New York to pump $51.5bn into transit

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has proposed investing $51.5 billion in the city’s subways, buses and railroads over the next five years. Janno Lieber, MTA chief development officer, says: “The proposed capital programme will be truly transformational – more trains, more buses, more service, more accessibility and more reliability.” The 2020-2024 Capital Plan would put $40bn into the city’s subways and buses and $6.1bn for 1,900 new subway cars to help mitigate delays. MTA also wa
September 25, 2019 Read time: 3 mins

New York’s 1267 Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has proposed investing $51.5 billion in the city’s subways, buses and railroads over the next five years.

Janno Lieber, MTA chief development officer, says: “The proposed capital programme will be truly transformational – more trains, more buses, more service, more accessibility and more reliability.”

The 2020-2024 Capital Plan would put $40bn into the city’s subways and buses and $6.1bn for 1,900 new subway cars to help mitigate delays.

MTA also wants to spend $5.2bn on making stations better equipped for disabled riders so that they are no more than two stops away from an accessible station.

Additionally, the authority would utilise $2.5bn to replace more than 2,200 of the oldest buses and expanding the fleet size by more than 175 vehicles. It proposes investing $1.1bn to purchase 500 electric buses, including replacements and additions. The programme is expected to enable MTA to acquire only e-buses from 2029.

MTA says its proposal would provide the investments necessary for the development of the Long Island Rail Road by the planned December 2022 opening of the East Side Access project and the Main Line Expansion. East Side Access is expected to allow more than 160,000 commuters to travel to Grand Central Terminal, saving up to 40 minutes per day while the Main Line Expansion will add a third track on 10 miles of the Main Line corridor.

As part of the capital plan, MTA is hoping to secure $135m for the continuing reconstruction of the Henry Hudson Bridge and the implementation of open road tolling which it claims could reduce potential collisions by up to 41%.

Affiliate agency MTA Bridges and Tunnels is proposing a separate investment of $3.3bn to construct infrastructure for tolling in the central business district.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels president Daniel DeCrescenzo says the plan will help modernise links in the regional transportation network.

“The plan is integrated with other regional transportation programs to build upon the transformative changes and benefits of cashless tolling, and the continuous bus/HOV lane connecting Staten Island to the Gowanus/Brooklyn-Queens Expressway bus/HOV lane implemented in the 2015-2019 capital plan,” he adds.

The MTA board will review the proposed plan today (25 September). If approved, it will be submitted to the MTA capital review board for consideration and approval.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • London’s zero-emission plan is premature, warns FTA
    October 24, 2018
    Plans to implement a clean air zone in London are premature, says a transport trade body - because zero-emission vehicles are not commercially viable. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is unimpressed with the City of London Transport Strategy’s ambition to improve air quality and traffic in the east of the capital and the Barbican area by 2022. This draft scheme, which maps out a 25-year framework for managing streets within the City’s ‘Square Mile’, includes establishing a speed limit of 15 mp
    Read More
  • Figures show Express Lanes bring wider benefits
    August 12, 2015
    Drivers in the Washington DC area are realising time savings following the opening of Express Lanes on the I-95 - and not only those paying to use the new facility. Washington is ranked as being the worst gridlocked city in the United States. Every day its drivers face an average commute time of 39.5 minutes and they waste an average of 67 hours every year just sitting in traffic. In a move to counter these problems, late last December new Express Lanes were opened along 46.6km (29 miles) of the I-95 betwee
    Read More
  • Caltrans to focus on traffic management in 2014
    February 21, 2014
    Although San Diego County may see a downturn new freeway infrastructure projects during 2014, many projects, from rail to highways and cycle paths, are still in the pipeline for 2014, according to the region's transportation planning agencies. Laurie Berman, district director for the regional office of the California Department of Transportation, said last week that Caltrans' focus is transitioning from general purpose lane expansions to more traffic management. The new direction is meant to provide trav
    Read More
  • MTC awards funding to modernise Bay Area transit systems
    January 28, 2016
    San Francisco’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has allocated US$494 million to help more than 20 Bay Area transit agencies replace or rehabilitate aging buses, ferries, rail cars, tracks and bridges; update safety, control and communications systems; install new fare-collection equipment; maintain services for elderly and disabled passengers; and make other capital improvements. The commitment includes US$447 million of federal transportation funds, supplemented by US$47 million of revenues fr
    Read More

Highlighted Content