Overview

• U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman issued a temporary restraining order on May 27 preventing the Trump administration from terminating the $9 daytime toll or withholding federal transportation funds until at least June 9.
• The MTA sued after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy rescinded the Biden‐era approval in February and threatened to cut funding and approvals for New York projects if toll collection continued.
• Data since the January 5 launch show traffic volumes into lower Manhattan have fallen by 7.5–16%, mass transit ridership has risen and the program generated $159 million in tolls during the first quarter.
• Governor Kathy Hochul called the ruling “a massive victory for New York commuters,” affirming that congestion fees will keep flowing unless a court directs otherwise.
• The order protects MTA bond-backed projects financed by toll revenue and ensures critical transit upgrades proceed while Liman prepares for a full hearing on the dispute.