New York
New York Election Live Results 2024
Thomas SchiavoniT. SchiavoniSchiavoni Democrat 56%
Stephen KielyS. KielyKiely Republican 44%
Jodi GiglioJ. GiglioGiglio*incumbent Republican 65%
Tricia ChiaramonteT. ChiaramonteChiaramonte Democrat 35%
Joseph De StefanoJ. De StefanoDe Stefano*incumbent Republican 61%
Trina MilesT. MilesMiles Democrat 39%
Rebecca KassayR. KassayKassay Democrat 50.4%
Edward FloodE. FloodFlood*incumbent Republican 49.6%
Douglas SmithD. SmithSmith*incumbent Republican 65%
Michael ReynoldsM. ReynoldsReynolds Democrat 35%
Philip RamosP. RamosRamos*incumbent Democrat 65%
Daniel MitolaD. MitolaMitola Republican 35%
Jarett GandolfoJ. GandolfoGandolfo*incumbent Republican 63%
Garrett PetersenG. PetersenPetersen Democrat 37%
Michael FitzpatrickM. FitzpatrickFitzpatrick*incumbent Republican 66%
Steven BasileoS. BasileoBasileo Democrat 34%
Michael DursoM. DursoDurso*incumbent Republican 66%
Steven DellaVecchiaS. DellaVecchiaDellaVecchia Democrat 34%
Steve SternS. SternStern*incumbent Democrat 56%
Aamir SultanA. SultanSultan Republican 44%
Kwani O’PharrowK. O’PharrowO’Pharrow Democrat 50.2%
Joseph CardinaleJ. CardinaleCardinale Republican 49.8%
Keith BrownK. BrownBrown*incumbent Republican 57%
Thomas CoxT. CoxCox Democrat 43%
Charles LavineC. LavineLavine*incumbent Democrat 57%
Ruka AnzaiR. AnzaiAnzai Republican 43%
David McDonoughD. McDonoughMcDonough*incumbent Republican 60%
Ellen Lederer DeFrancescoE. Lederer DeFrancescoLederer DeFrancesco Democrat 40%
Jake BlumencranzJ. BlumencranzBlumencranz*incumbent Republican 55%
William MurphyW. MurphyMurphy Democrat 45%
Gina SillittiG. SillittiSillitti*incumbent Democrat 51%
Daniel NorberD. NorberNorber Republican 49%
John MikulinJ. MikulinMikulin*incumbent Republican 62%
Harpreet ToorH. ToorToor Democrat 38%
Noah BurroughsN. BurroughsBurroughs Democrat 85%
Danielle SmikleD. SmikleSmikle Republican 15%
Edward RaE. RaRa*incumbent Republican 64%
Sanjeev JindalS. JindalJindal Democrat 36%
Eric BrownE. BrownBrown*incumbent Republican 63%
Tina PosterliT. PosterliPosterli Democrat 37%
Judy GriffinJ. GriffinGriffin Democrat 55%
Brian CurranB. CurranCurran*incumbent Republican 45%
Michaelle SolagesM. SolagesSolages*incumbent Democrat 64%
Ian BergstromI. BergstromBergstrom Republican 36%
Stacey Pheffer AmatoS. Pheffer AmatoPheffer Amato*incumbent Democrat 51%
Thomas SullivanT. SullivanSullivan Republican 49%
David WeprinD. WeprinWeprin*incumbent Democrat 61%
Ruben CruzR. CruzCruz Republican 36%
Nily RozicN. RozicRozic*incumbent Democrat 53%
Kenneth PaekK. PaekPaek Republican 47%
Edward BraunsteinE. BraunsteinBraunstein*incumbent Democrat 68%
Robert SperanzaR. SperanzaSperanza Conservative 32%
Sam BergerS. BergerBerger*incumbent Democrat 57%
Angelo KingA. KingKing Republican 43%
Andrew HevesiA. HevesiHevesi*incumbent Democrat 58%
Jonathan RinaldiJ. RinaldiRinaldi Republican 42%
Alicia HyndmanA. HyndmanHyndman*incumbent Democrat 86%
Dwayne MooreD. MooreMoore Republican 14%
Steven RagaS. RagaRaga*incumbent Democrat 60%
Brandon CastroB. CastroCastro Republican 40%
Khaleel AndersonK. AndersonAnderson*incumbent Democrat
Vivian CookV. CookCook*incumbent Democrat
