MTA actually makes more money from NYC Marathon than it loses in bridge tolls — despite demand of $750K: analysis
NY Post
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority actually made money on the New York City Marathon last year thanks to a surge in subway ridership on race day, agency stats show — even as the agency demands $750,000 from runners due to lost bridge tolls.
About 2.3 million straphangers tapped or swiped MetroCards on marathon Sunday — that’s 365,000 more riders than the average Sunday between September and November in 2023, generating an estimated $1.1 million in new revenues at $2.90 per ride.
That means the MTA netted more than $300,000 from the marathon, even after factoring the tolls the agency said it lost from the Verrazzano Bridge shutdown.
MTA chairman Janno Lieber even touted the ridership boost the subway system got from the 2023 marathon in a statement released at the time.
“There’s nothing like Marathon Sunday to show that New York City’s comeback is alive and well,” Lieber said in the statement.
“I rode the subway five times to watch my daughter run and felt the energy and excitement firsthand at every stop.”
