New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has personally appealed to President Trump to eliminate new congestion tolls that commuters in the Garden State must pay to enter midtown Manhattan.
“As you begin your second term as president, I would appreciate the opportunity to work with you and your administration to find common ground,” Murphy, a Democrat, wrote in a letter to Trump, a Republican, shortly after taking office. We welcome it.” He was sworn in as the 47th president on Monday.
“One area where I believe our priorities align is congestion pricing,” Murphy wrote in a letter obtained by the newspaper.
Murphy told Trump that Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state of New York will be giving New Jersey motorists a 60-mile toll on top of the tolls they already pay to enter the business district from the New Jersey Port Authority. He said he is collecting congestion tolls entering Manhattan south of the city. York crosses the Hudson River into Manhattan.
“New York State's plan is by no means well designed and poorly researched,” the governor said.
“The resulting congestion pricing plan would be a huge relief to New Jersey's working and middle-class commuters who need or want to visit Lower Manhattan, to toe the bridges and tunnels they already pay.” It's unfortunate that you have to pay a high fee on top of that.”
He said that even President Trump said during the 2024 campaign that the Biden administration's U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration would approve the tolls before the next president, who opposes congestion pricing, takes office and blocks the tolls. He mentioned that he had said that it had been “railroadized”.
Adding insult to injury, Murphy said Jersey communities are not being compensated for traffic rerouted into their areas because of the new tolls.
Murphy said President Trump called congestion pricing a “disaster,” a “massive business killer,” and “the worst plan ever for a woman,” and promised to abolish congestion pricing in my first week in office. pointed out.
The $9 toll, administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, went into effect on January 5th.
Drivers in Jersey will receive a $3 credit and pay a $6 fee on top of existing tolls if they cross the Hudson River and enter New York via the Lincoln-Holland Tunnel.
However, if you enter New York via the George Washington Bridge and the three Staten Island bridges (Bayonne Bridge, Goethals Bridge, and Outerbridge Crossing), you will have to pay the full $9 congestion charge.
