The lawsuit, filed the same day as the federal government rescinded approval for the program, claims the government is breaking federal law.
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) sued the federal government on Feb. 19 for canceling a tolling program that the agency said was aimed at relieving traffic congestion in New York City.
Under the program, which debuted on Jan. 5, most passenger vehicles have to pay $9 at peak periods to enter the borough of Manhattan south of 60th Street. The toll for trucks and buses can be up to $21.60. The toll goes down by 75 percent in the evening.
The plaintiffs, the MTA and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA), filed a legal complaint in federal district court against defendant Sean Duffy in his official capacity as secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).
The other defendants are the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), USDOT, and Gloria Shepherd, executive director of the FHWA.
The MTA describes itself as “North America’s largest transportation network,” which serves 15.3 million people in a 5,000-square-mile travel area around New York City. TBTA, also known as MTA Bridges and Tunnels, is an MTA-affiliated agency that operates toll bridges and tunnels in New York City.
The legal complaint was filed on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Earlier the same day, Duffy sent a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul advising her that the FHWA was rescinding approval for what is formally known as the Central Business District Tolling Program. The FHWA and New York state and city officials signed an agreement on Nov. 21, 2024, authorizing the program.
Duffy wrote that the tolling program is at odds with the goal of keeping federally funded highways toll-free.
In his letter, he said President Donald Trump advised him that the tolling affects highways built with federal funds and imposes “significant burdens on the New York City residents, businesses, and area commuters … who regularly use the highway network in the [Central Business District] tolling area.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also “expressed significant concerns” in a letter to Trump about the effect of the tolls on New Jersey residents and commuters, according to Duffy.
