President Donald Trump on Truth Social announced the end of congestion pricing in New York City as the administration considered the scheme as “backwards and unfair”. “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” Donald Trump posted after US transport secretary Sean P Duffy called congestion pricing a slap in the face of the working class Americans and small business owners.
President Trump has been against the congestion tax and vowed to end it as soon as he took office. He said earlier that it would be virtually impossible for New York City to come back as long as the congestion tax is in effect.
What is congestion pricing?
Congestion pricing imposes a special surcharge on commuters using their private car in some marked areas so that people take public transportation. Congestion pricing in New York City began on January 5 this year. The congestion pricing zone includes almost all of Manhattan south of 60th Street. If drivers entered this area between 5 am and 9 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 9 pm on weekends, they had to pay a toll of $9. Trump Tower penthouse and several other Trump properties fall in the congestion zone.
New York planned to use the revenue from tolls to issue bonds that would fund billions of dollars in improvements and repairs for the city’s creaky and cash-strapped transit system, which carries some 4 million riders daily.
New York City was the first US city where the congestion pricing became operational this year. New York governor Democrat Kathy Hochul has been a strong supporter of this pricing.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the public-private entity that provides public transportation services in the New York metro area, immediately sued the government in an effort to block its move.
When will congestion pricing end?
No date has been given for the end of the prgram, And ow that there have been legal challenges, it is not known when the congestion pricing will be revoked.
