Trump administration extends deadline for NYC to end congestion pricing

(NEW YORK) — The Trump administration has extended the deadline it gave New York City to end its congestion pricing program, the first of its kind in the nation, as New York officials vowed to keep the tolls on.

The Federal Highway Administration initially instructed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to stop collecting tolls by this Friday to allow for an “orderly cessation.”

A day before that deadline, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on social media that the Department of Transportation is granting New York a “30-day extension as discussions continue.”

“Know that the billions of dollars the federal government sends to New York are not a blank check. Continued noncompliance will not be taken lightly,” he said Thursday.

Duffy also warned New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that President Donald Trump and the federal government are “putting New York on notice.”

“Your refusal to end cordon pricing and your open disrespect towards the federal government is unacceptable,” he said.

In response, Hochul highlighted her statement on social media after the U.S. Department of Transportation pulled federal approval of the congestion pricing plan last month, in which she said, “The cameras are staying on.”

The approval was pulled on Feb. 19 following a review requested by Trump. Duffy said at the time that the “scope of this pilot project as approved exceeds the authority authorized by Congress” under the Federal Highway Administration’s Value Pricing Pilot Program while calling it “backwards and unfair.”

The MTA has said it is challenging the Trump administration’s reversal in federal court, seeking a declaratory judgment that the DOT’s move is not proper. Hochul and MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber have said they will not turn off the tolls without a court order.

Lieber reiterated that stance during remarks at an unrelated press briefing on Tuesday while contending that this is “not a test of wills” but normal litigation procedure.

“We’re just proceeding with the dispute as you would normally in any litigation setting,” he said. “This is not a test of wills. It’s just the reality of when you have a dispute, things don’t change until a court orders it, and that has not yet taken place.”

“We don’t expect it will, because we’re on pretty strong legal footing,” he added.

Lieber said the federal government has not yet responded to the MTA’s initial complaint, and that there is still more time for them to do so.

“The good news is that the program, which has had such amazing benefits for New Yorkers — faster travel, cleaner air, fewer crashes, less honking, quieter, better environment for all, and also great economic benefits — all that is going to continue,” Lieber said.

“The program is underway now for 10 weeks, and it’s been successful by every standard,” he continued. “And it’s the right thing to do for New York to continue it.”

The congestion pricing plan, which launched on Jan. 5, charges passenger vehicles $9 to access Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours as part of an effort to ease congestion and raise funds for the city’s public transit system. During peak hours, small trucks and charter buses are charged $14.40 and large trucks and tour buses pay $21.60.

The toll generated nearly $50 million in revenue in its first month and is on track to generate $500 million in net revenue by the end of this year, as initially projected, the MTA said.