The Trump administration\u2019s efforts to end congestion pricing in New York City were illegal, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In his decision, Judge Lewis Liman formally allowed the program, which charges cars that enter a section of Manhattan, to continue.<\/p>\n
The program seeks to alleviate both traffic and air pollution in downtown New York. Opponents, including the Trump administration, argue that it imposes a burden on drivers, including commuters.<\/p>\n
The Trump appointee determined that the Department of Transportation\u2019s moves to terminate the program were \u201carbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with law.\u201d<\/p>\n
The New York judge took issue with letters\u00a0issued in February<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0April 2025<\/a>\u00a0that sought to terminate the program without formal deliberation<\/p>\n However, his ruling did leave some room for the Trump administration to try to eliminate the program through other measures.<\/p>\n \u201cThis case has raised issues regarding the February and April letters and the reasons asserted in those letters or now used to defend them. Plaintiffs are not entitled to an injunction that would go beyond those issues,\u201d the judge wrote.<\/p>\n In response to the ruling, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation said it was reviewing its options and considering an appeal.<\/p>\n \u201cWe disagree with the court\u2019s ruling. Once again, working-class Americans are being sidelined under Governor Kathy Hochul\u2019s policies, which impose a massive tax on every New Yorker,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n \u201cThese Green New Scam policies have made federally funded roads inaccessible to commuters without providing a toll-free alternative. We are reviewing all legal options\u2014including an appeal\u2014with the Justice Department. The Trump Administration will not stop fighting to make everyday life more affordable for American families,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n New York City congestion pricing has remained in effect while the litigation played out after Liman\u00a0issued a temporary injunction last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n