Happy New Year! As we enter 2026, we’ll be unveiling a slightly new look for Bluedot Living Brooklyn. We’ve been listening to your suggestions, and we’ll be incorporating some of these going forward by updating the feel and even some of the content in this newsletter. Your support and readership mean the world to us, and we are committed to providing you with the best possible experience.
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On the first anniversary of implementing congestion pricing, Governor Kathy Hochul called congestion pricing a “transformational success.” Implemented on January 5, 2025, the city’s congestion pricing program — the first of its kind in the nation — brought in significant revenue to allow the MTA to proceed with transit upgrades, improved quality of life in the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ), and even improved traffic times.
The program works by tolling drivers who enter the designated CRZ, the entire area south of 60th street in Manhattan. Drivers who enter the zone pay $9 during the peak period and $2.25 during the overnight period. Trucks have higher tolls and taxis and for-hire vehicles have lower tolls. In its first year, the program generated $550 million in net revenue, some of which goes toward MTA transit improvement projects.
During the first year of congestion pricing, 27 million fewer vehicles entered the CRZ than in the previous year, representing an 11% reduction in traffic. Reduced gridlock improved commute times across the region. Specifically, traffic across the Brooklyn Bridge is now 15% faster. Sections of Flatbush Avenue approaching the Manhattan Bridge saw speed increases of 6%, and the Gowanus Expressway saw a 7% improvement between the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel near Hamilton Avenue.
Unintended benefits of the program include better air quality and fewer noise complaints. A study released in December by Cornell University and NPJ Clean Air revealed that in the first six months of congestion pricing, toxic air pollution dropped 22% in the CRZ. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, “Traffic crashes and noise complaints are dropping, while funding for the MTA and air quality are rising. Working New Yorkers deserve less congestion, a well-funded transit system, and a safer and quieter place to call home, and I’m proud to see congestion pricing deliver on that promise.”
These wins are not without difficulty. New York State and the MTA repeatedly fought off legal challenges to congestion pricing and blocked attempts by the federal Department of Transportation and the Trump administration to terminate the program. “New Yorkers are benefitting from congestion pricing every day, and that’s why we have fought to stop any unlawful federal attempt to end this program,” Hochul said.
The program is such a success that other cities across the country, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, are considering implementing similar congestion pricing plans. As the saying goes, if you can make (congestion pricing happen) in New York, you can make (congestion pricing happen) anywhere.
–Michaela Keil, Editor, Bluedot Living Brooklyn
Climate news, In Brief
Strong MTA ridership growth in 2025: Nearly 1.9 billion trips were logged on New York City Transit’s subway, bus, and paratransit services, representing an increase of about 7% from 2024.
Starting Jan. 9, the MTA is adding the B63 and B11 bus routes to its automated camera enforcement program. The program fines vehicles improperly using busways and bus lanes, blocking bus stops, or illegally double-parking.
Power up: An 88-space battery-backed EV charging depot in Williamsburg is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2026.
A new chapter for sustainable delivery: An electric drone carrying cargo will fly over the East River between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays today through Jan. 23. The city said the operation is a trial to expand last-mile delivery infrastructure.
Don’t touch sick or dead birds: A highly pathogenic bird flu continues to infect wildlife across the U.S. and Canada, including New York, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation warns.
The NYC Ferry stop at Atlantic Ave/Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park now offers routes to the Bay Ridge and Staten Island stops as part of a major system redesign that went into effect in December.
The NYC Department of Sanitation seeks artists — professional, amateur, and aspiring — to transform five 46,000-pound collection vehicles into a work of art through the Trucks of Art program. The zero-waste program provides artists with no-longer-wanted household paints, keeping them from going to waste in landfills.
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If you’ve ever tried eating better, you know it’s not exactly easy. From buying expensive organic ingredients and oils to prepping, cooking, plating, and tracking, so much goes into a high-quality healthy meal that it can all be a little overwhelming – unless you have Forkful.
Forkful offers the best of both worlds: A wide variety of restaurant-quality meals fit for any diet, that are also made with the finest ingredients (think grass-fed beef, organic produce, and avocado oil). Add to that the fact that every dish is fresh, never frozen, prepared by chefs, and only takes 2-3 minutes to prepare, and you’ve just discovered your newest healthy eating hack.
Ready to start eating better?
Photo by Silas Baisch on Unsplash
As Whale Populations Rebound Near New York Harbor, So Do Collisions With Ships
Whales are increasingly colliding with ships in one of the nation’s busiest maritime corridors. As humpbacks and other endangered species of whale rebound in population and linger near the harbor to feed, they face a rising danger of being hit by a ship.
Populations of the massive mammals have gradually recovered in the Atlantic Ocean thanks to conservation efforts after near extinction from commercial hunting. At the same time, cleaner waterways, rising fish stocks, and warmer temperatures have drawn the whales closer to New York’s shores, instead of to waters farther north. The city’s dense boat traffic has since led to more strikes and entanglements.
Cargo volumes and vessel traffic have climbed since the pandemic, while federal efforts to tighten speed limits and protections have stalled or been rolled back, according to The New York Times.
BLUEDOT LIVING BUY BETTER MARKETPLACE
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Mid-winter can feel as monotonous in the kitchen as it does outside. That’s why now is a great time to add a little excitement to all the stews, soups, sheet-pan dinners, and — let’s face it, leftovers — you’ve got in the works. Let us recommend Saltverk, an Icelandic company that uses geothermal energy to convert local seawater into delicious salt. We love the original Flaky Sea Salt, which is a great kitchen workhorse. For more oomph, try Arctic Thyme, Seaweed, Licorice, or Birch Smoked Salt. ($13.99 and up).
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Like many, my mornings started with bland grocery store coffee. Then Trade changed everything by connecting me with a curated selection of roasts perfectly matched to my tastes, crafted by passionate small-batch roasters. I took a quick quiz, and now I enjoy unique, freshly roasted coffees delivered straight to my door. Not only do they taste better than what I was buying before, but supporting local artisans makes me feel great about the money I’m spending on coffee each week. Plus, Trade is offering Bluedot Living readers an exclusive 50% off your first month subscription when you sign up today. Trust us, you deserve the upgrade. Our only regret—not finding them sooner!
Dear Dot,
Do EVs cause more environmental damage when they’re being manufactured than the carbon they save by not burning fossil fuels to run?
– Carolyn
The Short Answer: There is plenty of misinformation purporting that electric vehicles are worse for the environment than gasoline-powered cars. In particular, those putting forth this claim point to the mining of critical minerals for the car batteries, as well as the increased weight of EVs. However, comprehensive analyses conducted to crunch the numbers come to the same conclusion: EVs are better for the environment.
BLUEDOT LIVING KITCHEN
In search of a healthy breakfast option beyond everyday boxed cereal or oatmeal? Whole grain porridge offers a versatile, hearty, and flavorful alternative that’s easy to prepare and can keep for several days in the refrigerator. Plus, whole grains require less processing and produce less waste than their refined counterparts.
BROOKLYN BIRD WATCH
Two male Northern Shovelers. Photo: Heather Wolf
The Northern Shoveler, a member of the dabbling duck family, is distinguished by a uniquely large bill shaped, as its name implies, like a shovel. The bird’s bill has about 110 comb-like projections along the edges that act like a colander and filter tiny crustaceans and seeds from the water. Sometimes, Shovelers swim together in circles to create small whirlpools that stir up the muddy bottoms of ponds, forcing tiny, tasty zooplankton to the surface.
The Bluedot Brooklyn newsletter is edited by Michaela Keil. If you have any questions, suggestions, ideas, or want to tell us what you’re doing, email [email protected].
