Ispent nearly 50 years benefitting from the phenomenon of transportation supply creating its own demand. The more lanes we built, the more work there was for us to do.

Drivers, business owners and residents expressed mixed feelings after the first morning rush hour under New York City’s tolling plan.

New York City’s congestion pricing program, charging drivers entering 60th Street and below in Manhattan, started Sunday, with MTA officials optimistic it will loosen traffic-clogged streets, drivers objecting to the first-such plan in the nation and firefighters' labor leaders predicting longer response times.

The first week of congestion pricing brought a measurable dip in traffic on bridges and tunnels leading into Manhattan and an increase in transit ridership, but no significant improvement in speeds inside the zone subject to the new toll, according to officials and traffic researchers.

New York City’s congestion pricing program appears to have reduced the number of cars entering the city's central business district by 7.5%. But experts warn against drawing conclusions too quickly.

NYC's controversial congestion pricing began on Jan. 5 to combat Manhattan's traffic but the public transit system saw the influx of riders.

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to help end the new congestion pricing plan in New York City. He made the comments to supporters during a meeting with Republican members of New York's House delegation Saturday.

Experts warn it's too early to tell what impact the tolls are having on Manhattan's notorious gridlock, but the view from the streets shows signs the program could be working.

INRIX, a transportation analytics company, similarly reported that the average travel speed in the congestion relief zone was 12 miles per hour at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, slightly slower than the 12.1 m.p.h. at the same time on the corresponding Tuesday in early 2024.

It affects vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street and covers areas that are typically clogged with traffic, including Times Square, the theater district, Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea and SoHo.  New York City had the world's worst traffic in a 2023 scorecard from INRIX,