Judicial Block on Trump's Halt to NYC Congestion Pricing

A U.S. judge stopped the Trump administration from denying federal funds to New York over its congestion pricing plan. The plan charges fees to alleviate traffic and fund transit upgrades. District Judge Lewis Liman issued a preliminary injunction, calling the government's action a 'game of chicken.'

In a significant legal development, a judge has blocked the Trump administration from withholding federal funds critical to New York's congestion pricing initiative aimed at reducing traffic in Manhattan. District Judge Lewis Liman issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday, prohibiting the U.S. Transportation Department from pulling federal support from New York City projects.

The decision came after the Trump administration's attempt to rescind federal approval of the congestion pricing, a scheme that charges most passenger vehicles $9 during peak times to enter areas below 60th Street in Manhattan. The program is designed to decrease traffic congestion and generate funds for crucial upgrades to New York City's aging subway and bus systems.

Judge Liman criticized the Transportation Department's approach, likening it to a 'game of chicken' with New York, which faced a choice of abandoning a potentially transformative transit policy or risking significant financial penalties. This ruling marks a critical juncture in the ongoing contention over urban transit funding and policy execution.

(With inputs from agencies.)