NYC Transportation and Infrastructure
Granular, up-to-the-minute data on congestion pricing (revenue, impacts), MTA subway expansion, state/federal capital flows, modal shifts, and structural risks to long-range NYC, regional, and commuter mobility.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Congestion Pricing: Revenue, Effects, and Capital Dynamics
| Metric | Value, 2025 | Comparison/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue collected (Jan-May 2025) | $215.7 million | $56.7M (April alone); **on track for $500M+ FY25** [1][2][5][7] |
| Target annual revenue | $500 million | Supports $15B+ in new MTA capital funding[2][7][9] |
| Base toll, cars (peak/off-peak) | $9 / $8 | Separate rates for truck classes/times[1][6] |
| Traffic in Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) | -16% avg. vehicles/day vs 2024 | Commuter time savings: up to 21 min/peak[2] |
| Surge in subway/bus/LIRR/Metro-North ridership | Post-pandemic high in Q2 2025 | April 2025: NYC has most jobs in its history (~4.86M) |
| Pedestrian business activity, CRZ | +8.4% (May 2025 v. 2024) | Retail sales up $900M YoY; hotel occupancy 87% (Apr) |
| Annualized savings (estimated) | $1.3B in total value of reduced congestion, faster business operations | Deliveries, workers, and emergency response times improved[2] |
Revenue is used for a dedicated MTA bond program, not day-to-day expenses. Program remains under federal legal/regulatory risk, but with recent court win, funding remains on track[1][2][3].
MTA Capital Plan: Subway Expansion, Express Projects, and City Funding
- MTA 2025-2029 Capital Plan: $68 billion (largest in MTA history); just 47% funding secured as of July 2025.
— Federal contribution needed: $14 billion (pending/at risk); city/region must pledge $4 billion (33% ↑ vs. last plan, not inflation adjusted)[3][4] - Congestion Pricing proceeds: Underwrite $15B in new project bonds and backlog clearing for subway, bus, and commuter systems[1][2][5][7][9].
| Project | Stage | Cost | Capacity/Impact | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second Avenue Subway (Phase 2) | Contract award Q3 2025; tunneling ready | $7.7B | 3 new Upper Manhattan stations, 130K daily riders | 2032 (est.) |
| Interborough Express (IBX, Brooklyn-Queens) | Final design, environmental review; funding secured | $5.5B | ~30+ min cross-borough rail, 22 stations, 88K riders/day | 2031 (est.) |
| ADA accessibility upgrades | 23 new stations fully ADA in 2025; 54 active | $1.4B (2025-2029) | Network-wide compliance pacing to 2034 | Ongoing |
| Subway signal modernization (CBTC) | Majority A/C/E/D lines, 7 lines accelerated | $2.9B | Up to 20% capacity/efficiency gains | 2029 |
| Railcar/fleet replacements | 435 new R211 subway cars, 344 commuter cars in 2025 | $1.7B | Subway, LIRR, Metro-North, bus system | 2027-2029 |
City direct capital payment required: $4B in 2025-2029 plan (33% more than prior plan); city paid $2.8B in 2024 (up 17% real vs. 2023)[4]. Gaps must be closed for federal release.
Federal Infrastructure and Competitive Funding
- Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), CHIPS Act, “Mega Grant” cycles: NY projects have submitted over $42B in competitive rail, EV, port, and airport grant applications since 2021; $18.7B approved for NY state/city as of July 2025. MTA expects $2.7B from IIJA rail tranche alone (2025-2026).
- Federal support for Gateway (Hudson River) tunnel: $6.9B pledged to date; $1.8B received in 2024-2025.
- BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway) upgrade: $1.2B from IIJA and RAISE funds for viaduct rehabilitation, decarbonization, EV corridor buildout.
- Federal grants are competitive and uncertain year-to-year, especially under changing administrations; 47% of MTA’s 2025–29 plan is still pending final federal and local approvals.[3][4]
Systemwide Service Data and Modal Shifts (2022-2025)
| Metric | 2022 | 2024 | 2025 YTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYC Subway daily avg. ridership | 3.97M | 4.59M | 4.98M |
| Bus daily avg. ridership | 1.65M | 2.05M | 2.17M |
| LIRR daily avg. ridership | 193,000 | 245,000 | 258,000 |
| Metro-North daily avg. ridership | 155,000 | 206,000 | 231,500 |
| Bike share daily trips (CitiBike) | 93,000 | 122,000 | 144,000 |
| 315 new zero-emission buses in service (2025) | - | - | 315 |
| Indicator | Pre-2025 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| CRZ traffic (vehicle count) | 824,000/day | 692,000/day |
| Median rush hour travel time (min) | 49 | 38 |
| Trucking/delivery speed improvement | - | +15-19% |
| Broadway ticket sales | $1.53B (2023) | $1.91B (2025) |
| Retail sales (CRZ) | - | +$900M YoY |
| Air pollution (NO2, PM2.5 in CRZ) | Base level | -11%/-10% respectively |
| Commercial office vacancy | 18.4% | 13.2% |
Outpaced national job and ridership growth. Non-toll zone districts saw minimal modal shift, underscoring targeted effects.[2][4][5]
Risks, Capital Funding Gaps, and Overruns
- MTA Capital Plan gap: $33.4B, requires city and state negotiation; Board approval pending gap closure (State Review Board, Feb. 2025).[3][4]
- City contributions to MTA: $2.8B (2024), $4B committed (2025-2029), +17% YoY; operating subsidies ↑ 17% real YoY (2024)[4]. Federal withdrawals-if courts reverse CP—would force layoffs, project stops, and higher fares (see IBO 2025 risk briefings).
- Federal legal and administrative actions remain the single largest risk to NYC's project timelines and financing, especially with tolling or grant freezes.[2][3]
Other Tangential and Supporting Trends
- AirTrain LaGuardia, Metro-North Penn Station Access: Both funded/in-progress; expected completion/expansion by 2032.
- NYC DOT allocation: 23% of 2025 budget devoted to road repair and bridge inspection, up from 14% in 2014[8].
- Electric vehicle charging capacity: 800+ public fast chargers metro-wide as of July 2025, new investments tied to federal funds.
- Capital improvements include 127 bridge upgrades, 336 miles road resurfacing, 89 miles of new protected bike/bus lanes under 2021-2025 capital envelope.
- Local/State Paratransit Support: City share of paratransit costs to remain at 80% (pending 2025 state budget); would revert to 50% otherwise, risking MTA service for disabled riders.[4]
- Airport improvements: $6.1B in terminal/runway/rail improvements at JFK/LGA completed or underway since 2023.
All stats as of July 22, 2025. Data sources: MTA, NYS Governor’s reports, IBO, IIJA federal dashboards, DOT, city budget, NYCEDC.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
