Three weeks into New York City’s Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) tolling, data indicates that the scheme is successfully reducing traffic congestion while improving travel times and public transport performance.
According to the latest figures from MTA Bridges and Tunnels, vehicle trips into the tolled area have declined, allowing for faster journeys across the city.
Travel times on all river crossings are now 10% to 30% faster compared to January 2024, with the Holland Tunnel seeing a nearly 50% improvement in morning rush-hour speeds.
Within the CRZ itself, major east-west routes such as Canal Street and 34th Street have also recorded reduced travel times.
Public transport has also benefited, with bus speeds increasing significantly. Express Bus riders have experienced the most notable gains, particularly on weekends, and transit ridership has risen overall.
On an average weekday, 490,000 vehicles now enter the CRZ, with most coming from north of 60th Street (43%), followed by Brooklyn (24%), Queens (16%), and New Jersey (17%).
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According to MTA Bridges and Tunnels, many drivers appear to be timing their trips to avoid peak toll rates, with noticeable increases in entries before 5am and after 9pm, aligning with one of the programme’s key objectives: easing congestion during peak hours.
To maintain transparency, updated congestion pricing data is now available through the NYS Open Data portal and the MTA’s metrics portal.
Authorities continue to encourage the use of E-ZPass for discounted toll rates, reminding motorists that non-E-ZPass users will receive higher-cost ‘Tolls by Mail’ bills.
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