Clyde VanelC. VanelVanel*incumbent Democrat
Jessica Gonzalez-RojasJ. Gonzalez-RojasGonzalez-Rojas*incumbent Democrat
Larinda HooksL. HooksHooks Democrat
Zohran MamdaniZ. MamdaniMamdani*incumbent Democrat
Claire ValdezC. ValdezValdez Democrat
Jenifer RajkumarJ. RajkumarRajkumar*incumbent Democrat
Catalina CruzC. CruzCruz*incumbent Democrat
Ron KimR. KimKim*incumbent Democrat 55%
Philip WangP. WangWang Republican 45%
Kalman YegerK. YegerYeger Democrat
Rodneyse BichotteR. BichotteBichotte*incumbent Democrat
Brian CunninghamB. CunninghamCunningham*incumbent Democrat
Robert CarrollR. CarrollCarroll*incumbent Democrat 85%
John BennettJ. BennettBennett Republican 15%
Michael NovakhovM. NovakhovNovakhov*incumbent Republican 50.5%
Joey Cohen-SabanJ. Cohen-SabanCohen-Saban Democrat 49.5%
Alec Brook-KrasnyA. Brook-KrasnyBrook-Krasny*incumbent Republican 53%
Chris McCreightC. McCreightMcCreight Democrat 47%
William ColtonW. ColtonColton*incumbent Democrat 61%
David SepiashviliD. SepiashviliSepiashvili Republican 39%
Simcha EichensteinS. EichensteinEichenstein*incumbent Democrat
Lester ChangL. ChangChang*incumbent Republican
Emily GallagherE. GallagherGallagher*incumbent Democrat
Marcela MitaynesM. MitaynesMitaynes*incumbent Democrat 77%
Erik FrankelE. FrankelFrankel Republican 23%
Jo Anne SimonJ. SimonSimon*incumbent Democrat 94%
Brett WynkoopB. WynkoopWynkoop Conservative 6%
Maritza DavilaM. DavilaDavila*incumbent Democrat
Erik DilanE. DilanDilan*incumbent Democrat
Latrice WalkerL. WalkerWalker*incumbent Democrat 92%
Berneda JacksonB. JacksonJackson Republican 8%
Stefani ZinermanS. ZinermanZinerman*incumbent Democrat
Phara ForrestP. ForrestForrest*incumbent Democrat
Monique Chandler-WatermanM. Chandler-WatermanChandler-Waterman*incumbent Democrat
Jaime WilliamsJ. WilliamsWilliams*incumbent Democrat
Nikki LucasN. LucasLucas*incumbent Democrat
Charles FallC. FallFall*incumbent Democrat
Michael ReillyM. ReillyReilly*incumbent Republican
Sam PirozzoloS. PirozzoloPirozzolo*incumbent Republican 58%
Matthew MobiliaM. MobiliaMobilia Democrat 42%
Michael TannousisM. TannousisTannousis*incumbent Republican
Grace LeeG. LeeLee*incumbent Democrat
Deborah GlickD. GlickGlick*incumbent Democrat
Linda RosenthalL. RosenthalRosenthal*incumbent Democrat
Edward GibbsE. GibbsGibbs*incumbent Democrat
Micah LasherM. LasherLasher Democrat
Jordan WrightJ. WrightWright Democrat 91%
Seson AdamsS. AdamsAdams Republican 9%
Al TaylorA. TaylorTaylor*incumbent Democrat 87%
Joziel AndujarJ. AndujarAndujar Republican 13%
Manny De Los SantosM. De Los SantosDe Los Santos*incumbent Democrat
Alex BoresA. BoresBores*incumbent Democrat 74%
Awadhesh GuptaA. GuptaGupta Republican 26%
Harvey EpsteinH. EpsteinEpstein*incumbent Democrat
Tony SimoneT. SimoneSimone*incumbent Democrat
Rebecca SeawrightR. SeawrightSeawright*incumbent Democrat
Landon DaisL. DaisDais*incumbent Democrat 75%
Norman Sobe McGillN. McGillMcGill Republican 21%
George AlvarezG. AlvarezAlvarez*incumbent Democrat 74%
John SantiagoJ. SantiagoSantiago Republican 26%
Chantel JacksonC. JacksonJackson*incumbent Democrat 80%
Sharon DarbyS. DarbyDarby Republican 16%
