New York (AP) – The New York $9 busy toll continues to affect most drivers entering Manhattan’s busiest regions, as they faced Easter deadlines set by the Trump administration on Sunday.
Both Governor Kathy Hochul’s office and the Metropolitan Transportation Department, which manages tolls in the state, confirmed on Sunday that they are still collecting fees for most vehicles entering the borough, particularly in the central park area.
“The cameras are operational,” said Hochul’s spokesperson Avi Small in an email.
President Donald Trump’s Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, withdrew federal approval for the program in February, labeling it as detrimental to “working-class Americans and small business owners” and initially pushed New York to comply until March 21st.
The MTA contested Duffy’s decision in federal court and further challenged him. The deadline was pressed, and he resumed duties on April 20th. The transportation division contended that the deadline wasn’t subject to reversal in case of a lawsuit and stated it would “not hesitate to utilize all available tools” if the state continued with the toll.
“If there is any uncertainty, the MTA, state, and cities have been upheld in court, confirming that congestion pricing remains valid, and the arguments from Secretary Duffy aimed at halting it are without merit.”
A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
The tolls are set to begin on January 5th and aim not only to alleviate traffic congestion but also to raise billions in revenue for New York’s subways, commuter trains, and public buses.
However, Trump, who has properties such as Trump Tower within the traffic zone, pledged to eliminate the plan upon taking office.
Meanwhile, transportation officials continue to highlight the advantages of the traffic plan, noting a decrease in vehicles in central Manhattan.
According to agency statistics, the number of vehicles decreased by 13%, from approximately 640,000 in March to around 560,000, as per MTA projections that estimate the number of vehicles that would have entered the area without the program. Data released earlier this month.
The agency has previously indicated that projections for $500 million in revenue this year are based on the implementation of traffic congestion pricing.
Toll rates vary based on vehicle type and time of day, and are in addition to existing charges faced by drivers using the bridges and tunnels to enter Manhattan.
Other major cities around the globe, including London and Stockholm, have adopted similar congestion pricing strategies.
Recently, a federal judge in Manhattan dismissed a series of lawsuits initiated by the local trucking industry and various groups aimed at overturning the tolls.
Many of these lawsuits claimed that fees should be sanctioned by federal transport authorities without sufficient examination and seek to mandate a broader environmental impact assessment.
Source: apnews.com