Fastest Environmental Benefits From Any Policy in US History

New York City’s congestion charge scheme for cars has now reached the six month mark, producing perhaps the fastest ever environmental improvement from any policy in US history.

At the beginning of this year, NYC joined London (and other global cities) by charging cars for entering their traffic-clogged metropolitan hearts, thus introducing a measure that was previously unknown to Americans and initially unpopular with commuters.

But the six-month anniversary, on 5 July, of congestion pricing highlights a string of remarkable successes. Traffic congestion in Manhattan, site of the $9 charge zone, is substantially down (by 2 million vehicles per month), plus cars and buses are moving faster (by 15 percent). As a result, air quality is improving as carbon emissions drop (by 2.5 percent thus far) and the public transportation system now has a bit of zip. Perhaps surprisingly, there are fewer car accidents and injuries - maybe because Manhattan's eternal gridlock has been relieved and drivers are less angry?

In the Trump era of assaults upon climate policy across US, New York’s congestion charging scheme signals welcome progress in 2025. “It’s been even more obviously beneficial than even the most fervent proponents had hoped, and there have been really tangible improvements that are really gratifying,” said Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, a New York-based pro-transit group. “It’s been incredible to see.”

Furnas says that one of his favorite stats is that noise complaints along Canal Street, a key artery in lower Manhattan, have reduced by 70 percent.

“The quality-of-life improvement has been dramatic. Reducing pollution is often seen to involve a lot of sacrifices, but this has been different. People can see the improvements to their lives. There was this cynical assumption that this was a bullshit charge and life will stay the same but that assumption has gone away now.”

Across the pond, London’s air quality has improved markedly and more people now support the charge than oppose it – a reversal of what the polls showed prior to its imposition.

For NYC, along side environmental improvements, one of the other motivations for the congestion charge was to raise funds for the beleaguered Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). This has been a resounding success and is on track to reach $500m this year, allowing upgrades to the subway, the purchase of several hundred new electric buses and improvements to regional rail.

If New York can survive attacks from Trump's administration - and thus far the city has successfully beaten it in court - those who seek cleaner air may soon discover that the scheme is replicated by cities elsewhere in the US. After all, if highways and bridges can be tolled, why not the congested core of cities too?

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