John ZaccaroJ. ZaccaroZaccaro*incumbent Democrat 68%
Nicholas MarriccoN. MarriccoMarricco Republican 27%
Jeffrey DinowitzJ. DinowitzDinowitz*incumbent Democrat 77%
Kevin PazminoK. PazminoPazmino Republican 23%
Michael BenedettoM. BenedettoBenedetto*incumbent Democrat 69%
Juan De la CruzJ. De la CruzDe la Cruz Republican 31%
Carl HeastieC. HeastieHeastie*incumbent Democrat 89%
Stephanie LiggioS. LiggioLiggio Republican 11%
Amanda SeptimoA. SeptimoSeptimo*incumbent Democrat 77%
Rosaline NievesR. NievesNieves Republican 20%
Emerita TorresE. TorresTorres Democrat 79%
Kelly AtkinsonK. AtkinsonAtkinson Republican 18%
Yudelka TapiaY. TapiaTapia*incumbent Democrat 75%
Woodrow Hines, Jr.W. Hines, Jr.Hines, Jr. Republican 23%
Karines ReyesK. ReyesReyes*incumbent Democrat
Amy PaulinA. PaulinPaulin*incumbent Democrat 61%
Thomas FixT. FixFix Republican 39%
Gary PretlowG. PretlowPretlow*incumbent Democrat
Nader SayeghN. SayeghSayegh*incumbent Democrat 55%
John IsaacJ. IsaacIsaac Republican 45%
Steven OtisS. OtisOtis*incumbent Democrat 62%
Katie MangerK. MangerManger Republican 38%
MaryJane ShimskyM. ShimskyShimsky*incumbent Democrat 59%
Alessandro CroccoA. CroccoCrocco Republican 41%
Chris BurdickC. BurdickBurdick*incumbent Democrat
Matthew SlaterM. SlaterSlater*incumbent Republican 64%
Zachary CouzensZ. CouzensCouzens Democrat 36%
Dana LevenbergD. LevenbergLevenberg*incumbent Democrat 60%
Michael CapalboM. CapalboCapalbo Republican 40%
Patrick CarrollP. CarrollCarroll Democrat 58%
Ronald DizR. DizDiz Republican 42%
John McGowanJ. McGowanMcGowan*incumbent Republican 50%
Aron WiederA. WiederWieder Democrat 46%
Karl BrabenecK. BrabenecBrabenec*incumbent Republican
Christopher EachusC. EachusEachus*incumbent Democrat 51%
Tom LapollaT. LapollaLapolla Republican 49%
Paula KayP. KayKay Democrat 52%
Louis IngrassiaL. IngrassiaIngrassia Republican 48%
Brian MaherB. MaherMaher*incumbent Republican
Christopher TagueC. TagueTague*incumbent Republican 64%
Janet Tweed TweedJ. TweedTweed Democrat 36%
Sarahana ShresthaS. ShresthaShrestha*incumbent Democrat 64%
Jack HayesJ. HayesHayes Republican 36%
Jonathan JacobsonJ. JacobsonJacobson*incumbent Democrat
Anil BeephanA. BeephanBeephan*incumbent Republican
Didi BarrettD. BarrettBarrett*incumbent Democrat 58%
Stephan KrakowerS. KrakowerKrakower Republican 42%
Chloe PierceC. PiercePierce Democrat 55%
Scott BendettS. BendettBendett*incumbent Republican 45%
John McDonaldJ. McDonaldMcDonald*incumbent Democrat
Gabriella RomeroG. RomeroRomero Democrat 72%
Alicia PurdyA. PurdyPurdy Republican 28%
Phillip SteckP. SteckSteck*incumbent Democrat 58%
Jeff MaddenJ. MaddenMadden Republican 42%
Angelo SantabarbaraA. SantabarbaraSantabarbara*incumbent Democrat 62%
Joseph MastroianniJ. MastroianniMastroianni Republican 38%
Mary Beth WalshM. WalshWalsh*incumbent Republican 61%
Joe SeemanJ. SeemanSeeman Democrat 39%
Carrie WoernerC. WoernerWoerner*incumbent Democrat 56%
Jeremy MessinaJ. MessinaMessina Republican 44%
Matthew SimpsonM. SimpsonSimpson*incumbent Republican
Billy JonesB. JonesJones*incumbent Democrat
Scott GrayS. GrayGray*incumbent Republican
Kenneth BlankenbushK. BlankenbushBlankenbush*incumbent Republican
