New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has expressed his gratitude to President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for their decision to halt New York City’s congestion pricing program, a policy that has sparked intense debate and opposition from commuters and businesses alike.
In a letter issued following the federal government’s move to revoke approval for the tolling plan, Murphy thanked Trump and Duffy for stepping in to put an end to what he described as a deeply flawed initiative.
“I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for their efforts to halt the current congestion pricing program in Manhattan’s Central Business District,” Murphy wrote. “While I have consistently expressed openness to a form of congestion pricing that meaningfully protects the environment and does not unfairly burden hardworking New Jersey commuters, the current program lines the MTA’s pockets at the expense of New Jerseyans.”
Murphy emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, stating that despite differing views on congestion pricing, he remains committed to working productively with New York officials for the benefit of the Tri-State Area.
The now-defunct congestion pricing program was originally approved under the Value Pricing Pilot Program (VPPP) and set to impose a $9 toll on vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street. The policy, spearheaded by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, aimed to raise billions in funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) while reducing traffic congestion in the city’s business district.
However, from the moment of its January rollout, the plan was met with fierce opposition from New Jersey commuters, small business owners, and bipartisan critics who argued it unfairly penalized working-class individuals who rely on driving into the city.
The backlash escalated when Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a scathing letter to New York officials, officially announcing the termination of federal approval for the program. In the letter, Duffy slammed the policy as “backwards and unfair,” arguing that it failed to provide toll-free alternative routes and disproportionately affected middle-class Americans.
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy wrote. “Every American should be able to access New York City regardless of their economic means. It shouldn’t be reserved for an elite few.”
Duffy also criticized the MTA’s use of toll revenues, stating that instead of directly alleviating congestion, the funds were being redirected to transit expansion projects, undermining the original purpose of the VPPP.
The cancellation of the congestion pricing plan marks a major political defeat for Governor Hochul, who had championed the initiative as a key element of New York’s transit funding strategy. With the federal approval revoked, the fate of the $15 billion capital improvement plan for the city’s transportation network is now uncertain.
Hochul had previously defended the tolling system, citing its potential to curb emissions and improve public transit infrastructure, but the Trump administration’s intervention has completely derailed those efforts.