President Donald Trump has crafted a strategy to pressure New York into abandoning the congestion pricing plan for Manhattan through the federal Department of Transportation, he shared in an exclusive interview with The NY Post.
The potential consequences for the city include withholding significant funding and revisiting the environmental review process that authorized the toll under the Biden administration. Additionally, Trump expressed his intentions to rid New York streets of bike lanes and address issues related to criminal migrants.
In the interview, Trump emphasized his hope that his “respect” for Governor Hochul would lead to a mutually beneficial resolution regarding the highly unpopular toll. “Out of respect” for Hochul, Trump refrained from disclosing specifics about at least two phone calls they had about eliminating the $9 tax on vehicles entering Manhattan during peak hours south of 60th Street, which is part of the Congestion Relief Zone.
Trump believes that he and Hochul can still reach an agreement to end the tax, which he criticized as “destructive to New York.” “I think it’s really horrible, but I want to discuss it with her at this point,” Trump said. “If I decide to do it, I will be able to kill it off in Washington through the Department of Transportation. It’s a lot of power.”
The move could affect part of New York state’s $36 billion in federal transportation funding, which is set for distribution until the end of 2026. Other federal grants could also be jeopardized if Trump takes action against what some New Yorkers have called the “congestion con.”
The toll, which began last month, is designed to generate revenue for public transit improvements and combat declining subway ridership by encouraging people to leave their cars behind. However, Trump argues that it is damaging local businesses.
“Traffic is way down because people can’t come into Manhattan and it’s only going to get worse,” Trump said. “People don’t know about it until they get the bill.”
Trump further criticized the state’s approach, suggesting that New York should prioritize improving safety and cleanliness in the subway system, pointing to incidents where commuters were pushed onto the tracks by “thugs.”
“Cleanliness and efficiency are good but they gotta get tough on the thugs. They can’t be nice,” Trump added.
Governor Hochul has touted congestion pricing as a success in reducing traffic, but Trump dismisses this as a negative development.
“That’s because no one’s coming to the city,” he said.
In his conversation with The NY Post, Trump also revealed his intention to use his authority to remove one of the primary causes of traffic congestion — bike lanes.
{Matzav.com}