NY: Trump Administration considers killing NYC congestion pricing: report

The Trump Department of Transportation is actively considering its options to kill New York’s congestion pricing plan, just three weeks after it started, two sources told the New York Times.

The newspaper reported Thursday that the Trump Administration is weighing whether it can pull the plug on “a key federal authorization” granted by the Biden administration last year. Trump has repeatedly stated he opposes the congestion plan, which charges most motorists $9 a day to enter Manhattan south of 60th St.

An MTA spokesman declined to comment on the report Thursday, referring the Daily news to an earlier comment made by MTA chairman Janno Lieber.

“We’ve been sued in every federal court and state court east of the Mississippi, and we’re batting a thousand,” Lieber said in an interview earlier this month. “We’ve won every time.”

Gov. Hochul has already been in communication with Trump on the issue, according to a source familiar with the matter. Hochul has had two one-on-one conversations with President Trump this week, the source said — including a conversation Thursday morning — during which the congestion toll was discussed.

According to the source, Trump told Hochul that his administration was not planning on acting “immediately,” and would likely not attempt to take any action on congestion pricing before another conversation planed with the governor next week.

Sources told The News that the key authorization the Trump administration is thought to be targeting is the so-called “VPPP” agreement, signed in December under the Value Pricing Pilot Program, to allow congestion pricing tolls to be used for purposes other than road maintenance.

The funds from the tolling plan are earmarked for mass transit improvements.

The VPPP agreement, signed in the waning days of 2024 by the state, local and federal departments of transportation, was the final sign-off required to authorize the program, revenue from which is required by law to back bonds funding the MTA’s capital program.

It was not immediately clear what legal authority the Trump administration might have to renege on the agreement.

Asked for comment Thursday, Hochul’s press secretary Avi Small told The News that the governor remained committed to continued funding for the MTA.

“America’s economy relies on New York City, and New York City relies on public transit,” Small said in a statement. “That’s why Gov. Hochul will always advocate for funding of the commuter rail, subways and buses that fuel the economic growth of the greatest city in the world.”

Meanwhile, the MTA released early data on congestion pricing this week, showing the toll has significantly sped up vehicular traffic in Midtown and lower Manhattan.

Travel times across both East River and Hudson River crossings into the congestion zone have plummeted, according to the data, with morning commutes averaging from 10% to 30% quicker than January 2024.

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