Trump Kills NYC Congestion Pricing

THE NEWS

President Donald Trump’s administration on February 19, 2025, revoked federal approval for New York City’s congestion pricing plan, halting the recently launched toll that charges drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy contended the program “unfairly burdens working people” and “provides no free highway option.”

The abrupt decision fulfilled Trump’s campaign pledge to end what he dubbed the “congestion tax,” reversing a Biden-era pilot approval and setting off a looming court battle between New York State and the federal government.

TIMELINE

April 2019: State Approval for Congestion Pricing

• New York legislators and then-Governor Andrew Cuomo pass a plan to charge vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street. The program aims to reduce traffic and fund subway upgrades but can’t proceed without federal clearance.

2019–2020: Federal Delays and Pandemic Distractions

• The Trump administration stalls environmental reviews, holding the project in limbo. COVID-19 further shifts priorities, leaving the initiative dormant.

January 2021: Biden Administration Greenlight

• Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. Department of Transportation advances the plan’s environmental assessment, reviving congestion pricing hopes.

June 26, 2023: Final Federal Approval

• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issues a Finding of No Significant Impact, allowing NYC’s MTA to construct tolling infrastructure.

November 21, 2024: Biden’s Last Formal Backing

• The U.S. DOT grants full pilot approval for the program despite lawsuits from New Jersey and others, allowing NYC to launch the toll in early 2025.

January 5, 2025: Congestion Pricing Launches

• NYC starts charging cars $9 (peak hours) and trucks $21 to enter Manhattan’s central business district, immediately reducing traffic. Early data shows modest but positive results.

January 20, 2025: Trump Returns, Promises to End Toll

• On Inauguration Day, newly sworn-in President Trump reaffirms his pledge to kill the “ridiculous” Manhattan toll, gaining support from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

February 19, 2025 (Morning): Federal Approval Rescinded

• Transportation Secretary Duffy formally revokes the congestion pricing pilot approval, instructing NYC to end toll collection. Trump lauds the move on social media.

February 19, 2025 (Afternoon): New York Lawsuit

• Governor Kathy Hochul and the MTA file suit in federal court, declaring the termination “unlawful” and vowing to continue collecting fees pending a court injunction.

REACTIONS

President Donald Trump: Celebrates having “SAVED” New York from what he calls an unfair tax, posting a “crown” image of himself over the city skyline on social media.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: Defends the decision, calling the toll “a slap in the face” to working-class drivers, particularly those from out of state who lack a free highway alternative.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (NY): Slams the move as federal overreach, emphasizing congestion pricing’s early success in reducing traffic. She pledges a legal fight, insisting “we’ll see you in court.”

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber: Deems the federal reversal “mystifying” after years of reviews and approvals, noting the city had already witnessed fewer crashes, less congestion, and faster bus speeds.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy: Applauds the Trump administration’s action, reiterating that New York’s toll unfairly targeted his state’s commuters.

WHAT'S NEXT

New York’s lawsuit aims to keep congestion pricing in effect unless a judge orders otherwise.

Court hearings in the Southern District of New York will determine whether the federal DOT’s abrupt revocation stands or if NYC can continue tolling.