New Jersey governor asks Trump to ‘reexamine’ congestion pricing

The fate of New York City’s highly debated congestion pricing could now be up to the Trump administration. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, D, is the latest politician to urge President Donald Trump to take another look at the toll plan.

In a letter to Trump, Murphy said he is open to the concept of congestion pricing, but calls the current plan “a disaster for working and middle-class New Jersey commuters and residents.”

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What’s the financial impact on commuters?

Some commuters are getting taxed twice to get into the city, paying other tolls on top of congestion pricing.

Chrystie Del Corso commutes to work from New Jersey to Manhattan and feels the financial impact of the George Washington Bridge toll, and the new congestion pricing.

“$25 to get into the city for work is less than ideal,” Del Corso told Straight Arrow News.

What does Trump think about congestion pricing?

Murphy said his state will amend a pending lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration over congestion pricing and is asking the Trump administration to do what he said the Biden administration did not.

“The Biden administration, which is why we sued in the first place, did not do what is called an environmental impact study, which takes longer but is more comprehensive,” Murphy told reporters Tuesday, Jan. 21. “But, it would include the environmental impact on New Jersey. That’s why we took legal action.”

Trump, a native New Yorker, already expressed his disapproval for congestion pricing, telling the New York Post in November it would “put New York City at a disadvantage over competing cities and states, and businesses will flee.”

While Trump hasn’t responded yet to Murphy’s letter, he posted a promise to Truth Social in May 2024.

“I will terminate congestion pricing in my first week back in office!!!,” Trump said.

The congestion pricing program has been in action for a little more than two weeks now and is the first of its kind in the country.

It’s meant to alleviate the traffic gridlock for drivers headed into Manhattan and raise about $15 billion for upgrades to the city’s buses and commuter rails.

How does congestion pricing help the city?

In response to Murphy’s letter to Trump, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, D, told reporters that if the congestion pricing plan is ultimately killed, “That comes with 15 billion dollars more” the federal government will need to give to New York.

Some Manhattan residents are fans of less traffic on streets.

“As someone who takes Lyft and Uber, I love congestion pricing because the streets are less crowded and I get to my destination faster,” Arash Mosaleh told Straight Arrow News.

But, Manhattan restaurant owners said congestion pricing will hurt their bottom line, preventing traffic from coming through as New York City Restaurant Week kicks off Wednesday, Jan. 22.

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What does the data say?

Data from the first week of the city’s congestion pricing policy reported a small but noticeable dip in traffic on some of Manhattan’s busiest streets.

Officials from the MTA said total traffic dropped by 7.5% compared to the same time last year.