The Trump administration on Wednesday nixed federal approval of New York’s “congestion pricing” automobile tolls, which had been instituted just last month to raise funds for the region’s aging mass transit system.
In a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the federal government has jurisdiction over highways leading to Manhattan and that these additional tolls posed an unfair burden in motorists outside the city.
President Donald Trump celebrated the potential end to congestion pricing and appeared to liken himself to royalty.
“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” he wrote on social media.
Duffy called the tolls, targeting Manhattan-bound drivers, “backwards and unfair.”
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy said in statement.
“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.”
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.
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.”
Nadler added: “Mr. President, we’ll see you in court.”
Gov. Hochul said congestion pricing has been nothing but a success and vowed to keep it running, saying this is a “nation of laws, not ruled by a king.”
“Since this first-in-the-nation program took effect last month, congestion has dropped dramatically and commuters are getting to work faster than ever. Broadway shows are selling out and foot traffic to local businesses is spiking,” she said in a statement.
“School buses are getting kids to class on time, and yellow cab trips increased by 10 percent. Transit ridership is up, drivers are having a better experience, and support for this program is growing every day.”
Lindsey Pipia contributed.
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