Congestion Pricing Implemented in New York City

By Tam Steinberg ‘28 
​NYC’s congestion pricing plan is a problem. It imposes a toll on vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street and is designed to reduce traffic, improve air quality and increase the use of public transit. Congestion pricing promises to improve transportation, but it raises concerns about equality, practicality and the environment. 

Congestion pricing creates unfair economic harm to commuters from neighboring states and small businesses. It may cause people to drive longer distances to avoid tolls, which harms the environment.
 Many argue that fewer cars in Manhattan’s business district will reduce travel times, lower emissions and encourage public transit use. 
For many, the policy is another financial burden that disproportionately affects the working class, especially those who rely on cars to earn a living. 
Freshman Noa Rejwan, who commutes from New York City daily stated, “Since I travel back-and-forth between New York and New Jersey, my family and I have to spend more on transportation if I’m in a car or Uber because of the tolls. Also, living on the edge of the congestion pricing area, to go any distance north by car, my family has to pay $10, limiting our movement.”
    The toll, expected to rise from $9 to $15 per day over the next few years, is a regressive tax. It won't impact wealthy Manhattan residents while damaging low-income residents from the outer boroughs.
 Consider a late-shift janitor at a hospital commuting from New Jersey or Long Island. Public transit could be unavailable or unsafe during those hours leaving driving as their only reasonable option.
 Crime on NYC’s subways has increased dramatically in recent years with some terrible high-profile crimes taking place recently, and the prosecution of a Good Samaritan. 
Freshman Logan Gladstone states, “Taking the subway is always a worrying event. You never know if you are going to be harassed by a homeless person, robbed, or even pushed onto the tracks. The trains are notoriously unreliable and some train lines never arrive on time making the subway a difficult obstacle.”
New Jersey commuters have a double toll burden. Those crossing the George Washington Bridge already pay a toll of up to $18.31, but unlike Lincoln Tunnel users, they receive no credit toward the congestion fee. This is unfair to commuters crossing the bridge, which may lead them to drive extra miles to avoid costs.
There won’t be congestion pricing in Upper Manhattan meaning that people who previously took a shorter route through the Lincoln Tunnel to reach Upper Manhattan may now drive in a big circle north to the bridge and south in Manhattan to avoid the extra fee. 
All of the extra miles add up. It creates more traffic and harms the environment. 
    Some argue that congestion pricing will encourage public transit, but this assumes that the system can handle the increased demand. For a while, the MTA has been criticized for its unreliable service, delays and overcrowding. New Jersey Transit buses are also notorious in such regard. In addition, areas with few trains and buses leave many residents with no good alternative besides driving.
 Investing in safer, more extensive, and more affordable public transit would address the congestion without penalizing drivers.
    Small businesses that rely on vehicle deliveries may face higher costs, which could be passed on to their customers. 
If commuters choose to work from home more often, local businesses below 60th Street will suffer. Companies with tight margins such as restaurants and floral shops are the most vulnerable, losing even a small percentage of their lunch customers could drive a restaurant out of business. This added expense risks losing jobs, and harming economic activity.
    Suppose the goal of congestion is to reduce traffic and improve transit. In that case, the city should prioritize improving public infrastructure, expanding bus routes, ensuring safety for riders, and making affordable fares, which would make transit more appealing for everyone. 
In the last 50 years, New York City has not added any major bridges, tunnels, or highways for vehicles, but in the 50 years before that, it added many. Failing to keep up with the growth in the number of drivers is the real issue.
London implemented congestion pricing in 2003 and the results have not been good. Traffic dropped initially, but came back.
According to the traffic analysis company INRIX, London was the most congested city in the world as of 2022, with the average London driver losing 156 hours sitting in traffic, compared to 117 hours in New York City (CBS News, June 25, 2024).
Charging people may transform the roads into “rich people only” zones, but it does not necessarily reduce traffic. Improving infrastructure would be more effective.
    Congestion pricing may be a well-intended policy, but it will likely deliver harmful consequences. While the plan is supposed to address environmental issues and mobility goals, it may do the opposite in the big picture.
Its lack of fairness should not be ignored. For NYC to achieve a sustainable and fair future, it must focus on improving public transit and addressing the needs of all residents.