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US government seeks to kill off New York’s congestion charge
20 February 2025
by Christopher Carey
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has rescinded the Federal Highway Administration’s approval of New York’s congestion pricing scheme.
The Trump administration said the federal government has jurisdiction over highways leading into the city and is revoking its approval of the scheme over concerns that it “unfairly burdens” working-class residents.
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy said in a 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.”
Response
The scheme, which was only introduced last month, sees drivers of most passenger cars pay US$9 (£7.13) to enter Manhattan south of Central Park on weekdays between 5am and 9pm, and on weekends between 9am and 9pm.
During off-peak hours, the toll is US$2.25 for most vehicles.
On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) asked a judge to make a declaratory judgement to prevent the Trump administration from moving forward with plans to end the scheme.
New York Gov Kathy Hochul has also pledged to fight any attempt to remove the scheme, arguing it has helped lower traffic and travel times by nine percent since it began.
Hochul added the scheme has also cut traffic accidents in half and increased the use of other transportation such as the city’s subway system.
President Trump had earlier posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that New York was “saved” as a result of the action. “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED,” he wrote. “LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Responding to this post, Hochul said: “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king. We’ll see you in court.”
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy – one of the biggest opponents of the scheme – had sent a letter to Trump last month asking him to assess the scheme and its impacts to his state.
On Wednesday, he welcomed the move to end the scheme, saying in a statement that it placed an unfair burden on commuters who work in the city.
“The current program lines the MTA’s pockets at the expense of New Jerseyans,” he said.
Image: Steve Seepersaud | Dreamstime.com
