Cars pass under toll machines on Broadway Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City on November 14, 2024.
With just days to go before the nation’s first congestion toll begins in New York City, the pricing plan may have passed its final hurdle with a U.S. district court ruling on a suit from the state of New Jersey on environmental grounds, according to the MTA. However, an attorney for the state of New Jersey says not so fast.
The judge ruled that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will need to weigh in, and the MTA says it has the green light to proceed with the start of congestion pricing this weekend, stating that the judge’s questions with the plan do not rise to the level of an injunction.
New York’s congestion pricing law is set to begin seconds past midnight on January 5th. Under the plan, cars would pay a peak fee of $9 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. Off-peak would be a 75% discount – $2.25.
The lawsuit from New Jersey was for tens of millions of dollars, predicting environmental harm if traffic gets worse on the other side of the river. The judge’s ruling came in a 72-page decision issued on Monday evening.
The MTA states that they are gratified that on virtually every issue, the judge agreed with the New York federal court and rejected New Jersey’s claim that the Environmental Assessment approved 18 months ago was deficient.
The state of New Jersey, however, remains firmly opposed to implementation of congestion pricing and has requested a remand, delaying the MTA from starting the congestion pricing plan on January 5th.
Despite the best efforts of the State of New Jersey trying to thwart New York’s ability to reduce congestion on their streets while making long-overdue investments in public transit, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says congestion pricing will start this weekend as planned.