Robert SmullenR. SmullenSmullen*incumbent Republican
Marianne ButtenschonM. ButtenschonButtenschon*incumbent Democrat 50.5%
Christine EspositoC. EspositoEsposito Republican 49.5%
William BarclayW. BarclayBarclay*incumbent Republican
Joe AngelinoJ. AngelinoAngelino*incumbent Republican 66%
Vicki DavisV. DavisDavis Democrat 34%
Brian MillerB. MillerMiller*incumbent Republican 63%
Adrienne MartiniA. MartiniMartini Democrat 37%
Donna LupardoD. LupardoLupardo*incumbent Democrat 59%
Lisa OKeefeL. OKeefeOKeefe Republican 41%
Christopher FriendC. FriendFriend*incumbent Republican
Anna KellesA. KellesKelles*incumbent Democrat
John LemondesJ. LemondesLemondes*incumbent Republican 54%
Ian PhillipsI. PhillipsPhillips Democrat 46%
Albert StirpeA. StirpeStirpe*incumbent Democrat 58%
Timothy KellyT. KellyKelly Republican 42%
Pamela HunterP. HunterHunter*incumbent Democrat 62%
Daniel CiciarelliD. CiciarelliCiciarelli Republican 38%
William MagnarelliW. MagnarelliMagnarelli*incumbent Democrat
Brian ManktelowB. ManktelowManktelow*incumbent Republican 54%
James SchulerJ. SchulerSchuler Democrat 46%
Jeff GallahanJ. GallahanGallahan*incumbent Republican
Philip PalmesanoP. PalmesanoPalmesano*incumbent Republican
Andrea BaileyA. BaileyBailey Republican 65%
Colleen Walsh-WilliamsC. Walsh-WilliamsWalsh-Williams Democrat 35%
Josh JensenJ. JensenJensen*incumbent Republican
Jen LunsfordJ. LunsfordLunsford*incumbent Democrat 60%
Kimberly DeRosaK. DeRosaDeRosa Republican 40%
Sarah ClarkS. ClarkClark*incumbent Democrat 69%
Orlando RiveraO. RiveraRivera Republican 31%
Demond MeeksD. MeeksMeeks*incumbent Democrat 72%
Marcus WilliamsM. WilliamsWilliams Republican 28%
Harry BronsonH. BronsonBronson*incumbent Democrat 62%
Tracy DiFlorioT. DiFlorioDiFlorio Republican 38%
Stephen HawleyS. HawleyHawley*incumbent Republican
William ConradW. ConradConrad*incumbent Democrat
Crystal PeoplesC. PeoplesPeoples*incumbent Democrat
Patrick BurkeP. BurkeBurke*incumbent Democrat 50.7%
Marc PrioreM. PriorePriore Republican 49.3%
Patrick ChludzinskiP. ChludzinskiChludzinski Republican 52%
Monica Piga WallaceM. Piga WallacePiga Wallace*incumbent Democrat 48%
Paul BolognaP. BolognaBologna Republican 62%
Michelle RomanM. RomanRoman Democrat 38%
Angelo MorinelloA. MorinelloMorinello*incumbent Republican 61%
Jeff ElderJ. ElderElder Democrat 39%
Karen McMahonK. McMahonMcMahon*incumbent Democrat 60%
Deborah KilbournD. KilbournKilbourn Republican 40%
David DiPietroD. DiPietroDiPietro*incumbent Republican 68%
Darci CramerD. CramerCramer Democrat 32%
Joseph SempolinskiJ. SempolinskiSempolinski Republican 64%
Daniel BrownD. BrownBrown Democrat 36%
Jonathan RiveraJ. RiveraRivera*incumbent Democrat
Andrew MolitorA. MolitorMolitor Republican 63%
Mike BobseineM. BobseineBobseine Democrat 37%
new video loaded: Hochul and Mamdani Announce Plan for Universal Child Care
transcript
transcript
Hochul and Mamdani Announce Plan for Universal Child Care
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a plan on Thursday to vastly expand free and low-cost child care for families across the state in the coming years and add programs for 2-year-olds.
