The federal government gave the state until May 21 to end new York City’s congestion pricing program or risk losing federal funding and project approvals.
The Department of Transportation is threatening to withhold federal funding and project approvals from the state of New York while Governor Kathy Hochul remains defiant of the Trump administration’s efforts to kill New York City’s congestion pricing program.
As Dan Zukowski explains in Smart Cities Dive, despite the program’s demonstrated success, USDOT called on the state to end the program by May 21 in an April 21 letter. Since it launched in January, it has exceeded revenue projections and reduced traffic by 11 percent.
Smart Cities Dive offers a timeline of the program’s controversial history. After being approved by New York State in 2019, the program was forced to undergo an environmental assessment to gain final federal approval in 2023. In 2024, the MTA Board approved the final pricing of $9 for most cars, and the program finally took effect in early 2025.
FULL STORY: DOT could halt highway funding to New York May 28
Judge Extends NYC Congestion Pricing Through at Least June 9
A federal judge halted the Trump administration’s effort to kill the program, which remains in limbo as a lawsuit filed by the MTA moves forward.
USDOT Threatens to Pull New York Highway Funding
The Trump administration wants the state to kill New York City’s congestion pricing program despite its demonstrated success.
Breaking News: New York State Ready to Embrace Congestion Pricing, Finally
The New York State Legislature is preparing to reverse over a decade of reluctance regarding congestion pricing, according to reports from Albany.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals
The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association