Crosstown traffic: could multi-modal mobility help NYC cut congestion?

New York will be the first city in the US to introduce congestion charges, an idea which—following its initial rejection in 2015—would this year resurface to receive approval in the state budget. It will go into effect in 2021, affecting all traffic crossing south of 60th street into Manhattan. Congestion is a chronic problem in the city that is costing it dearly: Shwetha Surender, Industry Principal, Mobility at Frost & Sullivan, explains that when factors such as money lost through extra time spent in traffic are considered, congestion is costing NYC US$21bn annually. Compare this with European cities, where the figure lies more in the range of US$10bn to US$15bn. The aging street system, laid out over 100 years ago, is unsurprisingly not fit for today’s volume of vehicles on the road.