A recent poll by Morning Consult has found that a significant portion of New York City voters are giving the thumbs up to the city's congestion pricing, with 6 out of 10 supporting its continuation. This comes amid speculation that President Donald Trump may consider putting the brakes on the program, as reported by CBS News.
The same survey, which involved 1,200 registered voters, indicated that travel may have become more costly for drivers, but it's also gotten faster with fewer cars to compete with on the roads although some drivers are voicing their discontent with the fees imposed since the plan's inception about a month ago, according to a statement obtained by CBS News. Kathryn Wylde, president, and CEO of the Partnership for New York City shared "On a 2-to-1 basis, New Yorkers are saying that congestion pricing is working, they’re moving faster and there's less traffic."
Complementing these views, subway usage in NYC has seen a 7% increase, a detail that points to a potential shift away from car travel for at least some of the city's commuters; however, not all feedback is positive—with subway congestion noted, a frustration highlighted by Ronald Sutton of Astoria, Queens who mentioned to CBS News, "I fight through it and squeeze into the train and get to work on time."
Meanwhile, a report from AM New York reinforced the notion that many in the Big Apple are seeing reduced traffic and improved commutes because of the new pricing model, with Danny Pearlstein of the Riders Alliance attesting, "If you’ve seen congestion relief up close, you know it works." The survey results from Morning Consult also uncovered stronger support for the congestion pricing among certain groups, particularly those driving into the congestion zone often with 66% of these frequent drivers backing the policy yet not every New Yorker is on board, especially residents in transit deserts who feel financially strained by the tolls, as voiced by Linda Portnoy-Moleta from Staten Island who, in an interview with AM New York, lamented "It costs people from Staten Island too much money to go to work, public transportation is not an option, it's a money grab once again."
