New York City’s congestion pricing toll pulled in $159 million in the first three months of the program as the Trump administration is pushing to end the controversial initiative.
Most drivers pay $9 during peak hours to drive south of 60th Street in Manhattan. Since Jan. 5, when the toll first started, through March 31, it has brought in close to the $160 million in revenue it budgeted for, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority data released Monday.
The MTA runs the city’s transit system and implements the program, which is expected to raise $500 million this year. It plans to borrow against the revenue source and raise $15 billion to upgrade infrastructure.
The Trump administration claims the fee is illegal and has given the MTA a May 21 deadline or the U.S. Department of Transportation will stop granting authorizations on certain infrastructure projects and may consider withholding federal funds. MTA officials insist the agency won’t stop the toll unless under a court order.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in February reversed the federal government’s approval of the tolling program, the first of its kind in the U.S. The MTA quickly filed suit to block Duffy’s actions. That legal fight will most likely continue into the second half of 2025.
The goal of congestion pricing is to reduce traffic and improve air quality. So far, the fee has eased congestion in parts of Manhattan, according to the MTA, which has data that show about 5.8 million fewer vehicles have entered the tolled area in the first three months of the program.
