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Judge Rules Federal Attempt To End NYC Congestion Pricing Was Illegal
This afternoon, a federal trial court judge ruled that the attempt by President Trump and USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy to end New York City congestion pricing was illegal and invalid. In a lengthy opinion and order, Judge Lewis Liman rejected nearly all the US government’s arguments against the program’s initiation and held that USDOT lacks unilateral authority to cancel its 2024 approval of the tolling plan. He found that department and presidential attempts to terminate the program or to coerce the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York State into suspending the program were arbitrary, capricious, and based on errors of law.
The plaintiffs, MTA and New York, failed to win a permanent injunction against all future federal attempts to end the program. Judge Liman reasoned that Trump and Duffy can continue to make critical public statements about the impact of tolling and explore legitimate legal bases for ending it.
Nevertheless, New York officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul (D), welcomed the ruling. MTA chair and CEO Janno Lieber stated, “We’ve said it all along, and Judge Liman’s clear, detailed ruling leaves no doubt: congestion pricing is legal. It’s here to stay. And it works. Traffic is down, business is up, and we’re making crucial investments in a transit system that moves millions of people a day. Today — once again — Secretary Duffy failed and New York is winning.”
A USDOT spokesperson stated the department disagrees with the ruling and is reviewing the possibility of an appeal. She added, “Once again, working-class Americans are being sidelined under Governor Kathy Hochul’s policies, which impose a massive tax on every New Yorker.”
Judge Liman’s final decision was foreshadowed by his May 2025 ruling that enjoined USDOT from carrying out threats to block state and MTA projects or withhold federal funds unless MTA stopped tolling.
The program is still embroiled in litigation brought by other opponents, including the State of New Jersey and a trucking association. However, today’s decision was a major victory for MTA, Governor Hochul, and the transportation advocacy groups that have supported congestion tolling.
The lawsuit is captioned as Metropolitan Transportation Auth. and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Auth. v. Duffy, et al., No. 1:25-cv-01413 (S.D.N.Y., Feb. 19, 2025).
Sources: The New York Times, Gothamist, New Jersey Monitor, Bloomberg CityLab, MTA news release
Congestion Pricing Issues of Law Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York New York City US Department of Transportation (USDOT) US Gov't Transportation FundingSubscription Information
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