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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
4 Comments
Comment:
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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.
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.