The MTA emerged victorious over the Trump administration on Tuesday after it went to court to prevent the feds from withholding funds for vital New York transit projects while the legal battle to keep congestion pricing alive continued.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said a federal judge blocked the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) from making retaliatory funding cuts against the state of New York.
“[The judge] said he doesn’t want the feds to engage in any punitive action to try to coerce the state of New York and the MTA to eliminate congestion pricing,” Lieber said. “That’s what he ruled on today.”
Lieber called the temporary restraining order, which is in effect until June 9, “good news” for New York as the fate of the toll program still plays out in court.
“It’s good news for New Yorkers who are benefiting from congestion pricing because we want to move quickly to a final resolution,” he said.
The May 27 decision comes after USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy set an arbitrary May 21 deadline for the state-run MTA to stop the tolls or face possible holdbacks on transportation funding, a source of financial support that all states are entitled to receive from the federal government.
According to an Eyewitness News article, the USDOT argued to Judge Lewis Liman that there is no need for a preliminary injunction, as the administration has not decided what measure it will take against the MTA’s “scattershot claims.”
amNewYork contacted the USDOT for comment on the decision but is awaiting a response.
State sovereignty an ‘important factor’
Lieber added that the judge, who has presided over multiple congestion pricing cases, spoke in favor of state sovereignty.
“One of the things that a lot of people have been put off by is that the federal government is going to step in and tell New York City how to deal with its traffic problem. That seems a little crazy. He specifically called out state sovereignty as an important factor weighing on his decision.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul agreed, saying the judge’s order is a “massive victory” that vindicates the state’s right to make decisions on “what’s best” for its transit system.
“New Yorkers deserve to control our own traffic patterns, keep gridlock off our streets and protect our clean air,” she said. “We need to make the massive investments necessary to support our transit system and prevent it from falling into disarray and disrepair. Congestion pricing is the right solution to get us there.”
She added that congestion pricing is working and the toll cameras will stay on.
“So here’s the deal: Secretary Duffy can issue as many letters and social media posts as he wants, but a court has blocked the Trump Administration from retaliating against New York for reducing traffic and investing in transit,” she said.
Congestion pricing has been in effect since Jan. 5, charging vehicles a base toll of $9 to enter Manhattan south of 61st Street.
The feds’ war on congestion pricing began on Feb. 19, when U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revoked federal approval of the program that was given under former President Joe Biden’s administration. The MTA responded immediately with a lawsuit, and since then, the two agencies have been fighting a battle.
The program is currently playing out in federal court, with toll cameras remaining active and charging tolls.