-
“Today, we’re working together with the mayor at this incredible place to announce the first major steps to make child care universal — truly universal — here in New York City, transforming the lives of children and parents all across the state.” “We will build on the city’s existing three-K program, and say, no longer will a family in Flatbush be offered a seat, but have to find out that seat is in Astoria. We will add seats in the neighborhoods where demand has not been met. This will be felt by expanded subsidies for tens of thousands of additional families. It will be felt when parents look at their bank accounts at the end of the year, and see that they have saved more than $20,000 per child.” “And today, I’m proud to announce that New York State is paying the full cost to launch 2-care. For the first time — universal daycare for 2-year-olds, as proposed by Mayor Mamdani. We’re not just paying for one year of the program. We don’t usually go one year out in our budget, but just to let you know how serious we are, we’re taking the unprecedented step to not just commit for the 2027 budget, which I’m working on right now, but also the following year as well to show you we’re in this for the long haul.”
By Meg Felling
January 8, 2026
A new mayor, a fresh start — you know the drill. There are as many ideas out there for how Zohran Mamdani can now improve New York’s urban environment as there are New Yorkers.
I canvassed a few dozen planners, architects, academics, community leaders, neighborhood organizers, developers, housing and transit experts and former city government officials. I gave them no budgets or time lines. They gave me a mayoral to-do list of ideas big, small, familiar, deep in the weeds, fanciful and timely.
What follows is a small selection, with some kibitzing by me. You can vote “love it” or “skip it” below and help determine the ranking of priorities. Feel free to leave eye rolls and alternative proposals in the comments section.
Check back in the coming days to see how the ranking has changed and we will let you know the ultimate results on Jan. 13.
1
Create many thousands more affordable housing units by converting some of the city’s public golf courses into mixed income developments, with garden allotments and wetlands.
2
Deck over Robert Moses’s Cross Bronx Expressway and create a spectacular new park.
3
Devise a network of dedicated lanes for e-bikes and electric scooters so they will endanger fewer bicyclists and pedestrians.
4
Pedestrianize Lower Manhattan. Not even 10 percent of people there arrive by car.
5
Build more mental health crisis centers citywide.
6
Provide more clean, safe public pay toilets that don’t cost taxpayers $1 million apiece.
7
Convert more coastline into spongy marshes, akin to what exists at Hunter’s Point South Park in Queens, to mitigate rising seas and floods.
8
Dedicate more of the city budget to public libraries and parks, the lifeblood of many neighborhoods, crucial to public health and climate resilience. The city devotes barely 2 percent of its funds to them now.
9
Follow through on the Adams administration’s $400 million makeover of once-glamorous Fifth Avenue from Central Park South to Bryant Park, with wider sidewalks, reduced lanes of traffic, and more trees, restaurants, bikes and pedestrian-friendly stretches.
10
Do away with free street parking and enforce parking placard rules. New York’s curbside real estate is priceless public land, and only a small fraction of residents own cars.
11
Open the soaring vaults under the Brooklyn Bridge to create shops, restaurants, a farmers’ market and public library in nascent Gotham Park.
