Informed you so!
A new metropolis report that discovered congestion pricing failed to cut back air air pollution in Manhattan — as backers claimed it could — proves the $9 toll on drivers was only a “cash seize” to fund mass transit, opponents argued Tuesday.
The evaluation launched by the Division of Well being discovered that the toll to enter Manhattan south of sixtieth Road didn’t scale back air air pollution within the congestion zone, regardless of an 11% drop in automobile journeys in comparison with earlier than the tax was applied.
“Did congestion pricing have an effect on air high quality within the congestion aid zone? No,” the report mentioned.
Kathryn Freed, a Decrease East Aspect resident and member of New Yorkers Towards Congestion Pricing Tax, which sued the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to dam the toll, mentioned the report mentioned nothing has modified when it comes to air pollution.
“There hasn’t been any change. Supporters mentioned there can be much less air pollution if site visitors went down in Manhattan. Apparently there’s no environmental profit in any respect,” mentioned Freed, a former state choose and councilwoman.
“How can they are saying site visitors went down however not air air pollution?”
At a press convention in January, Gov. Kathy Hochul boasted that “air pollution is down greater than 20% in a single yr” due to congestion pricing.
Hochul initially paused congestion pricing in 2024, however then signed off on it after the November election and it went into impact in January 2025, overcoming opposition from President Trump and lawsuits.
“It was all bullsh-t. It was to place cash within the MTA’s pocket,” mentioned Vinnie DiMino, proprietor of the Sea Breeze Fish Market on Ninth Avenue, close to the Lincoln Tunnel.
“The report simply proved it wasn’t about air air pollution. It was all about transit. It’s all a lie – the Democratic politicians lie.”
He fumed, “I really feel like I’ve been robbed. It price me $50-$60 a day to trip, out and in of the [congestion] zone for deliveries. They’re killing us.”
The toll is scheduled to rise to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031.
Manhattan resident Jill Bowman, who drives to Brooklyn and New Jersey a number of instances per week, mentioned, “We all know it’s bullish-t however we will’t do something about it.
“It’s not about saving lives. It’s about earning profits,” she mentioned.
Alex Pichado, an Uber driver for 10 years, added, “If there is no such thing as a change [in air pollution], they need to cease it. There isn’t any cause to proceed with it.”
The DOH report additionally mentioned that “air pollution ranges weren’t considerably completely different due to congestion pricing” in environmental justice zones exterior Manhattan, reminiscent of within the South Bronx
Supporters of congestion pricing mentioned that’s truly excellent news, as a result of environmental research performed earlier than the toll was applied projected that diversion of site visitors to keep away from the levy may enhance air pollution in these areas.
A report launched in March claimed that air pollution did worsen in Bronx neighborhoods.
“Opponents of congestion pricing mentioned there can be hotspots for elevated air pollution. That has not occurred,” mentioned John Kaehny, govt director of Reinvent Albany, a pro-mass transit watchdog group.
Kaehny’s group supported congestion pricing to cut back site visitors and to fund the MTA, however didn’t promote the air pollution discount argument, as a result of because the DOH report famous, auto site visitors makes up solely about 14% of particulate matter emissions and 20% of nitric oxide emissions within the environment.
“That congestion pricing would solely have a small affect on air high quality is constant” with prior environmental affect statements on the toll’s penalties, the report mentioned.
“Whoever was hyping the air air pollution was fallacious from the start,” Kaehny mentioned.
Critics of the congestion toll within the outer boroughs remained skeptical.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, a plaintiff within the lawsuit to dam congestion, famous that truck site visitors has elevated in his borough, and questioned how the report may say air pollution hasn’t.
“The report reaffirms that congestion pricing was nothing however a cash seize. Simply come out and say it,” he mentioned.
However the MTA, which operates the congestion toll and collects the income to fund its buses and trains, mentioned the air pollution report proves this system is working.
“Earlier than we turned the cameras on, there was concern in regards to the potential for elevated air pollution attributable to drivers trying to keep away from the toll,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber mentioned in an announcement in regards to the metropolis report.
“As this examine confirms, that didn’t occur, and congestion pricing is already funding extra investments to additional enhance air high quality.”
