Every 54 Minutes a driver crashes their car in NYC's congestion pricing zone
Since January 1st, 2,310 people have been injured by motor vehicles and 14 have been killed*
Congestion pricing can help stop this madness
Learn How
* As of the most recent data available through December 7th, 2024
On June 5th, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in a stunning 11th hour about-face, canceled New York City’s long-awaited congestion pricing program that has been decades in the making.

Governor Hochul claims that imposing a toll to drive into lower Manhattan would “create another obstacle to our economic recovery”. She could not be more wrong.

Study after study after study has found that street projects that increase investments in transit, biking, and walking result in more economic activity, not less. The MTA has said Hochul’s decision will mean $16.5B in cuts to transit spending; Reinvent Albany estimates more than 100,000 high-paying jobs could be lost across New York State; and noted congestion pricing expert Charles Komanoff forecasts an astounding $2.7B in annual net benefits from the program.

These forecasted benefits are strongly supported by evidence from existing implementations of congestion pricing across the world: studies from cities as diverse as London, Stockholm, and Singapore showed up to 35% reduction in crashes in congestion pricing zones.

But the transportation system isn’t just an economic engine for New York. It’s also critical to keeping people safe. Here are the health and safety benefits Governor Hochul has given up:

Up to 11% reduction in harmful emissions, such as fine particulate matter and carbon monoxide, contributing
Nearly 300 fewer injuries from crashes
An estimated $110M in net benefits from reducing traffic noise
Over $300M in net benefits from increased walking and cycling
Here’s the bottom line

In addition to draining funds from the subway system, killing hundreds of thousands of jobs, and continuing to worsen transportation’s impact on climate change, Governor Hochul’s decision has almost certainly condemned New York City to hundreds more crashes, injuries, and fatalities in years to come. What’s more, this unnecessary burden will now fall disproportionately on vulnerable communities.

In the past 30 days 161 people have been injured by car violence in the congestion pricing zone and 0 people have been killed.
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The vast majority of residents in the congestion zone do not drive

Instead they walk, bike or take public transit to work. What’s more, we know from years and years of studies that people who drive into Manhattan are wealthier and more job-secure than those who commute by transit. In other words, those who drive into Manhattan are already privileged, benefitting from decades of investments in road infrastructure and other subsidies for driving.

In addition, ⅓ of residents in the congestion pricing zone are children, seniors or disabled: These are groups that are especially vulnerable to aggressive and impatient motorists, and it shows: Manhattan is in the midst of an epidemic of pedestrian death and injury, with 58 people killed on the streets between January 1 and June 25 this year.

A Crash Every 54 Minutes

In 2023, there were 9,645 vehicle crashes in the congestion zone. This translates to a crash every 54 minutes.

81% of Households are Car-Free

There are 420,423 homes in the congestion zone. Of these, 339,745 (81%) do not own a car.

1/3 of Residents are Vulnerable

Approximately 811,129 people live in the congestion zone. 93,127 are children, 134,641 are seniors and 33,753 identify as disabled. Together, these three vulnerable groups of people make up 32% of all residents who live in the congestion zone.

89% of Residents Don't Drive

89% of residents walk, bike, scoot or take public transit as their primary means of transportation.

The Data is Clear
Governor Hochul’s decision has prioritized the comfort and convenience of people who drive into Manhattan over the safety, health, and well-being of the people who live there.
Transportation Alternatives has led the fight for safe, equitable streets in New York City for over 50 years.
Join Transportation Alternatives in demanding that Governor Hochul reinstate congestion pricing now!
About This Project

Concept, creative direction and engineering by Stephen Braitsch. Visual and UX design by Sam Vogt. Editorial by Beaudry Kock.

Data Sources

Vehicle crash and victim data is sourced from NYC's Open Data platform and neighborhood demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates (2018 - 2022).