The program reduced vehicle entries into the toll zone by 11 percent.
New York City’s congestion pricing program continues to live up to its promises, cutting air pollution by 22 percent in its first six months. According to an article by Paul Day in Air Quality News, “The improvements grew stronger over time, suggesting drivers are increasingly adapting their behavior.”
Air quality monitors showed that the benefits extended beyond the congestion pricing zone. Pollution levels also fell significantly in all five of the city’s boroughs. As study co-lead author Timothy Fraser explained, “This tells us that congestion pricing didn’t simply relocate air pollution to the suburbs by rerouting traffic. Instead, folks are likely choosing cleaner transportation options altogether, like riding public transportation or scheduling deliveries at night.”
The data is concurrent with traffic data, which shows that vehicle entries into the toll zone dropped by 11 percent overall, and by 18 percent for heavy-duty trucks that emit some of the worst pollutants.
Read the full story: NYC congestion pricing cuts air pollution by 22% in six months
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