Environmental and transit advocacy groups, along with the MTA, are suing USDOT over its recent crusade to end the cordon pricing program.

The Sierra Club joined the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and other groups in filing legal action against the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for its attempt to end New York City’s congestion pricing program.
According to a press release from the Sierra Club, “The legal complaint charges that the Trump administration made serious legal mistakes in its rush to deprive New Yorkers of the benefits of Congestion Pricing, and that these mistakes suggest that the administration is acting pretextually.” The program raised $48.6 million in its first month and has been shown to reduce congestion and improve travel times.
“We’re filing today’s case because congestion relief is saving us time on buses, fixing our aging subways, and improving our health. We can’t afford to go back.” — Riders Alliance Executive Director Betsy Plum
The new lawsuit argues that the plan to end the program has a flawed legal basis. “The letter states that federal law has never contemplated ‘cordon pricing’ as a permissible congestion pricing strategy, except where toll-free options are available to drivers. In fact, cordon pricing has for decades been recognized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as a form of congestion pricing, and it authorized cordon pricing projects more than twenty years ago.”
FULL STORY: New Challenge on Trump Administration’s Attempt to “Terminate” New York’s Congestion Pricing Program

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How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

HUD Cuts Could Derail Mortgage Underwriting Agency
Staffing cuts at the Federal Housing Administration could imperil affordable housing projects and mortgage programs for new homeowners.

El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.

Spirit Lake Nation Reclaims 680 Acres After Century-Long Effort
After decades of advocacy, the Spirit Lake Nation successfully reclaimed 680 acres of its original treaty land from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, marking a significant step toward healing and future development.

Bourbon Street Could Be a Model for Pedestrian Spaces
The conversation around pedestrianizing public streets isn’t new — think Times Square. Could one of America’s oldest streets lead the way in a revival of the pedestrian mall?
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North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research