New York City’s congestion pricing aims to reduce traffic in Manhattan but could worsen air quality in low-income areas like the South Bronx, where residents already face high asthma rates.
Nicholas Kusnetz reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- New York began congestion pricing this month, charging vehicles entering Manhattan’s central business district to reduce traffic and fund transit improvements.
- The program could reroute trucks and cars into neighborhoods like the South Bronx, which already suffers from high asthma rates and pollution.
- The MTA plans to invest $100 million in mitigation efforts, including air purifiers and asthma treatment centers, though residents say this is insufficient.
Key quote:
“We are for reducing congestion. We just can’t be the shoulder-bearers of when they reduce it at other locations. Our community is suffering.”
— Mychal Johnson, co-founder of South Bronx Unite
Why this matters:
Congestion pricing could improve regional air quality, but the burden on low-income areas raises environmental justice concerns. Policies that shift pollution to marginalized communities risk exacerbating existing health disparities.
Read more: New toll system in NYC might not improve air quality for all