13
Persuade Google, JPMorgan or some other city-vested megacorporation to help improve the acoustics as well as Wi-Fi in subways, along the lines of Citibank sponsoring Citi Bikes.
14
Overhaul freight deliveries to get more 18-wheelers off city streets, free up traffic, reduce noise, improve public safety and streamline supply chains.
15
Rein in City Hall bureaucracy around new construction. The city’s Department of Design and Construction is full of good people but a longtime hot mess at completing public projects.
16
Convert more streets and intersections into public plazas and pocket parks. Like the pedestrianization of parts of Broadway, this Bloomberg-era initiative has proved to be good for businesses and neighborhoods.
17
Stop playing Russian roulette with a crumbling highway and repair the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway before it collapses.
“There’s less traffic and more parking.”
“I only drive if I have to move something large or heavy.”
“Sometimes I skip lunch at work to make up for the driving tax.” “I visit my elderly parents less often.”
“I complain to myself every time I have to pay the fee and I’m STILL 100% in favor of it.”
“I am returning my leased car six months before the lease expires.”
One year after the start of congestion pricing, traffic jams are less severe, streets are safer, and commute times are improving for travelers from well beyond Manhattan. Though these changes aren’t noticeable to many, and others feel the tolls are a financial burden, the fees have generated hundreds of millions of dollars for public transportation projects. And it has probably contributed to rising transit ridership.
The program, which on Jan. 5, 2025, began charging most drivers $9 during peak travel times to enter Manhattan below 60th Street, has quickly left its mark.
To assess its impact, The New York Times reviewed city and state data, outside research, and the feedback of more than 600 readers with vastly different views of the toll.
Some groused about high travel costs. Others cheered for a higher toll. Many shared snapshots from their lives: quieter streets, easier parking, costlier trips to the doctor.
Many findings from a Times analysis a few months into the experiment have held up. The program so far has met nearly all of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s goals, although more evidence is needed on some measures. And one question remains unresolved: whether a federal judge will decisively shield the program from efforts by the Trump administration to end it.
“Despite the threats to shut it down,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an interview, “the cameras are still on, and business is still up, and traffic is still down. So it’s working.”
Here’s the evidence one year in:
1. Fewer vehicles
About 73,000 fewer vehicles are entering the central business district each day, a number that has added up in the first year to about 27 million fewer entries. The decline, compared with traffic trends before the toll, has been remarkably stable across the year:
Average daily entries to the central business district
All other consequences of congestion pricing flow from this one — that fewer people are choosing to enter the area by private vehicle.
“I never drive into the city anymore. I only take the subway. It’s a relief.”
Philip Zalon Brooklyn
“I’m much more aware of driving into Manhattan and avoid it unless I have to haul a lot of stuff like a car load of Girl Scout cookies.”
Jacob White Queens
By influencing that one decision, the policy can also affect commute times, transit reliability, road safety, street life and more (as we’ll get to below).
One clear sign that behaviors are changing: Every weekday, there is now a spike in vehicles entering the zone right before the toll kicks up to $9 at 5 a.m., and right after it declines to $2.25 at 9 p.m.
Personal vehicle entries into the central business district
“I’ve decided to get up earlier to get the lower price.”
Eric Nehs Manhattan
“It is exhausting to plan the trip to cross the line at 9 p.m.”
Paul S. Morrill Manhattan
2. Faster traffic
The first consequence of those fewer vehicles is that traffic is now moving faster for the drivers who remain, and for the buses that travel those same roads. And this turns out to be true inside the congestion zone, near the congestion zone, and even much farther away.
Change in vehicle speeds, 2024-25
“Taking my kid to [doctor’s] visits in 2024 was a nightmare, every time. … After congestion pricing, it’s been noticeably less aggravating.”
Josh Hadro Brooklyn
Many readers, however, told us they didn’t believe they could see the benefits; the changes aren’t always easy to perceive by the naked eye. Readers also frequently said they believed the gains from congestion pricing were more apparent in the first months of the year and had waned since. The city’s speed data generally suggests that these improvements have been sustained, although some of the largest gains were recorded in the spring.
