NYC Traffic Moving At Under 7 MPH, Congestion Pricing Remains Suspended

Congestion is making driving in the city slower than ever.

1 minute read

July 9, 2024, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Cars on a New York City street

Ryan DeBerardinis / New York City traffic

On the heels of New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to suspend the city’s congestion pricing program, traffic in Midtown Manhattan “is moving slower than ever,” according to an article by David Meyer in Streetsblog NYC.

“Average speeds in the CBD for 2024 dropped below 7 miles per hour last month, according to taxi and for-hire vehicle speed data analyzed by former city Traffic Commissioner Sam ‘Gridlock Sam’ Schwartz.” According to Schwartz, “Traffic volumes are about 2 to 3 percent higher than they were in 2019, and truck volumes are about 10 to 15 percent higher.”

Schwartz says traffic in the CBD moved at 6.8 miles per hour, while midtown traffic moved at 4.6 mph, a drop of 25 percent since 2010. “Congestion pricing tolls, which the MTA was set to charge once per day on vehicles that enter Manhattan below 60th Street, would have reduced the number of cars and trucks in the CBD by 17 percent, according to official forecasts.”

Monday, July 8, 2024 in StreetsBlog NYC

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Orange and white vintage-look streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024

The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

April 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Green and silver Max BRT bus at station in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding

In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

April 4 - Colorado Public Radio

Low view of separated bike lanes in middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome visible at end of street at night.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy

The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

April 4 - Grist