New York’s Central Business District (CBD) has seen a significant reduction in the number of crashes in the area following the implementation of the new Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) earlier this month.
As reported by Streetsblog NYC, data sourced from Crashmapper shows that the first 12 days of the new CRZ have seen the number of crashes in the area reduced by 55%, with overall injuries down by 51% year over year.
When compared to data from 2023, there has been a drop of 48% in crashes and 27% in injuries.
Speaking with Streetsblog, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, Ben Furnas, said:Even one fewer crash can mean that a parent gets home to their kids, a worker reaches their job safely, or a cyclist arrives unharmed.
The Adams administration should take decisive action to expand pedestrian spaces, invest in safer corridors and intersections, and develop dedicated bus lanes and a high-quality, protected bike lane network. This will help ensure that congestion pricing works effectively for all.
Data has shown that the number of incidents have also dipped below levels seen during times of reduced traffic congestion during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 & 2022.
MTA Policy and External Relations Chief John J. McCarthy stated:(It) seems logical that fewer vehicles, less gridlock and calmer traffic flow in the congestion relief zone would lead to a decrease in crashes and injuries.
The Central Business District Tolling Program was implemented in Manhattan’s CBD by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on January 05 2025, and has since seen changes in overall traffic, travel times for drivers, bus journey travel times and a slight increase in transit ridership in the area.
