Wu says Boston is studying New York's congestion pricing, with no plan yet

Mayor Michelle Wu said this week that Boston is looking at New York City's congestion pricing program, which charges drivers to enter the busiest part of Manhattan. She said there is no plan yet.

The idea matters to anyone who drives into downtown Boston, rides the T or pays for both. NBC Boston, citing State House News Service, reported that Wu told the MBTA Advisory Board on Oct. 20 her team has "been in touch a little bit" with New York. She called New York's program a big source of money for transit. NBC reported that New York charges most cars $9 once a day to enter the zone at peak hours, and that New York's transit agency reported more than $550 million in net revenue and an 11% drop in vehicles entering the zone in the first year.

Spectrum News reported that Wu said "anything is on the table" to cut traffic, and that a team of city and state workers will visit Manhattan to learn how the system works. Gov. Maura Healey told Spectrum the timing is wrong, saying she is focused on affordability.

Background

This is not the first time the idea has come up. The Boston Globe reported in the spring that the city's new climate plan included studying congestion pricing, which drew pushback from business groups. A City Council committee explored the idea at a 2024 hearing, the Globe reported.

At the same Advisory Board meeting, NBC reported, Wu outlined five free city-run "Link" bus routes funded with $11.5 million from the Federal Highway Administration's Congestion Relief Program. She called the city's fare-free bus pilot "transformational."

What our records show

There is no congestion pricing proposal before the City Council this term, based on the council records we track. But councilors have voted on related transit questions:

• Feb. 25: The council adopted a resolution urging continued funding of the MBTA's fare-free bus program (docket 0425), 12-1. City Councilor Ed Flynn (District 2) voted no.
• March 4: A resolution from City Councilors Miniard Culpepper (District 7) and Brian Worrell (District 4) asking the MBTA and the city to cancel the Blue Hill Avenue center bus lanes and use the money for fare-free buses (docket 0483) went to committee after an objection. It is still there.
• May 4: At a Ways and Means budget hearing, City Council President Liz Breadon (District 9) asked about the status of the congestion relief grant and the shuttle and micromobility service it was to fund in Charlestown, Brighton and South Boston. A city transportation official said the city is a subrecipient of that grant and would follow up (watch at 2:15:52).
• Oct. 21: The council accepted a $3.25 million regional grant for new Bluebikes e-bikes and spare batteries (docket 1883), 10-2. Flynn and City Councilor Erin Murphy (at-large) voted no, and Worrell was not present.

Searches of council meeting transcripts on this site found one mention of congestion pricing this year, at an April 22 Planning, Development and Transportation hearing, during testimony.

What's next

Neither report gave a timeline. The city's next step is the trip to New York. Any proposal that reaches the City Council would show up on our legislation page.