Federal government pushes back deadline to end New York’s congestion pricing

Street sign for New York congestion pricing zone

NEW YORK — The federal government has pushed back its deadline for New York to end its congestion tolling program in Manhattan — but Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy clearly isn’t happy about it. In a social media post today (March 20, 2025) addressed to Gov. Kathy Hochul, Duffy said the date to end the tolling […]

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Citing crime concerns, federal government threatens to withhold funding from New York MTA

Subway train arriving at station

NEW YORK — Escalating a fight between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Trump administration, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has threatened to withhold federal funding if the transit agency does not provide information on how it is addressing crime. In a letter to MTA CEO Janno Lieber, Duffy requested information on how the MTA’s New […]

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Suit by Sierra Club, transit group seeks to preserve New York’s congestion pricing

Map of Lower Manhattan

NEW YORK — The Sierra Club and transit advocacy group Riders Alliance are suing the U.S. Department of Transportation over its revocation of approval for Manhattan’s congestion pricing program. The suit filed Tuesday, March 4, in U.S. District Court, calls for the court to vacate the decision by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. It notes the […]

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Federal government sets date to end New York’s congestion pricing; state unmoved

Woman holding up booklet while man looks on

NEW YORK — The federal government says March 21 will mark the end of Manhattan’s congestion pricing program, but New York State officials are indicating they expect tolling to continue. A letter from Federal Highway Administration executive director Gloria Shepherd sent on Feb. 20 — the day after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the Department […]

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New York subways testing system using smartphones to find track defects

Subway train arrives at above-ground station

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has begun a pilot program with a division of Google that uses smartphones to help detect potential subway track defects. The program announced Thursday, Feb. 27, builds on TrackInspect, a prototype developed with the Rapid Innovation Team at Google Public Sector. Tested on the subway A line of […]

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Metro-North’s New Haven locomotive to debut Friday

Olive green locomotive with yellow striping

NEW YORK — Metro-North’s latest heritage locomotive, honoring predecessor New York, New Haven & Hartford, will make its operating debut on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, the commuter railroad has announced. The locomotive will debut on train No. 1841, a 7:51 a.m. departure from Danbury, Conn., arriving at Grand Central Terminal on 9:55 a.m. “The Heritage […]

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Metro-North to order 13 battery-electric locomotives for Penn Access service

Three-quarters view of blue and silver passenger locomotive

NEW YORK — Metro-North Railroad plans to purchase 13 battery-electric locomotives from Siemens Mobility for service in and out of Penn Station when Metro-North’s New Haven Line starts serving that station through the Penn Access project. The battery-electric versions of the Siemens Charger locomotive will generally draw power from catenary, then switch to battery mode […]

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News photos: Latest Metro-North heritage unit honors New Haven (updated)

Olive green and yellow locomotive in shop building

NORTH WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad has completed the sixth in its series of locomotives honoring Metro-North’s 40th anniversary, this time honoring the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. Dual-mode locomotive No. 222, a P32Ac-DM, sports the green-and-yellow design used on New Haven electric and diesel cab units until […]

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New York MTA sues as federal government moves to end Manhattan congestion tolling (updated)

Woman at podium surrounded by several men

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has quickly filed a lawsuit today in an effort to block federal government revocation of its permission for Manhattan’s congestion tolling program. The move, announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, makes good on a campaign promise of President Donald Trump, who last year said he would end congestion […]

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New York to provide $150 million to connect LIRR to Long Island’s MacArthur Airport

Aerial view of airport and commuter rail station

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. — The state of New York will spend $150 million to connect the Long Island Rail Road’s Ronkonkoma station with a proposed new terminal at Long Island MacArthur Airport, a facility served by four commercial airlines. The project, announced Wednesday, Feb. 12, by Gov. Kathy Hochul, will include purchase of 48 acres of […]

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MTA names Vonashek as new president of Metro-North Railroad

Man in suit on balcony at Grand Central Terminal

NEW YORK — Justin Vonashek will become president of the Metro-North Railroad, succeeding Catherine Rinaldi, who will retire after almost seven years in the position. The change will be effective April 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber announced the succession plans on Thursday, Feb. 7. Vonashek joined Metro-North as vice president of system safety […]

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New York rail ridership up since start of congestion tolling

EMU train arrives at station

NEW YORK — Rail ridership — both on the subways and the commuter rail network — is up in the first three weeks of congestion-zone tolls, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board was told in a presentation on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Overall, the agency said the number of vehicles entering the congestion pricing zone — […]

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