As the second Trump administration gets into full swing, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has pledged to find common ground where he can with the administration. And he’s wasting no time in testing that theory.

On the same day as his inauguration as the nation’s 47th president, Murphy wrote a letter Jan. 20 to Trump regarding New York City’s controversial congestion pricing plan.

The governor described the policy as an area where he believes their priorities align.

As NJBIZ has reported, New Jersey is locked in a bitter fight with its New York neighbors over the new tolling system. As of Jan. 5, congestion pricing charges automobiles $9 during peak hours to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. Following a slew of legal challenges that came up short in terms of delaying its start, Murphy has vowed to continue pushing back.

“As you know, last spring, New York officials unveiled a congestion tolling scheme with a $15 price tag to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street,” Murphy wrote. “Then, weeks later, they announced an ‘indefinite pause’ on their plan due to its burdens on working- and middle-class families.

“Unfortunately, the ‘indefinite pause’ lasted only through your election,” he continued. “Then, New York and federal officials moved quickly to un-pause the program and start congestion tolling before your inauguration.”

Murphy noted Trump’s previous statements calling congestion pricing a “disaster for NYC” and a massive business killer and tax. He also highlighted Trump’s pledge to terminate congestion pricing in his first week back in office.

Request for review

While the governor says he is open to congestion pricing in concept, Murphy stressed this plan has not been well-designed or adequately studied. He said the accelerated timeline exacerbated that.

“The resulting congestion pricing plan is a disaster for working- and middle-class New Jersey commuters and residents who need or want to visit lower Manhattan and now need to pay a big fee on top of the bridge or tunnel tolls they already pay,” Murphy wrote. “And adding insult to injury, New Jersey communities are not being fully compensated for the additional traffic and attendant pollution that will be re-routed to them because of congestion pricing.”

Murphy closed his letter saying that New Jersey plans to amend its pending lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to challenge their handling of New York’s changes to the program over the last year.

“In the meantime, I am attaching a letter on behalf of New Jersey requesting that New York’s congestion pricing scheme receive the close look it deserved but did not receive from the federal government last year. I hope that you will ensure that this request receives prompt attention from the relevant officials within your administration,” Murphy’s letter closed.

Today I sent a letter to President Trump urging his Administration to reexamine New York’s congestion pricing scheme.

Congestion pricing is a disaster for New Jersey commuters and must receive the close look it deserves from the federal government. pic.twitter.com/rAX1WqrFjH

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) January 20, 2025

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials stand by congestion pricing – and say it is working.

“The early data backs up what New Yorkers have been telling us all week – traffic is down, the streets feel safer, and buses are moving faster,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber in a Jan. 13 press release. “Positive change wasn’t guaranteed, and it’s exciting to hear commuters – including drivers – talking about how much time they are saving since the program kicked off a week ago.”

An ‘out of touch’ response

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a 2025 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, has taken a different stance on the issue.

Fulop called for the state to leverage congestion pricing to improve the its own mass transit system. In a post on X, he was critical of the letter from Murphy to Trump.

“Gov Murphy … this is out of touch. You have potential ICE Raids as the Governor of the most diverse state in the country, you have potential attacks on the LGBTQ community, you have a president that doesn’t prioritize the environment,” said Fulop. “And you prioritize congestion pricing which is really you mostly fighting for the richest 2% of the ppl that can afford to drive their personal vehicles to NYC daily and pay $1000 per month additional to park.”

Murphy will also launch an ad campaign to promote the New Jersey Reassigning In-State Employees (NJ RISE) pilot. That imitative provides grants to New York-based companies that allow their New Jersey-resident employees to work in the Garden State, averting the congestion toll. Billboards at major bridges and tunnels will feature the marketing.

Trump has not yet weighed in on the issue, despite the flurry of activity to begin his second term.

Stay tuned to NJBIZ for the very latest on this developing situation.