It’s been one week since Congestion Relief Zone tolling went into effect, and while it’s too soon to make any definitive statements, the data from the past week—along with the many anecdotes and photos we’ve seen of less traffic in the Congestion Relief Zone—is promising.
The short version: Fewer vehicles are entering Manhattan’s Central Business District, and those who are driving into the CBD are saving time. Read on for more details.
Traffic in the Central Business District has decreased.
When seasonally adjusted for January and compared to traffic levels at the same time last year, traffic decreased by almost 8%, with about 219,000 fewer vehicles entering the zone between Monday and Friday.
Drivers are saving time traveling in and to the CBD.
For those who are driving into the Central Business District, trip times have improved. This is especially true for inbound river crossings, which saw a 30% to 40% reduction in travel times compared to the same period in 2024. Trip times also decreased considerably on Manhattan streets and avenues in the afternoon, the busiest time of the day.
Less traffic means better bus speeds.
Buses are moving faster, especially in the morning peak. Express Bus riders in particular—many of whom travel across the East or Hudson Rivers into Manhattan—are seeing improvements. The SIM24, which runs between the south shore of Staten Island to Midtown Manhattan, actually shaved seven minutes off of the time it typically takes crossing the Lincoln Tunnel.
View our full rundown of Week One data. We will continue to provide data updates and will have fuller insights in mid-February—stay tuned.
View a presentation of this data: