Will a $25 ‘congestion pricing’ fee come to upstate NY?

March 6, 2026, 8:17 a.m. ET

This story has been updated to clarify policy proposals

A proposal to impose a new vehicle registration fee in upstate New York that critics are comparing to New York City’s congestion pricing is sparking politically-charged debates.

During the Transportation Committee’s Joint Legislative Budget Hearing recently, New York Public Transit Association President Miguel Velázquez appealed to lawmakers, requesting additional state operating assistance and non-Metropolitan Transportation Authority capital funding for upstate New York’s transit systems, as well as an additional $25 fee imposed by the state Department of Motor Vehicles.