Feds set congestion pricing deadline, Gov. Kathy Hochul promises 'orderly resistance'
Federal officials are giving the MTA until March 21 to end its congestion pricing program, but Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York will continue to mount an "orderly resistance" to the Trump administration’s attempts to kill the tolling plan.
Speaking at the monthly board meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Hochul addressed the uncertain future of congestion pricing after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a letter to her last week, said he was rescinding federal approval for the program and requesting an "orderly cessation" of the tolls.
"I will propose something in the alternative: orderly resistance," Hochul said. "The fight’s not over."
Federal Highway Administration executive director Gloria Shepherd followed up Duffy's letter with another telling state, city and MTA officials they "must cease the collection of tolls" by March 21.
MTA CEO and Chairman Janno Lieber on Wednesday confirmed federal officials have told the transit authority to "wind it up" in just over three weeks, but made it clear the MTA has no intention of complying unless ordered by a judge.
"We have an approval that is valid and in effect and we are not turning them off absent a court order," Lieber said.
Launched Jan. 5 following years of planning, debate and legal challenges, the MTA’s Central Business District Tolling Program charges most vehicles $9 for driving on 60th Street and below in Manhattan during peak hours. The plan aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and generate funding for transit.
Although MTA officials have said the tolls have proved successful — removing 2.8 million vehicles from the congestion relief zone since they began — President Donald Trump has remained opposed to the program, which he has said is a regressive tax that hurts New York’s economy.
Following the U.S. Department of Transportation withdrawing approval for the plan, the MTA filed a lawsuit challenging the ruling. Lieber said the suit argues that Trump's administration is not complying with the specific termination process outlined in federal law for ending a congestion pricing project like the MTA's.
"We think it's a pretty open-and-shut argument. But it's the courts, so we'll have to wait and see," Lieber said.
Hochul said she also feels "very confident that we will be victorious in the courts."
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), a Trump ally and congestion pricing opponent, said Hochul and the MTA were "skirting" federal law when they worked with the Biden administration to push the plan through without sufficient environmental review. Malliotakis said the governor now "needs to follow the law and turn the congestion pricing cameras off."
"Now that President Trump’s administration rescinded the approval, there is no question that these cameras are operating in violation of the law," Malliotakis said in a statement. "Turn them off!"
The governor also shared new details of her "interesting trip to the White House" over the weekend, at which she made the case to Trump for keeping congestion pricing.
Hochul held up a glossy book she had made for the meeting that includes stats showing the early success of the new tolls. Flipping through its pages like a teacher reading to a classroom, Hochul noted the book includes "big words" and "nice colors," along with a photo of an American flag waving in front of Trump Tower beside the message, "Together we will ... make New York fast, strong & beautiful."
"I did my very best," she added.
Responding to Hochul’s tactics, Sen. Steven Rhoads (R-Bellmore), a congestion pricing opponent, said in a statement: "Since she thinks it’s effective, maybe Senate Republicans should put together a glossy bright-colored pop-up picture book for the Governor of residents and businesses fleeing this State."
In commemoration of Grand Central Madison’s second anniversary, the meeting was held in the mezzanine of the station, which Lieber called a "symbol of today's MTA, both of its past dysfunction and its current-day success."
Having learned from the mismanagement of the $11.1 billion, two-decade-long station construction effort, the MTA has become a more responsible manager of infrastructure projects, like the ones to be funded by congestion pricing toll revenue, Lieber said.
Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuter Council and a nonvoting MTA Board member, said the federal government's "overreach" in trying to stop congestion pricing runs counter to many of the Trump administration's stated priorities, including increased efficiency. If it shuts down the tolling program, Bringmann said, the MTA would be "forced to flush ... down the toilet" hundreds of millions of dollars spent on the project.
"The White House says we should have more local control, yet they interfere with what is solely a New York State matter," Bringmann said.
Federal officials are giving the MTA until March 21 to end its congestion pricing program, but Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York will continue to mount an "orderly resistance" to the Trump administration’s attempts to kill the tolling plan.
Speaking at the monthly board meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Hochul addressed the uncertain future of congestion pricing after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a letter to her last week, said he was rescinding federal approval for the program and requesting an "orderly cessation" of the tolls.
