Support Congestion Pricing in New York

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This is just the Cliffnotes. For more, watch the ClimateTown video. 

After decades of advocacy and a wild ride on the political rollercoaster, New York City finally implemented congestion pricing at the start of 2025. This means cars entering downtown Manhattan now have to pay a $9 toll to access the most congested part of the city.

The policy is designed to do two things: reduce traffic and raise desperately needed funds for public transportation. And guess what? It’s working. Traffic is moving faster, the city is pulling in tens of millions of dollars a month, and yet—somehow—its future is uncertain, thanks to good ‘ol politics. 

Cars run our cities. Congestion pricing flips that script. 

In America, we’ve designed our cities around cars, with public space handed over to private vehicles. We let cars drive and park – for free – on streets that could be better used as bike lanes, outdoor dining spaces, or for pedestrians only. All that traffic produces pollution that causes health problems and contributes to climate change, and it also negatively affects your quality of life – whether you’re stuck in it or trying to cross it. No one likes traffic. 

Congestion pricing flips the script, making car drivers pay for the space they take up and the harm they cause, all while funding better alternatives that make it easier to forgo driving in the first place. And, when you do need to drive, you can get where you need to go more easily! It’s a simple “Econ 101” concept and a long-overdue correction to decades of car-first urban planning.

It works! Just look at London.

In 2003, London started charging a flat fee to cars entering the central business district and used the funds to invest in public buses. Immediately, private vehicle traffic fell and public transit ridership increased. Over the last 20 years, this policy has transformed how people move around. According to transport economist Charles Komanoff, the number of automobiles entering London’s congestion zone has dropped by 48%, while the total number of people entering has increased by 21%. Traffic lanes were converted to bus lanes and bike lanes, and the city is functioning better for everyone. It’s a clear case of prioritizing people over cars—and it’s a model New York City is trying to follow.

Riding the political roller coaster to get here. 

New York has tried and failed to implement congestion pricing multiple times. Back in 2007, NYC Mayor Bloomberg proposed a plan, but after 2 years of contentious city-versus-state politics, it died in Albany before it could even get a vote. More than a decade later in 2019, the New York State Legislature finally passed congestion pricing into law, but bureaucracy moves slowly – especially during a pandemic and a sexual misconduct scandal that resulted in then-Governor Andrew Cuomo’s resignation. Five years later, congestion pricing was finally ready to go. $507 million worth of toll cameras had been installed in lower Manhattan, and public awareness campaigns had been touting the benefits of the new policy for months. 

Then, in June 2024, just weeks before it was set to go into effect, Governor Hochul hit pause, citing concerns about more expensive commutes for suburban New Yorkers. After several months of fierce backlash (and an election where several suburban New York members of Congress faced tight races 👀), she reinstated the policy – though only after significantly reducing the toll amount from $15 to $9, cutting the policy’s effectiveness. 

Most recently in February 2025, just a few weeks after the congestion pricing cameras finally started rolling, President Donald Trump jumped into the mix. He instructed the Department of Transportation to revoke federal approval for the plan and declared, “Congestion Pricing is dead. Long live the King.” In response, Governor Kathy Hochul sued the Trump Administration. 

All the while, the congestion pricing cameras have stayed on, collecting tolls and improving traffic as intended. In fact, within the first month, commute times through key bridges and tunnels were down 30-48%, foot traffic was up 5%, and the MTA raised $48.66 million for critical public transit improvements. 

While congestion pricing is technically still in effect, its long-term survival is far from guaranteed. Indeed, though legal experts say that the law is on New York’s side, the court case against the Trump Administration is still being decided. And even if congestion pricing is upheld in the courts this time, it remains a political target.

That’s where we come in. 

We can help shore up Governor Hochul’s support.

Whether she likes it or not, Governor Hochul is now the de facto leader of congestion pricing in the U.S. Whether she sticks to the policy or caves under political pressure will depend on her perceived level of public support. Right now, the small-but-vocal opponents are making a lot of noise, and elected officials are always looking for “political cover” to justify their policy decisions. We need to show Governor Hochul that she won’t be politically punished – and may even be politically rewarded – if she goes to bat for congestion pricing. 

Here’s where you come in: If you live in the state of New York, it’s time to contact Gov. Hochul and let her know that you support congestion pricing. It’s as simple as sending an email: We know that as few as 10 personalized constituent emails to an elected official are enough to put a topic like this on their radar. 

The key word here is personalized: Elected officials interpret copy-pasted, pre-written letters from constituents as reflecting the agenda of one interest group, so they batch the outreach. By adding a personalized touch to an email, it’s clear that regular ‘ol constituents took the time of day to write in with sincere concerns. That makes our message and policy ask infinitely more credible and actionable. 

The bottom line? Congestion pricing is working, but it needs public support to survive. New York finally took a step in the right direction—now it’s up to all of us to make sure it stays that way.