MTA Board approves $ 51.5 billion historic capital plan in New York



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LOWER MANHATTAN (WABC) – The MTA's board of directors approved Wednesday a $ 51.5 billion investment plan for 2020-2024 during a meeting in Lower Manhattan.

This is the largest capital plan in the history of the MTA. It expects a 70% increase in investment spending on subways, buses, metropolitan and northern railways and Long Island Railways for the next five years.

The plan makes 70 additional metro stations compliant with the ADA by adding ramps and elevators. It is also planned to add 1,900 new subway cars, three new subway stations in East Harlem and Phase 2 of the Second Avenue project.

Eleven subway lines will be re-signaled beginning with the Lexington Avenue line and 2,400 buses will be added.

New York Mayor Blasio on Wednesday sent a letter to MTA President Pat Foye, agreeing to support the MTA's capital plan, with three conditions:

The money -NYC can not be used as a crutch to delay the implementation of congestion pricing.
-NYC calls for the completion of an audit to verify the costs of the plan.

– The priorities of the NYC to improve the experience of runners must be addressed.
Most board members said that it was by far the best capital plan and a huge investment in the future of the system.

There have been hours of internal discussion and some skepticism on the part of board members regarding implementation.
"New York City is ready to contribute to an MTA investment plan, as it has done in the past." Under our administration, the city has made the largest capital contribution of the city. MTA's investment plan for 2015-2019, at $ 2.66 billion – and played a vital role in recent improvements in subway performance by funding half of the Metro Action Plan "said de Blasio in his letter.

Foye issued a statement in response to the Mayor's letter:

"Although a fully funded capital plan would invest a tremendous amount of resources into our transportation system, I want to make it clear that most of the funds we receive from the Central District Business Tolls or Tolls" Other revenues are frozen for capital projects Without new sources of funding for operations or cost reductions, we will continue to face significant financial constraints and projected deficits in the coming years. focus on the deficits of our operating budget and find ways to reduce costs and balance the budget according to the law, every year in the preparation of the December financial plan ".

The plan now moves to the Capital Program Review Committee for final approval.

Governor Andrew Cuomo issued the following statement:

"Several weeks ago, I exposed to the board of directors my priorities for the MTA's capital plan, including the improvement of signaling technology, the improvement accessibility, resolution of quality of life issues, fairness of the LIRR and Metropolitan-North Railway and modernization of the bus service.The record investment of the State – of which 25 billion dollars guaranteed in this year's legislative session and an additional $ 3 billion investment from the state – is extraordinary, but after generations of the MTA have been underfunded and poorly managed, they are needed and will pay dividends for the future of the system.We have made a lot of progress recently and the Speaker of the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly and the Mayor of New York City must approve it in order to move forward. . "

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