Gov. Kathy Hochul rallies with MTA officers, pols, and advocates to tout the success of congestion pricing. Friday, March 21, 2025.
(Susan Watts/Workplace of Governor Kathy Hochul)
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday triumphantly rallied in Manhattan to tout congestion pricing’s success on the heels of President Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushing again the deadline for the state to terminate the tolling program by 30 days.
After driving in on a metropolis bus, Hochul gathered in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District with Metropolitan Transportation Authority officers, native pols, and advocates to rejoice this system President Trump is in search of to close down.
“Today’s an important day, the cameras are staying on…they sure as hell are,” Hochuls mentioned, referring to the cameras used to cost drivers a $9 base toll for coming into the congestion zone — Manhattan under sixtieth Avenue.
Hochul’s remarks are available in open defiance of Duffy’s order to finish this system by March 21, a deadline the transportation secretary preemptively prolonged by one other 30 days through a social media put up on Thursday. Duffy issued his authentic deadline final month shortly after sending a letter to Hochul ordering her to scuttle this system, contending it’s primarily designed to lift cash for the MTA somewhat than reduce down on congestion.
Whereas Duffy gave the state one other month to finish congestion pricing, he additionally threatened that he’s “putting New York on notice” and noncompliance with the brand new deadline “will not be taken lightly.”
“Your refusal to end cordon pricing and your open disrespect towards the federal government is unacceptable,” Duffy wrote within the put up on X.
The govenror and high MTA officers have fiercely defended the tolling program, which took impact on Jan. 5, arguing it has labored as meant by decreasing site visitors and producing a lot wanted income for the beleagured transit company. In addition they sued the Trump administration in a bid to forestall it from interfering with the state-run program.
The MTA is utilizing the income generated from this system — over $48.6 million in simply its first month of operation — to bond out and safe $15 billion that may fund its capital wants. These embody making long-overdue updates like modernizing decades-old sign methods throughout the subway and making many extra stations wheelchair-accessible.
Through the rally, Hochul listed this system’s advantages, saying it has decreased site visitors within the congestion zone, lessened air air pollution, and pushed extra prospects to native companies.
“Not only is traffic down and business is up…but also subway ridership is up and crime is down,” Hochul mentioned as the group cheered “Traffic down and business is up.”
Visitors within the congestion zone — also referred to as the Central Enterprise District (CBD) — is down 11% within the congestion zone in February in comparison with the identical time final yr, in accordance with MTA information offered by Hochul’s workplace. Moreover, commuters are saving as much as 21 minutes per journey and bus service is quicker within the congestion zone.
There have been additionally 19% extra folks going to Broadway exhibits in January and February in comparison with the identical time final yr, in accordance with information shared by Hochul’s workplace. And there was a 5% improve in restaurant reservations within the CBD between January and mid-March, when contrasted with the identical interval in 2024.
Jeffrey LeFrancois, government director of the Meatpacking District Administration Affiliation, mentioned, “Public transit is the lifeblood of New York City, and improving the system is good for business, it’s good for the Meatpacking District, and it’s certainly good for the region.”
“The easier we make navigating all that makes this city special, the better,” he added. “And easing traffic flow makes streets quieter and more efficient, and if there’s one thing business loves, it’s efficiency.”
