Evaluating the Traffic and Emissions Impacts of New York City Cordon Pricing

Abstract

Traffic congestion has been a serious issue for metropolitan areas. People waste millions of their productive hours in traffic jams and it deteriorates public health by polluting the air. Several strategies have been proposed to relieve traffic congestion or curb transportation externalities. Congestion pricing is among the most promising strategies that could change travel demand by increasing trip disutility for personal vehicles. This study aims to investigate travel behavior changes in response to cordon pricing in New York City. Several pricing schemes from a combination of vehicle type and time of the day were designed and analyzed in the New York activity-based model (NYBPM). Results will help show the impact on transit ridership, trips by single-occupant vehicles and taxis, modal splits, and vehicle emissions. This study was the first of its kind for the largest metropolitan area in the U.S. and its impact on traffic emissions for the study area.