Manhattan is poised for a busy 2025, from the rollout of congestion pricing to the reopening of iconic cultural landmarks and changes in real estate.

Starting Jan. 5, drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street will face a congestion toll of at least $9 during most of the day, marking the start of New York’s long-anticipated congestion pricing program.

“Honestly, crossing Midtown at rush hour is not much faster than walking speed,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.

What You Need To Know

  • Manhattan is poised for a busy 2025, from the rollout of congestion pricing to the reopening of iconic cultural landmarks and changes in real estate

  • Starting Jan. 5, drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street will face a congestion toll

  • The borough’s housing affordability crisis as a top concern

  • Cultural landmarks in Manhattan are also set for a resurgence

He expressed hope that the program will bring reduced traffic, faster emergency responses, and increased funding for mass transit projects, particularly the subway system.

“It’s why you see such frequent delays in the system,” Levine said of the current lack of funding.

Some business owners, however, worry the toll will lead to higher delivery costs, which could be passed along to consumers.

Levine also highlighted the borough’s housing affordability crisis as a top concern.

“These rents in Manhattan are just totally out of reach,” he said.

Median rents in Manhattan hit $4,295 in October 2024, representing a 20% increase since January 2021.

The City Council’s recent approval of the “City of Yes” rezoning plan could help ease the crisis, Levine said. The initiative aims to add tens of thousands of new apartments over the next decade by increasing housing inventory.

A spokesperson for the Real Estate Board of New York noted the plan might also expedite office-to-residential conversions in the Financial District and Midtown.

Crime remains another pressing issue, even as NYPD data shows citywide crime rates have declined compared to last year. A March survey revealed that many New Yorkers feel less safe in their neighborhoods, on the subway, and in parks compared to 2008.

“New York City is not the crime-ridden, post-apocalyptic hellscape that we are often portrayed as being,” Levine said. “But it’s also true that relative to pre-pandemic, most categories of crime are up in New York City.”

Levine pointed to police staffing shortages as a contributing factor, with over 1,500 budgeted NYPD positions currently vacant. According to NYPD data, precincts in the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights and Harlem are particularly affected.

Cultural landmarks in Manhattan are also set for a resurgence. Harlem’s Studio Museum and the Frick Collection on the Upper East Side are expected to reopen next year after years of construction.

Meanwhile, Levine hopes to see progress on expanding the medians along Park Avenue.

“The park is going to be put back in Park Avenue,” Levine said.