Manhattan Traffic Drops 7.5 Percent After New York City’s Congestion Toll Takes Effect

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it has observed a change in Manhattan’s traffic patterns since the congestion pricing program was implemented.

Devices used for congestion tolling hang above traffic on a Manhattan street in New York City on Jan. 6, 2025. Seth Wenig/AP Photo

Traffic in Manhattan decreased by 7.5 percent in the week after New York City’s congestion pricing plan took effect, according to preliminary traffic data released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Jan. 13.

The congestion pricing program, which took effect on Jan. 5, is a policy that charges a standard $9 fare to drivers of most passenger cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.