MTA Keeps Congestion Toll Increase Schedule
Chief Janno Lieber says the MTA has no plans to change the scheduled rise in congestion-pricing tolls despite federal pressure.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Economic Policy
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MTA chief Janno Lieber said he has no plans to alter the congestion-pricing toll increase schedule. The peak-hour toll is currently $9 and is set to rise to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031.
Why it matters
The Trump administration has threatened to claw back more than $18 billion in federal funding for New York state infrastructure projects, and a federal judge ruled in March that its attempt to end congestion pricing was unlawful. For New York City commuters, the outcome determines whether the toll schedule holds and whether transit funding is put at risk.
The peak-hour congestion toll is $9 and is scheduled to reach $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031, while the Trump administration has threatened more than $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding. Whether that funding will be withheld remains unresolved in the reporting.
The players
Janno Lieber
Janno Lieber leads the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the agency that operates New York City's subway and bus system and runs the congestion-pricing program.
Sean Duffy
Sean Duffy serves as U.S. Transportation Secretary and oversees federal transportation funding that the administration has threatened to withhold from New York.
Trump administration
The Trump administration is the federal executive branch that has sought to end congestion pricing and threatened to claw back New York infrastructure funding.
The details
Lieber said he would not change the toll increases, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has threatened to withhold federal funds if the tolls remain in place. The Trump administration's tariffs on rail car and bus components could also cost New York taxpayers $1 billion, while the MTA's vehicles are built in the US with more than 70% domestic content.
Timeline
March: A federal judge ruled the administration's attempt to end congestion pricing unlawful.
2028: The peak-hour congestion toll is scheduled to rise from $9 to $12.
2031: The peak-hour congestion toll is scheduled to rise to $15.
Election Day, two weeks before November 15, 2026: Democrats won both the House and Senate in the midterm elections.
Economic Policy Context
The congestion-pricing program was approved under the Biden administration, and the current fight over its tolls reflects a federal reversal of that approval. The toll increases scheduled for 2028 and 2031 now sit at the center of that dispute.
New York City drivers entering the congestion zone will pay $9 at peak hours now and face higher tolls in 2028 and 2031. The outcome also affects transit funding that riders depend on for daily commutes.
The takeaway
Federal funding fights can directly shape the cost of commuting and the transit service New Yorkers rely on. Drivers should plan for the scheduled toll increases in 2028 and 2031 when budgeting for travel into Manhattan.
What happens next
The congestion-pricing toll is scheduled to rise to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031, the dates when the next increases take effect.
Further reading
Explore more on Economic Policy and how federal decisions shape city transit budgets.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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