Dec. 31 (UPI) — New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it will begin congestion pricing tolling on Sunday despite New Jersey officials claiming that a U.S. district judge’s ruling disallows the plan.
While federal judge Leo Gordon said the MTA and the Federal Highway Administration acted in “an arbitrary and capricious manner” in its funding of North Jersey in the MTA mitigation plan, he declined to issue an injunction on it, as well.
Gordon told the Federal Highway Administration to return to him on Jan. 17 with new details on how to fairly share mitigation money with North Jersey counties such as Bergen County.
The ruling left both sides claiming victory, but the ruling did not put the brakes on the plan, leaving New Jersey officials with the task of trying again for an injunction to stop it.
New Jersey officials said that, despite the lack of an injunction, congestion pricing should not go live until the state is guaranteed its fair share.
“We welcome the court’s ruling today in the congestion pricing lawsuit,” New Jersey attorney Randy Mastro said, according to NBC News. “Because of New Jersey’s litigation, the judge has ordered a remand, and the MTA therefore cannot proceed with implementing the current congestion pricing proposal on Jan. 5.”
Supporters of congestion price tolling are trying to beat the clock since President-elect Donald Trump has sounded off against it and has promised to end it sometime after he retakes the Oval Office on Jan. 20.
