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The MTA will invest $ 51.5 billion, the largest amount in its history, to improve New York's transportation system by focusing on the city's metro, according to its 2020 Capital Plan -2024 released Monday.
The subway system (including the Staten Island Railway) will account for the largest portion of this investment with $ 37.3 billion spent on signal upgrades on six subway lines, bringing in 1,900 new subway cars, making 70 accessible ADA stations, replacing lanes and redeveloping 175 stations (including the replacement of elevators and escalators).
"The proposed investments in our subways and buses exceeded my wildest expectations," New York City Transit President Andy Byford said in a statement.
Although Byford's plan to redesign the metro, Fast Forward, is not specifically mentioned in the MTA presentation presented today, many of the organization's priorities align with the cornerstones of this plan, including a modernized signaling system and accessible stations.
Lawyers who had long been fighting for a more accessible subway cautiously celebrated the goal of the plan to improve the lives of New Yorkers who depend on elevators and other access measures.
"In a few years we may see the MTA's 2020-2024 capital program as the moment when it opened the way to the accessibility of the metro," Colin said in a statement. Wright, spokesman for TransitCenter. "But a reliable and accessible system will not be possible without strong monitoring, accountability and transparency. We are committed to continuing to fight alongside our partners in the disability community until everyone in New York has equal access to our metro system. "
The plan also includes the second phase of the Second Avenue subway, which will receive its final installment to build three new fully accessible stations and a new MetroNorth connection.
Meanwhile, NYC Transit and MTA buses will get a $ 3.5 billion investment to replace more than 2,200 buses and add more than 175 to the system, improve bus depots and add digital information screens integrated in buses. MetroNorth will receive a $ 4.7-billion investment to rebuild the Grand Central Terminal's train shed and the Park Avenue viaduct and tunnel; improve New Haven Line access to Penn Station with four new stations in the Bronx; and begin replacing MetroNorth M3 cars. The Long Island Rail Road will receive a $ 5.7 billion investment to improve signals and communications, upgrade stations and improve lanes.
MTA bridges and tunnels will also benefit from a major investment of $ 3.3 billion for the repair of several bridges and the creation of the infrastructure needed to charge tolls or congestion on the MTA. Central Business District.
How will the MTA afford all this? A large portion of the $ 25 billion will come from new sources of revenue, including congestion pricing and the progressive housing tax, but the rest will come from federal, state, and city funds. and obligations of the MTA.
"The draft plan released today is a big step in the right direction: it has an ambitious scope and tackles major issues such as the modernization of signaling technology and the creation of more stations. accessible metro, "said John Raskin of Alliance Riders. "If all the work goes as proposed, the public transit system will really be on the road to repair."
But, says Raskin,[Gov. Andrew Cuomo] will need to establish a detailed schedule for the work and manage its MTA to meet deadlines and budget. The governor will also have to find the necessary funding to complete the entire work without taking shortcuts or forcing the MTA to become more indebted. The legislature will need to work together to fund these essential transit repairs, as well as to ensure that the capital plan is fully verified and approved, and that the MTA is accountable to the public for the money we are investing. . "
Cuomo, meanwhile, said the state legislature had allocated $ 25 billion to the plan and would support an additional investment of $ 3 billion, to match New York, for the plan.
"We have a historic opportunity to institutionalize lessons learned, build on the progress of the Metro Action Plan, and make critical improvements to ensure that users can benefit from the system." public transit of the 21st century that they deserve, "Cuomo said in a statement.
The plan will now have to be approved by the authority's board and submitted to the Capital Program Review Board no later than October 1st.
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