Manhattan needs gridlock relief: time for a workable congestion pricing plan

The debate over the state’s congestion pricing plan has focused on pricing — from the amount of the toll to enter central Manhattan, to possible exemptions, to where the money raised would go.

What’s been missing from the conversation? Congestion.

And that’s critical. Traffic is the reason the plan to toll Manhattan’s central business district is so important.

Manhattan gridlock is an enormous — and growing — problem, with extensive ripple effects. Emergency vehicles are delayed in responding to 911 calls. Buses move at a tortoise’s pace. Pedestrians and bike riders find themselves in increasing danger, as the sheer number of cars leads to more accidents and fatalities. And increasing air pollution will continue to affect millions in New York City and beyond.

Then there’s the cost. Because, yes, there is a cost to congestion.

A pre-pandemic study by the Partnership for New York City showed that traffic tie-ups cost the region a stunning $20 billion a year. With even more cars and trucks clogging Manhattan streets now, that figure is likely even higher. More than $9 billion of that is the cost of delay — the time wasted sitting in traffic, every minute costing employees and employers alike in lost productivity, wages and revenue — in addition to extra fuel and vehicle operating expenses and more. Each person who works in Manhattan loses on average nearly $1,900 a year to traffic and travel time, the Partnership found.

COMMUTERS ALREADY PAY

Commuters, in other words, are already paying a “tax” when they drive into and around Manhattan. It might not show up on an E-ZPass bill, but it’s there.

And all of that — from the air to the money to the aggravation to the very real danger — harms our quality of life.

That creates a toxic mix. The only solution is to get people out of their cars and on to trains, buses, and bicycles. The best way to do that is through tolling Manhattan’s central business district, which could fairly quickly reduce traffic by 20% or more, according to advocates. That’s at least tens of thousands fewer cars and trucks every day on Manhattan streets.

Certainly, it’ll be an enormous change — one that affects how we travel, where we travel, and when we travel. But that’s the point, and the goal.

Recently, congestion pricing has faced political headwinds, particularly from some suburban and outer borough elected officials worried about imposing extra costs on their constituents who drive into Manhattan. Supporters — including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Metropolitan Transportation Authority executives, and advocates — need to emphasize the plan’s benefits beyond the money to be raised, with clear messaging and better answers to legitimate questions.

Congestion pricing is on its way to becoming reality. The law is in place, with a concrete plan and guidelines of how it should work. It outlines a program that would get cars off streets, ease traffic flow, reduce pollution and wear-and-tear on roads, and raise $1 billion a year, all for MTA capital projects, with 10% going to the Long Island Rail Road. And it mandates exemptions — for emergency vehicles, cars carrying those with disabilities, and residents of the zone who earn less than $60,000 and who will receive the funds back in the form of a tax credit.

KEEP GOAL IN MIND

There’s much more to do to get this across the finish line. The just-completed public comment period included numerous critics, with some wanting more extensive exemptions and others who just want the plan to disappear.

Neither option is wise. The state’s Traffic Mobility Review Board must distill the commentary and determine which if any exemptions are necessary or make sense, and how to keep the program robust enough that it will have the desired environmental impact. Some concerns raised recently are valid. For instance, private bus operators who take dozens of people into Manhattan at once probably should receive a break.

But everyone needs to keep the real goal in mind: Reducing congestion means taking cars off the street, which in turn means providing the fewest exemptions and limitations possible.

Also important: The plan must have built-in flexibility because it’s unlikely that whatever is adopted will be perfect from the start. The review board or other agencies must be ready to assess successes and trouble spots and make changes where necessary, like adjusting prices for different times of day. Another concern is that congestion pricing will lead to added traffic and parking problems in the outer boroughs, particularly in western Queens and in the Bronx. That will need to be watched carefully and addressed quickly if it becomes a problem.

This won’t be easy. But the benefits — reducing traffic, improving our quality of life, and upgrading public transit — make the journey worthwhile. Congestion pricing is the way to get there. We just can’t get stuck in traffic along the way.