Wednesday’s Headlines: Congestion Pricing Makes Us Safer Edition

There are scores of people who are walking around Manhattan who might not be walking around Manhattan but for congestion pricing.

The latest city numbers crunched by Streetsblog’s Gersh Kuntzman during some down time on Tuesday show that total crashes in the congestion relief zone are down 18.2 percent between Jan. 5 and Feb. 21 compared to the same period last year. And total injuries are down 17.7 percent year over year.

Those numbers are not as impressive as preliminary data that Streetsblog reported last month, but a longer period of time compensates for anomalies such as weather or special events.

The total number of injuries and the number of total crashes in the 48-day period of 2025 are the lowest since the throes of the pandemic:

The city Department of Transportation declined to comment on Streetsblog’s latest numbers because, frankly, they’re still preliminary. The agency referred us to its prior statement the last time we had good crash news:

“It’s too soon to draw conclusions, but DOT will be monitoring Vision Zero trends relating to congestion pricing over time and will continue to deliver projects to make traveling to and through Manhattan’s core safer and easier without a car,” a spokesperson said.

Well, even if DOT isn’t talking, city businesses are, telling CNN that congestion pricing has “undeniable upsides.” So if President Trump won’t listen to bus riders who are making it to work faster, or climate scientists who say fewer cars mean less pollution or that charging a user fee is ultimate a Republican idea, perhaps he’ll understand the only language he knows: it’s good for business!

In other news:

• DOGE’s slash-and-burn approach to government is affecting transportation research… (Bloomberg)
• … and “Blue State transportation priorities.” (NY Times)
• Related: The War on Cars podcast talked about federal transportation money.
• Mayoral election watch: Zohran Mamdani is “a serious contender” and Andrew Cuomo has at least one union already in his corner. (NY Post, NY Times)
• Also on the horizon: City Council elections. (City & State)
• A “smoke condition” delayed trains Uptown and injured 18 people. (CBS New York)
• Hunts Point neighbors convened to brainstorm potential EV charging sites in their area. (Bronx Times)
• There’s a new way in and out of the 7 train platform at Grand Central. In other words, Let’s go, Mets! (Gothamist)