Average vehicle speeds in the congestion zone
But for some travelers, the speed gains have been much larger, particularly those who cross through the bridge and tunnel chokepoints into and out of Manhattan:
“Traffic approaching the [Holland] tunnel has saved me 15-30 minutes on the rides back to New York and given me hours of my time back.”
Salvatore Franchino Brooklyn
“On a typical 8 a.m. commute, there is so little traffic into the [Lincoln] tunnel that it looks like a weekend.”
Lisa Davenport Weehawken, N.J.
“I haven’t used the Lincoln Tunnel all year, probably will never use it again.”
Steven Lerner Manhattan
Improvements have also been more notable for commuters who take longer-distance trips ending in the congestion zone. That’s because those 73,000 vehicles a day that are no longer entering the zone have disappeared from surrounding roads and highways, too.
Commuters from farther out are seeing accumulating benefits from all these sources: faster speeds outside the congestion zone, much faster speeds through the tunnels and bridges, and then the improvements inside Manhattan. And people who travel roads outside the congestion zone without ever entering it get some of these benefits, too.
An analysis by researchers at Stanford, Yale and Google confirmed this through the program’s first six months. Using anonymized data from trips taken with Google Maps, they found that speeds improved after congestion pricing more on roads around the region commonly traveled by drivers heading into the central business district. That’s a subtle point, but one many readers observed themselves:
“Noticeably fewer cars driving, even way out in Bensonhurst!”
Charles Haeussler Brooklyn
“Even across the river in Bergen County, I feel that we benefit.”
Michelle Carvell Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
“I supercommute weekly from Kingston by bus. Each week, my bus round trip is 30-60 minutes faster than it was before congestion pricing.”
Rob Bellinger Kingston, N.Y.
3. More transit riders
Public transit will benefit from congestion pricing as its proceeds are invested in infrastructure upgrades; in the first year, the toll is projected to raise about $550 million after accounting for expenses, $50 million more than the M.T.A. originally predicted. But transit also stands to benefit as bus speeds improve on decongested roads and as more commuters shift to transit.
On bus routes that cross through the congestion zone, speeds increased this year, in notable contrast to the rest of the city. These improvements follow years of declining bus speeds in the central business district coming out of the pandemic.
Local bus routes
Express bus routes
Change in bus speeds, 2024-2025
“The crosstown buses are faster than they used to be, even during peak commuting times.”
Marc Wieman Manhattan
“Have gratefully noticed that they’re more on-time.”
Sue Ann Todhunter Manhattan
“It has significantly improved my bus trips from N.J., cutting about 20 minutes of traffic each way.”
John Ruppert New Jersey
Paid transit ridership is up this year compared with 2024 across the subway, M.T.A. buses, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad as transit has continued its recovery from pandemic declines. About 300,000 more people are riding the subway each day — far more than the 70,000 cars that have been taken off the road in the congestion zone. So while congestion pricing is probably contributing to rising transit ridership, it’s not the main driver of it.
All of these added transit riders do, however, help explain why congestion pricing has not dampened activity in the busiest parts of the city, as critics feared. People are still coming, just not necessarily by private car.
“I finally taught myself to use the subway. Between the tunnel toll, congestion pricing and parking, I’m saving an enormous amount of money, time and inconvenience.”
Daniel Ludwig Weehawken, N.J.
“It’s made using the bus for short trips a more appealing option.”
John Buckholz Brooklyn
In fact, overall visits to the business district aren’t down — they were up by about 2.4 percent over the previous year, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation. And restaurant reservations on the platform OpenTable were up inside the zone as well, by the same amount as the increase citywide.
Tom Harris, the president of the Times Square Alliance, which represents 2,600 businesses, said he had initially received complaints from some businesses. But he was pleasantly surprised that they soon stopped.
“We’re thrilled we have not seen negative impacts to local businesses,” he said. “It seems like it has been absorbed.”
4. Better quality of life
These primary shifts — fewer cars, less congested roads, more transit riders — have in turn produced a number of other effects that might more broadly be thought of as changes to qualify of life. Readers described experiencing safer crosswalks, less stressful bike rides and what feels like cleaner air.
