New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently discussed Manhattan’s congestion tolling during a meeting with President Trump. This came after federal officials halted the program. According to her spokesperson, the two talked for over an hour about various topics, including infrastructure and energy, but the focus was on congestion pricing.
The congestion toll, which started on January 5, aims to ease traffic and fund public transit by charging most vehicles entering Manhattan south of Central Park a $9 toll. So far, officials have noticed some decrease in traffic, although modest. Despite the federal order to stop the program, it continues for now because the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has filed a lawsuit to keep it running.
Trump has expressed his satisfaction with the halting of the tolls, even declaring that “Congestion pricing is dead.” He went as far as to say that New York is “saved.” In response, Hochul firmly stated, “New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years. We sure as hell are not going to start now.”
The federal government, through Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, has criticized the toll, calling it unfair to working-class Americans and small businesses. The congestion pricing plan has drawn mixed reactions. Many suburban commuters oppose it, while advocates argue it could reduce pollution and improve traffic flow.
The relationship between New York officials and the Trump administration has been tense, with disagreements on various issues. Hochul has publicly criticized attempts to drop corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams. Moreover, recent lawsuits from the Trump administration against New York over driver’s licenses for undocumented individuals have further strained relations.
In addition to these ongoing disputes, controversies have also arisen over funding for migrant sheltering costs in New York City, resulting in lawsuits and the withdrawal of federal payments. Overall, this situation reflects the deep political divides and complexity of managing urban transportation and funding amidst federal and state tensions.
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Kathy Hochul, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Pam Bondi, New York City, Eric Adams, New York, Manhattan, General news, New York City Wire, NY State Wire, Legal proceedings, Traffic, Sean P. Duffy, United States government, U.S. news, Transportation, Immigration, Politics, Mass transit, Letitia James
