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Donald Trump’s administration has terminated federal approval of New York City’s highly controversial congestion pricing scheme, in a challenge to state authority that is likely to lead to a court battle.
Transportation secretary Sean Duffy informed New York governor Kathy Hochul of his department’s move in a letter on Wednesday. “I share the president’s concerns about the impacts to working-class Americans who now have an additional financial burden to account for in their daily lives,” he wrote.
In a separate statement, Duffy said the plan is a “slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners” and “the toll programme leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair.”
The US transportation department withdrew a key federal authorisation granted to New York state by Joe Biden’s administration last year. New York became the first US city to launch a congestion pricing programme aimed at easing traffic and raising billions of dollars for the local transport system.
Under the scheme, which started in early January, drivers entering the busiest areas of Manhattan during peak hours must pay a $9 fee. The programme has been working, according to early data, with bridge and tunnel rush-hour speeds increasing.
Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story
