Report: Heavy New York City traffic causing slower emergency response times

Record-setting traffic congestion in New York City is causing skyrocketing delays in emergency response times, keeping cops from reaching crimes in progress, firefighters from extinguishing blazes and medics from administering lifesaving care, according to a new report.

The report comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul in June indefinitely suspended the years-planned congestion pricing program with tolls added to discourage driving in busy parts of Manhattan and encourage mass transit ridership.

"We have to deal with the congestion issue because it’s now a matter of life and death," said Sam "Gridlock Sam" Schwartz, the veteran traffic expert who authored the report along with State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan).

"Traffic speeds have never been so slow," Schwartz said, "and everyone is getting caught in it, but when it comes to emergency vehicles, we’ve seen the amount of time to get to emergencies increase."

Every category of emergency response has increased in the past decade: nearly 2 minutes more, to 9.7 minutes, for police heading to a crime in progress; nearly 6 minutes more for fire-medical, to 14.3 minutes; and nearly an additional 3 minutes, to 12.4 minutes, for emergency medical service, Schwartz said.

Hoylman-Sigal was not available Wednesday for comment, according to his spokesman Jake Ascher.

In a text message, New York City Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-Staten Island) said he does not believe congestion pricing is the solution , and the installation of bus lanes, which give priority to buses over private vehicles, and bike lanes are a key driver of the problem.

"There are fewer cars entering Manhattan than the 1970s and 1980s," Borelli wrote. "The difference is how many lane miles have been taken away for pedestrian plazas and bike lanes."

Schwartz said that while there are indeed fewer cars entering Manhattan, "there are more vehicles on the street and that’s due to the sharp rise of Ubers, Lyfts and delivery vehicles, and all of this was exacerbated by the pandemic, which also took people out of [mass] transit and into cars."

And even if there are fewer cars, the number of vehicle miles traveled has risen, and the additional trucks on the road, particularly those making deliveries, mean more double parking.

And, Schwartz said, the higher response times are also seen in parts of the outerboroughs with few bus lanes and bike lanes.

The report called the city's congestion "a solvable problem."

"Fewer vehicles would mean traffic speeds and emergency response times would improve," the report said.

The report also called on the mayor to impose an immediate cap on the numbers of for-hire vehicles — Ubers, Lyfts, etc. — step up parking enforcement and relocate the duty back to the city’s Department of Transportation, rather than the NYPD.

"The police are crime-fighters not gridlock-busters," the report said.

The report also suggested cracking down on the proliferation of parking permits, both legal and phony. 

"The city often says it will crack down but in our opinion their response has been anemic to put it mildly," it says.

Mayor Eric Adams' office did not return a message seeking comment. 

In June, Hochul shelved congestion pricing, which was set to start at the end of that month. It would have imposed a $15 toll for passenger vehicles during peak periods below 60th Street and meant revenue to improve the mass transit system. About $1.5 billion would have gone to the LIRR.

Congestion pricing would also have allowed delivery trucks to be encouraged to deliver at off-peak times, creating more space for emergency vehicles.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.