NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – A federal judge has decided congestion pricing can continue after the Trump administration attempted to stop the toll.
In February 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul saying he had revoked federal approval for the program that charges drivers to enter Manhattan.
The MTA immediately took the Trump administration to court to keep the tolling program alive. Judge Lewis Liman on Tuesday ruled that Duffy could not unilaterally revoke permission, meaning congestion pricing can proceed.
“The Defendants’ termination of the [program] was unlawful, and that any attempt to enforce the February 19 Letter … would be unlawful,” Liman wrote.
New York officials celebrated Liman’s decision after a long battle with the federal government.
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“The judge’s decision is clear: Donald Trump’s unlawful attempts to trample on the self-governance of his home state have failed spectacularly. Congestion pricing is legal, it works, and it is here to stay,” Hochul said in a statement.
Congestion pricing went into effect on Jan. 5, 2025. During peak times, drivers with E-ZPasses are charged $9 to enter Manhattan under 60th Street, and $2.25 during non-peak times.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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