Anyone who drives in Manhattan knows that it’s trash, but even I was surprised by new data published by the NYC Department of Transportation that average speeds were down to all of 7 mph.

The NYC DOT’s 2018 mobility report came out today with the findings, in this case specifically referring to driving below 60th street with the 7 mph figure. You can read the report in full for more.

(The report is topped with a photo of an unprotected bike lane in Brooklyn, somewhat ironic given the genuinely horrific rash of bike deaths the city has had this year, but that’s a story for a different time.)

In any case, driving is real bad, as the New York Daily News from the report:

That’s 23% slower than cars moved throughout the area in 2010, and marks the slowest pace of car traffic “in memory,” according to DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.

[...]

“The trends right now are unsustainable,” said Trottenberg. “If you ask people to get out of their cars and pay more, you’ve got to give them good options.

Trottenberg believes that congestion pricing will make things better, but I don’t expect any major improvements until the city gets tough with Uber and Lyft. That or the two rideshare companies implode. Either way!