Drivers and Experts Pump the Brakes on MTA’s Claimed ‘Transformational’ Traffic Success
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
New York NY, nearly a year into the controversial congestion pricing program, a fierce debate is raging over its effectiveness in Manhattan. Governor Kathy Hochul and MTA leaders are hailing the $\$9$ toll as a transformational success, claiming it has drastically reduced gridlock and is funding crucial transit upgrades. However, drivers on the ground and independent analysts are shouting one unified message: “Not so fast!”
Despite the MTA’s announcement that the program has already exceeded its $\$500$ million revenue projection, critics argue that traffic remains abysmal, and the data being used to justify the toll is flawed and misleading.
MTA’s Rosy Picture vs. Real-World Traffic
The MTA claims that traffic in the congestion zone (Manhattan below 60th Street) is down by 11%. Governor Hochul proudly declared, “Congestion pricing is working, it is legal, and the cameras are staying on.” MTA CEO Janno Lieber even asserted that unspecified polling shows drivers are “loving it” because they are saving time.
But what are the drivers experiencing? The sentiment on the streets is overwhelmingly negative:
-
Cab Drivers report no noticeable difference, with traffic still “hell on wheels” and questioning what the MTA is doing with the massive influx of cash.
-
Electricians and Contractors estimate they are paying thousands more annually, with little to no improvement in commute times. “It’s the same traffic, just more fees,” said one Staten Island commuter.
-
50-Year New Yorkers argue the daily fee “hasn’t alleviated anything” and is simply another layer of taxation on struggling residents and businesses.
The Data Dispute: Why Experts Are Questioning MTA’s 11% Drop
Independent analysts and Port Authority data suggest the MTA’s claims are being inflated by questionable methodology.
-
Port Authority Discrepancy: Data from the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels shows year-over-year drops of less than 7% in the early months, and only a 4.9% decline by April—significantly less than the 12% to 13% drops the MTA is reporting for the same period inside the zone.
-
Baseline Flaw: Critics, including Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Nicole Gelinas, argue the MTA used an unreliable baseline, comparing current numbers to estimates of what traffic would have been without the toll, rather than collected, pre-toll historical data.
-
Single-Day Selection: CUNY civil engineering professor Alison Conway noted that the MTA used a single day in October to set the baseline, which leaves “room for a lot of uncertainty in how representative that day is,” especially without factoring in external events like construction or weather.
Furthermore, overall traffic across all New York-New Jersey crossings was down only 0.4%, with traffic on the George Washington Bridge (GWB) actually increasing—a potential sign that drivers are simply shifting their routes to avoid the congestion zone, pushing gridlock elsewhere.
The MTA has adjusted its data for seasonality, but the large difference between its reported figures and the Port Authority’s tunnel crossings continues to fuel skepticism. For many, the program feels less like a solution for congestion and more like a money grab.
Follow the Ridgewood blog has a brand-new new X account, we tweet good sh$t
https://twitter.com/TRBNJNews
https://truthsocial.com/@theridgewoodblog
https://mewe.com/jamesfoytlin.74/posts
#news #follow #media #trending #viral #newsupdate #currentaffairs #BergenCountyNews #NJBreakingNews #NJHeadlines #NJTopStories
As always, confusion, uncertainty, and doubt. Where is the money, and who is spending it? We can almost be guaranteed it is not being spent by the MTA. Dems in charge.
So… If people are still coming into the city and paying the surcharge, the city is punishing these people and they will find alternatives.
If people stopped coming, then congestion pricing “worked” and the city is losing massive revenue.
Either way it is a Loss for the city in the long run.