NYC subway delays spike after congestion pricing pause: Data
NYC subway delays on the rise
Just days after congestion pricing in Manhattan was put on pause, new data shows that subway delays are on the rise. So now that the plan to fund improvement projects is on the back burner, will delayed trains continue to be part of our commute? FOX 5 NY's Lissette Nunez takes a closer look.
NEW YORK CITY - Just days after congestion pricing was put on pause, new data shows NYC subway delays are on the rise.
MTA data shows there’s been a 30% increase in delays in weekday trains from January to April of this year, compared to the same time last year, with a majority linked to infrastructure and equipment issues.
Which trains saw the most delays?
According to the latest stats, the N and the F saw the most delays, but they are also some of the busiest lines with the most scheduled daily trips.
The agency points to few diversion opportunities on those lines, and at times, issues could be compounded. But Danny Pearlstein, with the Riders Alliance, says signal problems are nothing new.
"When congestion pricing passed in 2019, if there was one issue that rose to the top, it was signal problems," Pearlstein said.
Congestion pricing was supposed to bring $15 billion to fund the MTA’s capital improvement projects, but many expressed concerns that the program would put more people into the system, without a plan to improve service first.
But since congestion pricing was paused by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, mass transit upgrades have been left in limbo. So, train delays may continue to be the norm.
"After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision that implementing the planned congestion pricing system risked too many unintended consequences for New Yorkers at this time," Hochul said last week. "For that reason, I have directed the MTA to indefinitely pause the program."