Trump Destroys NYC Congestion Pricing With a Single Tweet and Plenty of Drama | Carscoops

      The Federal Highway Administration will now begin the orderly dismantling of the toll program.

      7 hours ago

      by Stephen Rivers

      Trump's administration terminated NYC’s congestion pricing after just two months, leading to disorder within the program.

      This action brings an end to a brief initiative that made NYC the most expensive city for driving.

      Traffic in Manhattan fell by 9% in January, demonstrating the effectiveness of the toll before its termination.

      Currently, driving into Manhattan below 60th Street costs $9 (between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.), but that is set to change. Donald Trump and his administration are eliminating a toll that lasted fewer than two complete months. New York’s Governor has stated she will contest Trump’s decision, although it remains unclear what authority she possesses to do so.

      “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” Trump declared on social media. He vowed during his campaign to abolish congestion pricing, and that promise has now been fulfilled. In a correspondence to Governor Kathy Hochul, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described congestion pricing as a “slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners.”

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      The program, which commenced on January 5, has now lost its financial backing. The Federal Highway Administration will collaborate with the New York State Department of Transportation to end the program in an orderly fashion. Notably, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has already initiated legal action to prevent the program's termination.

      For her part, Hochul insists that the toll cameras will remain operational, though it’s uncertain if this will have any impact. “President Donald Trump tweeted, ‘Long live the king.’ I’m here to say New York hasn’t been under a king for over 250 years,” she stated to NBC News at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. “And we certainly will not start now.”

      She went on to assert that “Donald Trump isn’t a ‘king,’ and we won’t allow him to treat New Yorkers like collateral damage on his quest for revenge. We’ll see him in court.” Regardless of her strong words, traffic in NYC appears to have decreased, which is a key objective of congestion pricing. MTA CEO and Chairman Janno Lieber reflects this observation.

      Indeed, traffic in Manhattan saw a nine percent decline in January, translating to approximately 1.2 million vehicles entering the city. Michael Gerrard, a professor at Columbia Law School, remarked to the New York Post that “the Federal Highway Administration sanctioned congestion pricing and permitted its implementation. It has withstood multiple court challenges. It’s unclear whether they can legally withdraw the approval at this point. This latest decision will likely return to court soon, and meanwhile, the tolls will probably remain in effect unless a judge rules otherwise.” The next steps remain uncertain.