Controversial road usage fee upheld after Trump tried to reverse it

LocalPolitics
4 Mar 2026 • 5:02 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • A federal judge has upheld New York's congestion charge, blocking efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to halt the program.
  • U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that the Department of Transportation lacked the authority to unilaterally rescind approval of the $9 toll, siding with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
  • The judge found the department's reversal “arbitrary and capricious” as it failed to adequately explain its reasoning for opposing the toll, which had received necessary federal approvals.
  • New York's Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the decision, stating it vindicates a “once-in-a-lifetime success story” that has reduced gridlock and generated significant funding for mass transit after going into effect in January 2025.
  • The congestion pricing scheme, which imposes a charge on most vehicles entering Manhattan south of Central Park, aims to reduce traffic, improve air quality, and generate over $550 million in transit revenue.

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