The Trump administration reaffirmed its position on the contentious $9 congestion toll for drivers entering Manhattan’s most congested areas, maintaining its latest deadline despite expectations for it to last through the summer. The toll, viewed by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as a disadvantage to “working class Americans and small business owners,” was originally meant to end by March 21. After New York officials refused, the federal authorities extended the deadline to April 20. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed her intent not to comply with this new date.
The issue escalated to federal court in Manhattan when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) took legal action against Duffy following his decision to withdraw federal approval for the toll. Proponents of congestion pricing argue that it encourages reduced car usage and alleviates traffic congestion while raising critical funds for the city’s public transit infrastructure.
In what seemed like a slowdown in the proceedings, lawyers from both sides reached a proposal for a briefing schedule, allowing court filings to stretch through late July and potentially into October. Furthermore, government attorneys indicated they wouldn’t pursue an injunction to halt the toll collection during ongoing litigation, according to a joint letter from an MTA lawyer.
Despite these developments, the U.S. Department of Transportation asserted on the social platform X that they were not retreating from their immediate insistence on ending the tolling program by April 20. “This is a complete lie by the elitist New York liberal media, whose rich buddies love the idea of pricing poor people out of the city,” read the statement. It clarified that procedural agreements would not affect the substance of their case or stance.
The statement went further, warning that the Trump Administration and the USDOT stand prepared to utilize all available resources in response to any non-compliance with the demands later in the month. Previously, Duffy suggested that New York could risk losing federal funding if the toll didn’t cease.
The lawsuit, which has attracted much attention, saw involvement from the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan on Duffy’s behalf, which chose not to comment. The MTA also refrained from further remarks, referring back to the letter sent on Friday.
The congestion fee, implemented on January 5, applies to most drivers traveling south of Central Park in Manhattan. It adds to the existing tolls drivers pay for bridge and tunnel crossings into the city. Former President Donald Trump, who owns properties such as Trump Tower within this toll zone, had pledged to abolish the plan upon assuming office.