Trump Administration Takes Action Against Controversial Congestion Pricing Program

The Trump administration has moved to halt the controversial congestion pricing program in New York City.

The U.S. Department of Transportation informed New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that the approval for the agreement had been pulled.

According to NBC News, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the federal government has jurisdiction over highways leading to Manhattan.

“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy said, according to ABC7 New York.

“Commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes. But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair. The program also hurts small businesses in New York that rely on customers from New Jersey and Connecticut. Finally, it impedes the flow of commerce into New York by increasing costs for trucks, which in turn could make goods more expensive for consumer. Every American should be able to access New York City regardless of their economic means. It shouldn’t be reserved for an elite few,” he continued.

NYC congestion pricing axed as Trump pulls approval of hated toll https://t.co/cpR6kg7w55 pic.twitter.com/CZ2jjSefBq

— New York Post (@nypost) February 19, 2025

Per NBC News:

Under the system, most cars entering Manhattan’s central business district — from 60th Street all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District — had to pay a peak fee of $9 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

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MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said Wednesday the New York transportation agency will go to court to fight any federal efforts to end the tolls.

“Today, the MTA filed papers in federal court to ensure that the highly successful program — which has already dramatically reduced congestion, bringing reduced traffic and faster travel times, while increasing speeds for buses and emergency vehicles — will continue notwithstanding this baseless effort to snatch those benefits away,” Lieber said in a statement.

Congestion pricing underwent a thorough federal review and proved its benefits, according to the MTA head.

“It’s mystifying that after four years and 4,000 pages of federally-supervised environmental review — and barely three months after giving final approval to the Congestion Relief Program — USDOT would seek to totally reverse course,” according to Lieber.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., called the White House arguments against congestion pricing “utterly baseless and frankly, laughable.”

“Congestion pricing has not only consistently withstood significant legal challenges, emerging victorious in every court decision to date,” Nadler said in a statement, “but it has also become immensely popular among New Yorkers, delivering on its promises—less traffic, fewer crashes, and reduced noise pollution, all contributing to safer, quieter streets.”

RIP Congestion Pricing. No one except private corporation Uber will miss you. pic.twitter.com/UHrPJn7MmW

— Jean (@queens_parents) February 19, 2025

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy thanked President Trump and Secretary Duffy for pulling approval of the controversial program.

JUST IN: NJ Democrat Governor Phil Murphy thanks President Trump for halting NYC’s Congestion Pricing— says the program lines the MTA’s pockets. pic.twitter.com/vKq56M3SLu

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 19, 2025

ABC7 New York reports:

Hochul was quick to respond that congestion has dropped dramatically and commuters are getting to work faster, Broadway shows are selling out, school buses are getting kids to class on time and yellow cab trips have increased by 10%.

“Transit ridership is up, drivers are having a better experience, and support for this program is growing every day,” Hochul said. “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king. The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We’ll see you in court.”

Launched on Jan. 5, the city’s system uses license plate readers to impose a $9 toll on most passenger cars entering Manhattan neighborhoods south of Central Park.

City Comptroller Brad Lander released a statement that congestion pricing had been working, saying “traffic is down, travel times have plummeted 30%, transit ridership has surged, and hundreds of millions of dollars are flowing to improve our subways and buses.”

“We must not let Trump drag us back to crappier subway service, standstill traffic, and smoggier air,” Lander went on to say. “Having been at the forefront of the fight to implement congestion pricing, I am appalled that President Trump and his U.S. Department of Transportation put this in reverse, purely for political purposes.”

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This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

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