"I will propose something in the alternative: orderly resistance," Hochul said. "The fight’s not over."
Federal Highway Administration executive director Gloria Shepherd followed up Duffy's letter with another telling state, city and MTA officials they "must cease the collection of tolls" by March 21.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
The Federal Highway Administration told New York transportation officials they must stop charging congestion pricing tolls by March 21.
The head of the MTA, which has filed a lawsuit to keep the tolls in place, said the MTA will not comply with the order unless told to do so by a court.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, appearing at the MTA's monthly board meeting, said New York will continue its "orderly resistance" of President Donald Trump's attempts to kill congestion pricing.
MTA CEO and Chairman Janno Lieber on Wednesday confirmed federal officials have told the transit authority to "wind it up" in just over three weeks, but made it clear the MTA has no intention of complying unless ordered by a judge.
"We have an approval that is valid and in effect and we are not turning them off absent a court order," Lieber said.
Launched Jan. 5 following years of planning, debate and legal challenges, the MTA’s Central Business District Tolling Program charges most vehicles $9 for driving on 60th Street and below in Manhattan during peak hours. The plan aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and generate funding for transit.
Although MTA officials have said the tolls have proved successful — removing 2.8 million vehicles from the congestion relief zone since they began — President Donald Trump has remained opposed to the program, which he has said is a regressive tax that hurts New York’s economy.
Following the U.S. Department of Transportation withdrawing approval for the plan, the MTA filed a lawsuit challenging the ruling. Lieber said the suit argues that Trump's administration is not complying with the specific termination process outlined in federal law for ending a congestion pricing project like the MTA's.
"We think it's a pretty open-and-shut argument. But it's the courts, so we'll have to wait and see," Lieber said.
Hochul said she also feels "very confident that we will be victorious in the courts."
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), a Trump ally and congestion pricing opponent, said Hochul and the MTA were "skirting" federal law when they worked with the Biden administration to push the plan through without sufficient environmental review. Malliotakis said the governor now "needs to follow the law and turn the congestion pricing cameras off."
"Now that President Trump’s administration rescinded the approval, there is no question that these cameras are operating in violation of the law," Malliotakis said in a statement. "Turn them off!"
Hochul book's 'big words,' 'nice colors'
The governor also shared new details of her "interesting trip to the White House" over the weekend, at which she made the case to Trump for keeping congestion pricing.
Hochul held up a glossy book she had made for the meeting that includes stats showing the early success of the new tolls. Flipping through its pages like a teacher reading to a classroom, Hochul noted the book includes "big words" and "nice colors," along with a photo of an American flag waving in front of Trump Tower beside the message, "Together we will ... make New York fast, strong & beautiful."
"I did my very best," she added.
Responding to Hochul’s tactics, Sen. Steven Rhoads (R-Bellmore), a congestion pricing opponent, said in a statement: "Since she thinks it’s effective, maybe Senate Republicans should put together a glossy bright-colored pop-up picture book for the Governor of residents and businesses fleeing this State."
In commemoration of Grand Central Madison’s second anniversary, the meeting was held in the mezzanine of the station, which Lieber called a "symbol of today's MTA, both of its past dysfunction and its current-day success."
Having learned from the mismanagement of the $11.1 billion, two-decade-long station construction effort, the MTA has become a more responsible manager of infrastructure projects, like the ones to be funded by congestion pricing toll revenue, Lieber said.
Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuter Council and a nonvoting MTA Board member, said the federal government's "overreach" in trying to stop congestion pricing runs counter to many of the Trump administration's stated priorities, including increased efficiency. If it shuts down the tolling program, Bringmann said, the MTA would be "forced to flush ... down the toilet" hundreds of millions of dollars spent on the project.
"The White House says we should have more local control, yet they interfere with what is solely a New York State matter," Bringmann 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.
This is a modal window.
'I wish his life was longer' Long Island lost at least 5,800 years of life to fatal crashes in 2023. Newsday examines LI's dangerous roads in a yearlong investigative series. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
Top Stories
This is a modal window.
'I wish his life was longer' Long Island lost at least 5,800 years of life to fatal crashes in 2023. Newsday examines LI's dangerous roads in a yearlong investigative series. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
