SAFER, FAIRER STREETS: Transportation Alternatives Releases New Fast, Easy, and Cheap Recommendations Urging Officials to Take Full Advantage of Congestion Pricing

City leaders must prepare now for a successful rollout of New York City’s first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan.

New York City is the most congested city in the United States, and traffic congestion costs the metro area $20 billion annually.

NEW YORK, NY — Today, Transportation Alternatives released a new report with recommendations to ensure that the nation’s first-ever congestion pricing program delivers safer, better, fairer streets for New Yorkers. The 15 fast, cheap, and easy recommendations outlined in How Congestion Pricing Will Improve Your Life include steps city leaders can take today to ensure faster buses, better biking, more accessible streets, and financial savings for commuters.

“Congestion pricing is an opportunity to make New York City better – and we must take steps today to ensure the program is as successful and transformative as it can be,” said Elizabeth Adams, Deputy Executive Director for Public Affairs at Transportation Alternatives. “Congestion pricing is a first-in-the-nation policy to use tolling for the public good, but our leaders must be proactive to fully utilize the public space the program will bring. The ideas in the report are as simple as they are cost-effective, and the city can start enacting them today. We hope that members of the City Council can use these recommendations to push for the effective rollout that New Yorkers deserve.”

The report includes recommendations such as: planning the city’s first bus rapid transit routes; designing a citywide street accessibility network; building wider protected bike lanes; and incentivizing New Yorkers to choose less dangerous, polluting, and congesting modes of transportation. Implementing these changes now will prepare the city to take full advantage of congestion pricing when it’s implemented.

“Congestion pricing remains the most effective tool we have to ease gridlock on our streets, cut transportation emissions, and raise the revenue we need to increase accessibility and modernize our transit system. State and City leaders must swiftly implement this critical initiative to ease daily travel for the millions who rely on New York City's streets, buses, and subways," said Comptroller Brad Lander.

“Congestion pricing is an opportunity to reimagine our transit network and streetscape to better serve all New Yorkers and visitors. The implementation of congestion pricing will reduce gridlock, fund mass transit, and improve Manhattan’s air quality. While the State and Transit Mobility Review Board work to finalize the important details of the congestion pricing program, it is critical that the City take bold steps today to prepare for the program and ensure it is successful,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.

“I am proud to stand with Transportation Alternatives and their vision for safer streets, less pollution, and improved infrastructure for cycling and mass transit,” said Council Member Tiffany Cabán. “Congestion pricing has proven vital for improving health and safety in cities across the globe. There is no reason New York City should take second to anyone in implementing such smart, cost-effective, life saving policy.”

“Congestion pricing will provide a real solution to many of the issues that cause crowding on our streets today, including obstructed bike and bus lanes. The benefits of this program are exciting and include strengthening our public transit system, increasing pedestrian and cyclist safety, and improving air quality. I look forward to continued community engagement and working with the MTA to ensure equity and fairness in the implemented program,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera (D-02).

"Congestion pricing, long in practice in major cities across the world, will soon be coming to New York City," said Felicia Park-Rogers, Director of Regional Infrastructure Projects, Tri-State Transportation Campaign. "Congestion pricing will provide exciting and unprecedented possibilities for how we organize our streets. This policy will reduce car traffic on our streets and provide creative, new ways to use our streets for many people-- people traveling by bus, foot, wheelchair, bicycle, scooter, etc. Twenty years into implementing congestion pricing, London has now reclaimed 30% of its streets from cars for other travel modes. In 2022 alone, London saw a 400% increase in cyclists in its central business district. This is good for the environment, public health, and ease of travel. We are ushering in a revolutionary new era for the streets and travelers of NYC."

“Congestion pricing is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our city and region by investing in transit and improving the environment,” said Lisa Daglian, Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC). “While New Yorkers eagerly await implementation, there are steps the city can take to help ensure its success—investing in bus lanes and busways, expanding options for alternate travel modes, increasing the eligibility threshold for Fair Fares, and fulfilling the commitments of the Streets Plan. Congestion Pricing will bring us cleaner air, less congested streets, better and faster transit, and will benefit the entire region. Now is the time to prepare so that more drivers will get out of cars and onto transit!”

“Congestion pricing has reduced traffic and pollution and enabled safer streets in London. We can’t wait until our region’s residents get to experience those same benefits after congestion pricing is implemented here next year,” said Kate Slevin, Executive Vice President of Regional Plan Association. “We hope the MTA uses toll credits to help reduce traffic near bridges and tunnels, and works with the NYC DOT to create more bus and bike lanes that expand transit options.”

"We're glad DOT is talking about wider bike lanes to accommodate high volumes of bicycles and ebikes, but we need to see more projects. Wider bike lanes in and around the central business district should be a prime use of street space freed up by congestion pricing," said Jon Orcutt, advocacy director at Bike New York.

Read the full report here.

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