In city data, the number of complaints to 311 for vehicle noises like car honking has declined significantly inside the congestion zone, compared with the rest of Manhattan.
Change in vehicle noise complaints, 2024-25
“Sometimes it’s almost — dare I say it? — quiet.”
Daniel Scott Manhattan
“Midtown is so much quieter now.”
Melanie DuPuis Manhattan/Hudson Valley
“It turns out that mostly when people say ‘New York is noisy’ they really mean ‘cars are noisy.’”
Grant Louis Manhattan
And the perception that roads have gotten safer is also borne out by crash data. The number of people who were seriously injured in a car crash decreased citywide, but the improvement was more pronounced in the congestion relief zone.
Change in number of people seriously injured in a crash, 2024-25
“Nobody’s trying to run me over.”
Alice Baruch Manhattan
“Fewer cars honking, fewer cars running red lights, fewer cars blocking crosswalks.”
Charlie Rokosny Brooklyn
“The number of blocked crosswalks have gone down significantly!”
Samir Lavingia Manhattan
Amid these positive changes, however, other readers described distinct declines in their quality of life, often stemming from the cost of the toll. These deeply personal observations have no corresponding measures in public data. But they make clear that some of those 27 million fewer driving trips weren’t simply replaced by transit or forgone as unnecessary — they’re missed.
“Sadly Manhattan is no longer an option for many things we once enjoyed.”
Linda Fisher Queens
“Congestion pricing has made my world much smaller.”
Justine Cuccia Manhattan
“I’m more careful about choosing events to attend, so I go to fewer of them.”
Karen Hoppe Queens
“I will not use doctors in Manhattan, limiting my health care choices.”
David Pecoraro Queens
One final aim of congestion pricing — improved air quality — has the potential to benefit everyone in the region. But the data remains inconclusive so far. A recent study from researchers at Cornell found a 22 percent improvement in one air quality measure over six months. But another analysis, by the Stanford and Yale authors, found little to no effect on air quality using local community sensors and comparing New York with other cities. And the M.T.A.’s own analysis of the program’s first year found no significant change in measured concentrations of vehicle-related air pollutants.
That doesn’t mean benefits won’t become clearer with more time and data. But the open questions about air quality underscore that even one year in, even with all the evidence gathered, there are still some effects we don’t fully understand.
“As an asthmatic, I can also palpably feel improvements in the air quality.”
Rob Hult Brooklyn
“It’s allowed me to believe that perhaps America can change for the better.”
Hanna Horvath Brooklyn
“As a car owner myself, I think it’s fair that the cost of driving is now being passed from city residents onto the drivers.”
Vincent Lee The Bronx
“I don’t like the cost but I also can’t deny its effectiveness.”
Jon Keese Queens
South Carolina Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Jan. 9, 2026
SD Highway Patrol releases new details on hit and run, asks for public’s help
Tennessee lawmakers discuss priorities for upcoming session
American Airlines to start serving Texas BBQ on select flights
Utah Highway Patrol urges caution after woman dies helping crashed car in Weber Canyon
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Federal judge blocks Trump from cutting childcare funds to Democratic states over fraud concerns
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,416
Trump administration can’t block child care, other program money for 5 states: Judge
AOC accuses Vance of believing ‘American people should be assassinated in the street’
Mercosur: How Macron’s domestic weakness undercut his Brussels clout
-
Detroit, MI6 days ago2 hospitalized after shooting on Lodge Freeway in Detroit
-
Technology4 days agoPower bank feature creep is out of control
-
Dallas, TX5 days agoDefensive coordinator candidates who could improve Cowboys’ brutal secondary in 2026
-
Health6 days agoViral New Year reset routine is helping people adopt healthier habits
-
Iowa3 days agoPat McAfee praises Audi Crooks, plays hype song for Iowa State star
-
Dallas, TX1 day agoAnti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis
-
Nebraska3 days agoOregon State LB transfer Dexter Foster commits to Nebraska
-
Nebraska3 days agoNebraska-based pizza chain Godfather’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Queen Creek