New Jersey’s latest lawsuit to stop New York City’s congestion charging plan has been rejected by the court

Jan. 4 (UPI) — A federal appeals court on Saturday rejected a final attempt by the state of New Jersey to stop the impending implementation of a $9 “congestion pricing” toll on motorists entering Manhattan during rush hour.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit rejected New Jersey’s efforts to obtain an injunction against New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plans to launch the program as early as Sunday morning, The Gothamist and Bergen Daily Record reported.

The ruling came after attorneys argued their cases before the federal panel late Friday night, following a similar ruling denying New Jersey’s request for a retraining order issued earlier in the day by District Judge Leo Gordon was.

Under the congestion pricing plan, starting Sunday, passenger vehicles entering Manhattan’s “congestion relief zone,” defined as local streets and avenues at or below 60th Street, will be charged a $9 toll during peak hours. The tolls apply to four tunnels leading into Manhattan – the Lincoln Tunnel, the Holland Tunnel, the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and the Queens Midtown Tunnel.

The MTA says the increased tolls will result in 100,000 fewer vehicles entering the zone each day, “reducing crowding in what is currently the most congested county in the United States.”

Proceeds from the program will be funneled into New York City’s transit system, where they will benefit “millions of daily transit riders” in the form of more accessible stations, modern signaling systems, hundreds of new electric buses, and other critical improvements “that will improve our health.” “We ensure that the system is in good operating condition and the use of public transport becomes more comfortable,” says the agency.

But New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other state leaders insist the program is illegal and unfair to their residents who commute to Manhattan daily for work or recreation.

“We are disappointed that the courts are allowing congestion pricing to take effect tomorrow despite agreeing that its approval violates the law and arbitrarily short-changes New Jersey residents,” Murphy spokeswoman Natalie Hamilton said in a statement to the media. “We will continue to fight against this unfair and unpopular system.”

In his original decision issued Monday, Gordon sought further clarification from federal transportation officials, who approved the pricing plan but did not order it to stop in the meantime.

“Despite the State of New Jersey’s best efforts to thwart New York’s ability to reduce congestion on our roads while making long-overdue investments in public transportation, our position has prevailed in court on almost every issue,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement released Monday, promising that congestion pricing would continue as planned on Sunday.