Overview
- U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman vacated Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s February and April 2025 letters, calling the attempted termination of New York’s tolling agreement arbitrary and capricious.
- The ruling restores federal approval for the Central Business District Tolling Program and allows the MTA to continue charging vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation said it disagrees with the decision and is reviewing all legal options, including a potential appeal with the Justice Department.
- Launched in January 2025, the program generally imposes a $9 base toll and generated more than $550 million in its first year, with MTA reports citing fewer vehicle entries, reduced pollution and faster trips.
- The decision does not end all uncertainty, as separate lawsuits such as the Town of Hempstead’s Eighth Amendment challenge and disputes tied to federal project funding remain pending.