Karmactive Staff
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has received the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) 2025 Innovation Award for its Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) tolling program. The award recognizes the nation’s first urban congestion pricing initiative, which began operating in January 2025.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber accepted the honor during a ceremony in Boston. “This is a win not only for the MTA team but for everyone trying to make cities work better,” Lieber said. “The positive results of congestion pricing show that state and local government can still take big swings on policy and succeed.”
The program charges vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street, with the goal of reducing traffic and generating revenue for transit improvements. APTA cited the MTA for demonstrating “significant leadership” and creating an initiative that has “greatly advanced public transportation.”
Real-World Results After Eight Months
The program has cut vehicle entries into the zone by 12 percent, translating to about 87,000 fewer cars daily. Since January, the MTA reports over 17.6 million fewer vehicles have entered the zone compared to the same period last year.
Travel times have improved at every crossing into the zone. The Holland Tunnel has seen the most dramatic improvement, with morning rush hour traffic moving 36% faster. Other notable improvements include the Williamsburg Bridge (23% faster), Queensboro Bridge (21% faster), and Brooklyn Bridge (13% faster).
Public transit ridership has increased significantly compared to the same period last year: subway use is up 9%, bus ridership has jumped 13%, Long Island Rail Road trips increased 10%, and Metro-North saw a 7% rise. Access-A-Ride, which serves people with disabilities, has experienced a 22% increase.
Safety has also improved, with motor vehicle accidents in the zone down 14% and traffic injuries reduced by 15%.
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Revenue and Capital Projects
The program is on track to generate approximately $500 million in 2025, which will leverage $15 billion in capital projects. These funds will support accessibility improvements at 25 stations, signal modernization on several subway lines, new subway cars and commuter rail locomotives, bus electrification, and work on the Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 extending into East Harlem.
Legal Challenges Continue
Despite the award and positive results, the program faces multiple legal challenges. However, no court has halted operations to date. A preliminary injunction in the MTA v. Duffy case protects federal transit funding from being withheld while litigation continues.
Other Benefits
Early data suggests the program hasn’t caused feared traffic problems in surrounding neighborhoods. The South Bronx, which some worried would see increased truck traffic, has instead recorded a slight decline (0.9%) in truck volumes on the Triboro-Bronx span compared to last year.
The CRZ program has also received other industry recognition, including awards from the Intelligent Transportation Society of New York, Engineering News-Record, and the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association.
Governor Kathy Hochul recently released updated data confirming the program’s positive impact, calling it proof that congestion pricing can improve mobility while strengthening investment in public transit.
The APTA Innovation Award is considered one of the transit industry’s highest distinctions, recognizing organizations whose projects have significant impact and inspire others.
