The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) this week detailed system-wide projects on Subway, buses, Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) that are at risk, due to lawsuits that could eventually postpone or suspend operations. congestion pricing.
This new “toll” approved last year and which would come into effect after the spring, is proposed as a way to avoid traffic jams, from 60th Street in Manhattan to the south of the island, with a charge of $15 dollars for vehicles traveling during the day and $3.75 during the night.
“With lawsuits challenging the program, projects to improve our transportation system and more than 20,000 jobs are at risk of delays or disruption,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer.
The projected revenue of $15 billion represents more than 50% of the remaining funds in the transportation system’s 2020-2024 Capital Program.
This fee would contribute $1 billion to purchase new subway cars, new M9A cars for the LIRR and Metro-North, modern locomotives for the LIRR, which would reduce polluting emissions and upgrade the entire system.
Additionally, vital signs modernization projects on the Fulton Line in Brooklyn and the 6 Av Line in Manhattan have already been put on hold. These projects would benefit more than 1.6 million daily passengers and would include the installation of communications-based train control (CBTC) and the replacement of 70 switches and 17 interlocks dating back to the 1930s.
Also at risk are station renovations at 7 Av, East 149 St, 179 St, Briarwood, 3 Av-138 St, Brook Av and public announcement system upgrades at more than 70 stations. .
Subway on Second Avenue at risk
MTA officials also regret that funds from congestion pricing would allow the purchase of more than 250 new electric buses and 11 bus stations, across the five boroughs, to operate and maintain fleets of electric buses.
Since 2020, projects are underway to make stations accessible five times faster. However, this pace is at risk as accessibility improvements and renovations may be delayed or simply put on hold.
Future contracts to advance Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway depend on funding from congestion pricing. This project, highly anticipated by transit-dependent East Harlem residents and businesses, will create three new accessible stations at 106 St, 116 St, and 125 St and increase transit connectivity at the 125 St station, with connections to Metro- Northern trains and M60 bus service to LaGuardia Airport.
In the transport corporation’s balance sheet it is made clear that “there is a risk of affecting repair work to update old stations and technology for the reliability of the system, often hidden from the public eye. The lack of investment could cause interruptions in power plants and substations,” the MTA said in a statement.
“Train Wreck”
The congestion charge continues to encounter strong criticism and faces several federal lawsuits, with the main “wall” being the authorities of the neighboring State of New Jersey, who are trying to block it completely. Although new actions are expected from trade associations, taxi lines and the Republican minority in the Council and State Assembly.
The lawsuit argues that the plan would burden its residents with an alarming increase in traffic and air pollution. And it would deal a serious blow to the pockets of thousands of its residents.
Faced with this “train crash” of opinions, this Tuesday several defenders of congestion pricing, along with state senator Andrew Gounardes and assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon, demonstrated at the Smith-9th St station in support of this policy, which will provide funding for handicapped accessibility improvements to the system.
The group also urged a quick resolution of the lawsuits brought by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
“This strategy will fund accessibility improvements, such as lifts at stations, not only for passengers who use wheelchairs, but also for older people with limited mobility, parents pushing strollers, passengers carrying heavy luggage or groceries. It is a plan that cannot wait any longer. It’s time to do it,” concluded Gounardes.
The data:
- 20,000 quality unionized jobs are projected to be created in the coming years for the major modernization projects of the most deteriorated Subway stations in the Big Apple.