Conservatives & corporatists continue criticizing New York’s congestion pricing

New York City’s new congestion pricing plan, which charges drivers a $9 toll to enter Manhattan below 60th Street, is already demonstrating tangible benefits.

Since its launch earlier this month, commute times have dropped, subway ridership has surged, and traffic congestion in some of the city’s most notoriously clogged areas has eased.

Despite these early successes, the plan continues to face significant opposition from conservative lawmakers and self-serving populists, including New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor.

On January 5, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officially began enforcing the congestion pricing fee, marking a significant milestone in the long-awaited initiative.

The toll is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the busiest parts of Manhattan, easing traffic flow and providing critical funding for the city’s public transportation system.

Within just two weeks of implementation, traffic in Manhattan dropped by 7.5%, with significant reductions in congestion on major routes such as the Lincoln Tunnel, the Williamsburg Bridge, and the Queensboro Bridge.

These changes are not only improving travel times for drivers but also contributing to a decrease in pollution levels across the city.

Subway and bus ridership have also increased as commuters shift from private vehicles to public transit, a trend the MTA has been working toward for years.

Despite the early signs of success, the congestion pricing initiative has faced relentless opposition from conservative factions, who continue to spin the policy as a failure.

Right-wing media outlets are reporting that overcrowding in subways and buses is a negative consequence of the toll. Others, like The New York Post, have criticized the MTA’s data and questioned the effectiveness of the program, despite clear evidence of improvements in traffic and air quality.

Gottheimer, known as Donald Trump’s favorite Democrat in Congress, has been one of the most vocal opponents of the plan. He argues that the new toll will hurt New Jersey residents, particularly commuters who rely on vehicles to travel to Manhattan.

Gottheimer tried to delay or prevent the implementation of congestion pricing, demanding an environmental impact study, arguing that the plan’s scale warrants further federal review, and backing legislation that would prevent federal funds from being allocated to the MTA.

In his efforts to protect what he calls “Jersey pocketbooks,” Gottheimer has framed the tolling policy as detrimental to both New Jersey drivers and businesses, claiming that it will increase traffic on the George Washington Bridge as trucks seek to avoid the tolls.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has also expressed strong opposition to the plan, calling it “a disaster” for commuters.

After Murphy failed to get the Biden administration to intervene, he urged Donald Trump to review federal approval of the program within hours after the Republican was sworn into office as the president.

Murphy’s administration argued in court that the toll would exacerbate traffic congestion and air pollution in the Garden State, but these attempts to block the policy were unsuccessful.

Despite the backlash, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has defended the plan, calling it necessary to unclog the city’s streets and make public transit more efficient.

During a recent discussion with the Partnership for New York City, Hochul emphasized that the toll revenue would help fund critical upgrades to the city’s transit infrastructure, including the extension of the Second Avenue Subway and the addition of new electric buses.

International examples, such as London, Stockholm, and Singapore, offer evidence of the long-term benefits of congestion pricing, including reduced traffic, lower carbon emissions, and improved air quality. In London, for instance, traffic delays fell by 30% in the first year of congestion pricing, while carbon emissions decreased by 30% over two decades.

If New York’s congestion pricing plan is allowed to proceed, similar benefits are expected to unfold. Traffic is projected to decline by 17%, and greenhouse gas emissions are anticipated to drop by 20%. Additionally, with fewer cars on the road, public safety should improve as the risk of accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists decreases.

As New York’s congestion pricing experiment continues, its success will be closely monitored. The initial data suggests that the policy is achieving its intended goals of reducing traffic congestion, lowering pollution, and providing a boost to public transit. However, the ongoing political and legal challenges from critics in New Jersey, led by figures like Gottheimer and Murphy, will continue to shape the debate surrounding the policy.

With these challenges in mind, supporters of the plan must remain vigilant in defending the data-driven successes of congestion pricing against a vocal opposition that continues to question its effectiveness. The outcome of this debate will likely have implications for similar climate and transportation policies across the country.