MTA's congestion pricing collected $52M last month
The February collection was $3.3 million more than in January, when the tolls took effect on the 5th of the month. Credit: AP / Seth Wenig
The MTA made nearly $52 million in congestion pricing tolls last month, and is on pace to bring in $500 million by the end of the year, unless the Trump administration has its way, officials said Monday.
Jai Patel, co-chief financial officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, provided an update on congestion toll revenue at a Manhattan meeting of the MTA Board's finance committee Monday. The new tolls, which charge most vehicles $9 for driving on or below 60th Street in Manhattan during peak hours, brought in $51.9 million in February — $3.3 million more than in January, when the tolls took effect on the 5th of the month. Patel said the revenue is expected to climb even higher this month, when the tolls are in effect a full 31 days.
After expenses, the MTA has netted nearly $78 million so far in congestion tolls. "That tells us we're on track to deliver $500 million of net revenue from congestion pricing," Patel said.
The MTA aims to use the new toll revenue to finance $15 billion in transit infrastructure investments, including new trains for the Long Island Rail Road, and accessibility upgrade projects at the LIRR's Hollis and Forest Hills stations — both set to resume in the coming weeks after being halted last summer when Gov. Kathy Hochul postponed the implementation of congestion pricing.
"We have created a novel, new revenue stream that is 100% dedicated to the capital improvements necessary for this region," the MTA Board's Neal Zuckerman, who chairs the finance committee, said at the meeting. "And, bit by bit, we are meeting our commitments."
Although congestion pricing has been celebrated as a success by MTA officials, Hochul and transit advocates, its future remains uncertain as President Donald Trump's administration has rescinded federal approval for the plan and ordered the MTA to take down the tolls by April 20. The MTA has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of the order, and has said it will not take down the tolls unless ordered by a judge to do so.
During a visit to New Jersey on Saturday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reiterated his opposition to congestion pricing, and his threat to withhold federal funding from the MTA if it did not improve conditions on its subways.
"A lot of people who are going to the city cannot afford to drive in. They don't make enough money. So they're forced to take the train. Well, if you want people to take the train, make the train safe," said Duffy, who urged Hochul to "kick out homeless" and "get rid of the drugs" in the subway system.
"This is not hard," Duffy said.
MTA officials on Monday did announce one key change in its approach to law enforcement. Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan said that the Nassau County and Westchester County police departments have joined the multiagency task force created a year ago to go after so-called "ghost vehicles" that use hidden, obstructed or phony license plates to evade tolls and traffic enforcement cameras.
MTA spokesperson Eugene Resnick said "Suffolk County is not currently part of the task force, but we fully intend to expand it."
Sheridan on Monday also debuted a new public awareness campaign targeting toll evaders. Its slogan: "If you don't pay, your car goes away," a reference to the 4,073 vehicles that have been impounded over the last year.
Since its creation in March 2024, the task force has conducted 73 operations, issued 39,850 summonses and made 902 arrests, MTA officials said.
The MTA made nearly $52 million in congestion pricing tolls last month, and is on pace to bring in $500 million by the end of the year, unless the Trump administration has its way, officials said Monday.
Jai Patel, co-chief financial officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, provided an update on congestion toll revenue at a Manhattan meeting of the MTA Board's finance committee Monday. The new tolls, which charge most vehicles $9 for driving on or below 60th Street in Manhattan during peak hours, brought in $51.9 million in February — $3.3 million more than in January, when the tolls took effect on the 5th of the month. Patel said the revenue is expected to climb even higher this month, when the tolls are in effect a full 31 days.
After expenses, the MTA has netted nearly $78 million so far in congestion tolls. "That tells us we're on track to deliver $500 million of net revenue from congestion pricing," Patel said.
The MTA aims to use the new toll revenue to finance $15 billion in transit infrastructure investments, including new trains for the Long Island Rail Road, and accessibility upgrade projects at the LIRR's Hollis and Forest Hills stations — both set to resume in the coming weeks after being halted last summer when Gov. Kathy Hochul postponed the implementation of congestion pricing.
"We have created a novel, new revenue stream that is 100% dedicated to the capital improvements necessary for this region," the MTA Board's Neal Zuckerman, who chairs the finance committee, said at the meeting. "And, bit by bit, we are meeting our commitments."
Although congestion pricing has been celebrated as a success by MTA officials, Hochul and transit advocates, its future remains uncertain as President Donald Trump's administration has rescinded federal approval for the plan and ordered the MTA to take down the tolls by April 20. The MTA has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of the order, and has said it will not take down the tolls unless ordered by a judge to do so.
During a visit to New Jersey on Saturday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reiterated his opposition to congestion pricing, and his threat to withhold federal funding from the MTA if it did not improve conditions on its subways.
"A lot of people who are going to the city cannot afford to drive in. They don't make enough money. So they're forced to take the train. Well, if you want people to take the train, make the train safe," said Duffy, who urged Hochul to "kick out homeless" and "get rid of the drugs" in the subway system.
"This is not hard," Duffy said.
MTA officials on Monday did announce one key change in its approach to law enforcement. Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan said that the Nassau County and Westchester County police departments have joined the multiagency task force created a year ago to go after so-called "ghost vehicles" that use hidden, obstructed or phony license plates to evade tolls and traffic enforcement cameras.
MTA spokesperson Eugene Resnick said "Suffolk County is not currently part of the task force, but we fully intend to expand it."
Sheridan on Monday also debuted a new public awareness campaign targeting toll evaders. Its slogan: "If you don't pay, your car goes away," a reference to the 4,073 vehicles that have been impounded over the last year.
Since its creation in March 2024, the task force has conducted 73 operations, issued 39,850 summonses and made 902 arrests, MTA officials said.
Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.
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