with increased traffic and pollution. I drive my child uptown regularly (for which I was already car pooling with other families to be mindful of time/resources/traffic). To drive up the FDR is now a dream come true till half a mile before 96th where the traffic now piling up as drivers try to avoid the congestion zone. Whatever time I have been saving on the FDR is complete offset by exiting it on 96th – often lining up for 15 mins to just exit!! In addition, the traffic uptown in general has significantly increased. Many drivers from out of town now parking their cars above 61st and then walking to midtown (which completely defeats the purpose of the congestion zone!). Overall the Toll has had zero impact in my commute and traffic time (except of course… it has impacted me economically! The idea of paying lots of income and real estate taxes, school taxes and now paying to drive my children to school…it’s bunkers!! But hey I’m not paying the subway fare so I got my head around it… I would just appreciate a real overall city traffic reduction). The congestion charge in general makes sense . However, it was poorly thought out and executed. The congestion zone should be much wider till 96 or 125th street to truly reduce number of cars entering the city in general!
Don’t worry, it’s just a matter of time!
A – Let me guess, you are driving your kids to an already expensive private school in an SUV, right? Sorry, I don’t feel sorry for you having to adjust to congestion pricing and to pay a toll. This is the exact kind of city driving that needs to be addressed for our environment, our subways, and our safety. There are subways that go to the upper east side and there are schools downtown. You made your choice.
Significant improvements are seen now that there are tolls on East River bridges! All the Jersey-bound traffic that were incentivized to go over the toll free East River bridges- 4 of them- aren’t coming thru Manhattan any more. These are not shoppers or restaurant goers…theyre people trying to cross Manhattan to get to NJ…. If you’ve ever driven in to the City via the Hugh Carey/Brooklyn Battery Tunnel coming in from the Belt Parkway you’ll remember the traffic at the exit on the Belt Parkway approaching the Battery Tunnel trying to get off to go onto the BQE to get the free bridges into Manhattan….it was always a kluge bumper to bumper gridlock there…because they were attempting to avoid the tunnel toll..to get to NJ.
Yeah, handing over billion$ to the mismanaged and free spending MTA makes sense to non-critical thinkers. The so called “congestion” has merely shifted elsewhere.
Why should residents pay increased prices on top of the inflation we are already paying on goods and services being delivered by truck, which is literally everything. How is that fair? How will small businesses be hit by higher expenses and reduced customer traffic?
No other Americans are penalized for choosing where they live.
Couldn’t agree with you more MTA estimates losses due to fare evasion spiked to as much as $800 million in 2024 the amount they will raise with congestion pricing. Small business are getting crushed in two short weeks will be interesting to see the reports from the hospitality industry some parts of the congestion zone already have over 20 percent vacancy hopefully common sense prevails.