Overall, traffic at NJ-NYC crossings has seen a slight reduction since Sept. 11, 2001. However, restrictions at the Manhattan tunnels appear to have chased some traffic onto the George Washington and Staten Island bridges.

According to Port Authority data compiled by the Rutgers Voorhees Transportation Policy Institute:

• There was a 3-5% increase in traffic on Tappan Zee and George Washington after Sept. 11. As of last August, traffic there was still higher than pre-9/11 levels. But lifting the carpool rule at the Lincoln Tunnel has evened volumes somewhat.

• The Staten Island crossings (Goethals, Outerbridge and Bayonne) experienced a 9% increase in traffic between the starts of 2001 and 2002. Traffic flows at end of 2002 were still at record highs, but the growth rate was slowing.

• In late 2001 and early 2002, traffic in the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels fell sharply thanks to emergency restrictions. Traffic is still lower than normal, although it is nearing pre-September 11^th levels. Port Authority and NYC officials are considering easing the Holland Tunnel truck rules (MTR #418).

• Tractor trailers constituted an average of 74% of the total reduction in NJ-NYC truck traffic. Big rig volumes continued to fall increase throughout 2002 and the beginning of 2003. Voorhees attributes this to the lagging economy.

• Data from the first eight months of 2002, compared to the same period a year earlier, shows the following truck traffic shifts: down 2% on the George Washington Bridge, a 30% increase at the Lincoln Tunnel (due to the Holland Tunnel truck ban), 18% increase on the Goethals Bridge, 36% hike on the Bayonne Bridge, and an 18% decline at the Outerbridge Crossing (due to construction).

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