Duffy provides 30-day New York City congestion pricing extension, puts Hochul 'on notice'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the administration was giving New York City a 30-day extension for its congestion pricing plan and putting New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) “on notice.”

“@GovKathyHochul — the federal government and @POTUS are putting New York on notice,” Duffy said Thursday in a post on the social platform X. “Your refusal to end cordon pricing and your open disrespect towards the federal government is unacceptable.”

The Federal Highway Administration gave New York a Friday deadline to stop collecting tolls to enter the city. The plan was aimed at reducing traffic in the area and bringing in money for other infrastructure projects.

President Trump declared he would rescind the order and said he had saved New York, while Hochul vowed to oppose the president in court, prompting the clash over tolls.

Hochul recently presented information to show that the tolls are “working” for the city, including shoppers and public transit riders.

Her remarks came just days after she met with Trump to discuss various issues, including the tolls and his push for pipeline access through the state.

Duffy argued that Hochul’s tolls are a “slap in the face” to Americans and criticized her for refusing to approve the pipeline that he said is in the public’s best interest.

“Your unlawful pricing scheme charges working-class citizens to use roads their federal tax dollars already paid to build,” Duffy said.

“We will provide New York with a 30-day extension as discussions continue,” he added.

The secretary threatened that federal funds to the state are not going to be a “blank check” and Hochul’s “continued noncompliance” will not be taken lightly by the administration.

Evergreen Action, a climate advocacy group, argued that the congestion pricing plan was “here to stay.”

“They extended their ‘deadline’ because they know they don’t have a leg to stand on,” the group said in a statement. “In just over two months, we’ve seen enormous results, and public support is only increasing as commuters experience the benefits of less congested, safer streets.”

"Congestion pricing is working," Avi Small, a spokesperson for the governor, told The Hill. "Traffic is down, business is up and support for this first-in-the-nation initiative continues to grow. We’ve seen Secretary Duffy’s tweet, which doesn’t change what Governor Hochul has been saying all along: the cameras are staying on."