Traffic travels along midtown Manhattan in New York City on February 19, 2025. Earlier that day, the Trump administration ended its approval of New York City’s crowd pricing.
Alex Kent | Getty Images
The $9 traffic sacrifice for drivers in Manhattan’s busiest area in New York City remains in effect despite the deadline to remove the federal Sunday program.
In a statement on the deadline, a spokesman for New York Gov. Kathy Hokul said, “The program is working. Traffic is declining, business is up, cameras are staying.”
The U.S. Department of Transport said Friday in a statement to NBC New York that it expects New York to “end the program” at its Sunday deadline.
“USDOT will continue to fight for working-class Americans whose taxes have already funded and paid these roads,” the department said.
But MTA officials said it’s unlikely that a federal judge would change to NBC New York on Sunday given the fact that previous terms are legal to New York.
Furthermore, both Hochul and the MTA say they will remain unless instructed, unless the court, camera and therefore tolls are maintained.
The plan already faces many deadlines from the federal government, followed by many pushbacks.
The crowd price will take effect on January 5th, with the goal of reducing traffic in overcrowded cities and putting funds into the sick subway system.
The plan will be billed for most vehicles entering Manhattan’s central business district, which stretches from 60th Avenue to the southern tip of the financial district. Peak rates are from 5am to 9pm on weekdays and from 9am to 9pm on weekends.
The Trump administration tried to kill the program on February 19, and the president declared himself “king” in a social media post celebrating the potential end of congestion pricing.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said in a letter to Hochul that the federal government has jurisdiction over the highways leading to Manhattan, unfairly burdening the newly imposed tolls on drivers outside of New York City.
Hochul fought back and declared “the camera is being maintained.”
The following week, the Trump administration gave New York to end its congestion pricing until March 21st. On March 20th, Duffy pushed back the 30-day deadline, according to the Associated Press.
USDOT on April 8 said it has not receding to its Sunday deadline. It remains to be seen whether the busy prices will be suspended by the Trump administration.
