9 lawsuits filed against NYC’s congestion pricing plan

Nov 15

Jack Aylmer Reporter

By Jack Aylmer (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

New York City’s congestion pricing plan, set to begin Jan. 5, 2025, is under fire from nine lawsuits filed by unions, state governments and advocacy groups. Opponents argue the tolls are unfair, financially burdensome and lack proper environmental review.

Supporters claim the plan is essential for reducing traffic, cutting pollution and modernizing public transit.

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New Jersey, led by Gov. Phil Murphy, D, has filed a prominent lawsuit alleging that the tolls unfairly target New Jersey commuters. Other groups opposing the plan include the Trucking Association of New York, a group of Long Island leaders and the coalition of New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax, who all claim the fees are economically damaging and illegal.

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The congestion pricing plan charges $9 during peak hours for vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street, with higher fees for trucks and discounts during off-peak hours. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the tolls will generate $15 billion to fund subway upgrades, electric buses and other transit improvements.

Advocates argue the plan will cut gridlock and improve air quality in heavily polluted neighborhoods, while critics contend the costs disproportionately harm working-class families and suburban commuters.

New York City officials are considering the implementation of the first congestion pricing program in the United States. — AP Images

Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., said the reduced toll amount of $9, down from the originally proposed $15, balances the need for revenue with affordability. She and MTA officials insist the plan is vital to the city’s future. However, opponents said the financial strain and legal questions make it unworkable.

With court battles ahead and a pending vote by the MTA board, the fate of the plan remains uncertain.

Tags: Kathy Hochul, New York, New York City, Phil Murphy, Traffic safety

[Jack Aylmer]

NEW YORK CITY’S CONTROVERSIAL CONGESTION PRICING PLAN, SET TO BEGIN IN JANUARY IS FACING FIERCE OPPOSITION AS NINE LAWSUITS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED AGAINST IT.

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL
under this plan the MTA will Implement a congestion pricing plan with a reduced daytime toll of $9 beginning in January you heard that correctly it was $15 before and now it is $9

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY HAS FILED ONE OF THE LARGEST LAWSUITS, LED BY GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY, CLAIMING THE PLAN UNFAIRLY TARGETS NEW JERSEY COMMUTERS AND FAILS TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

OTHER GROUPS SUING INCLUDE THE TRUCKING ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK… WHICH CLAIMS THE TOLLS WILL DEVASTATE THEIR INDUSTRY WITH FEES OF UP TO 21-DOLLARS PER TRUCK… AND CITY CLUB OF NEW YORK, CLAIMING GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S PAUSE AND LATER ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PLAN VIOLATED THE 2019 TRAFFIC MOBILITY ACT.

THE LAWSUITS AIM TO HALT THE CONGESTION PRICING PLAN BEFORE IT STARTS.

BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS PLAN, AND WHY HAS IT SPARKED SO MUCH CONTROVERSY?

THE CONGESTION PRICING PLAN IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE TRAFFIC, CUT POLLUTION, AND GENERATE $15 BILLION TO UPGRADE THE CITY’S AGING TRANSIT SYSTEM. DRIVERS WILL PAY $9 TO ENTER THE “CONGESTION RELIEF ZONE” DURING PEAK HOURS, WITH LOWER FEES FOR OFF-PEAK TIMES AND HIGHER CHARGES FOR TRUCKS.

THE MTA SAYS THE PLAN WILL FUND PROJECTS LIKE THE SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY EXTENSION, ELECTRIC BUSES, AND CLEANER AIR IN HIGH-POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS.

ADVOCATES ARGUE THAT CONGESTION PRICING IS ESSENTIAL FOR REDUCING GRIDLOCK AND MEETING NEW YORK’S CLIMATE GOALS. GROUPS LIKE RIDERS ALLIANCE CLAIM DELAYS IN IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN HARM PUBLIC TRANSIT RIDERS AND VIOLATE STATE CLIMATE LAWS.

BUT CRITICS, INCLUDING SUBURBAN LEADERS AND UNIONS, SAY IT UNFAIRLY TARGETS WORKING FAMILIES AND INDUSTRIES ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION.

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL HAS DEFENDED THE REVISED PLAN, SAYING THE REDUCED TOLL OF 9-DOLLARS, DOWN FROM 15-DOLLARS, STRIKES A BALANCE BETWEEN RAISING FUNDS AND MINIMIZING THE BURDEN ON NEW YORKERS.

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL
“those who are not supportive of this you know they can deal with their own constituents all I know is that we are serving a very large population… look at the maps on your seats”

“so I encourage you to realize that what we’re doing here is fully funding improved services to make sure that this does not fall into disrepair to make up for decades of disinvestment when no one else had the courage to step forward and say yes we have to do this”

CRITICS ARGUE THAT EVEN THE REDUCED TOLL IS TOO MUCH, ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUTERS FROM NEW JERSEY AND LONG ISLAND.

PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP HAS SAID HE PLANS TO FIGHT CONGESTION PRICING ONCE IN OFFICE. WITH FEDERAL APPROVAL STILL PENDING AND COURT BATTLES AHEAD, THE FATE OF THIS PLAN REMAINS UNCERTAIN.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M JACK AYLMER.