New York MTA approves $29 billion 2015 to 2019 capital program

[afigg]

The New York MTA board has approved the five year $29 billion capital spending budget for 2015 to 2019. The five year capital spending plan was supposed to be settled months ago, but was delayed in a dispute / grudge match / food fight between Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio on how much additional funding the city is to kick in towards to making up a circa $12 billion shortfall in the capital funding available. The Mayor caved and the city will be contributing $2.5 billion.

Cuomo has agreed for the state to kick in $8.3 billion over the 5 years, but he has to take it up with the state legislature in January on where the state will get the money (more debt most likely). However, by approving the capital spending plan, the MTA will program in all the projects and I gather proceed on the basis that the state will come through with the money. Yes, $29 billion over 5 years is a bigger capital budget than probably almost all of the other regional transit systems in the US combined, but the NY subway is now routinely exceeding 6 million passengers a day. And the MTA also includes Metro-North and LIRR, so it is a BIG transit agency.

Capital New York article: MTA approves refurbishment plan, but questions remain

October 28 viewgraph presentation to the MTA board which summarizes where the money is going.

The highlights for system expansion are:

$535 million for design and early construction of Second Avenue Subway Phase 2. This is significant because it was an open question not long ago on whether Phase 2 of the Second Avenue project would get delayed indefinitely.

$695 million for Penn Station Access with 4 new Metro-North stations in the Bronx on the New Rochelle line. Yes, this long discussed extension of MNRR from the New Haven line to NYP now has funding, so it is going to advance and is now a real project. Service presumably to start sometime after the East Side Access project is done and LIRR starts running some trains to Grand Central. The impact on Amtrak service reliability and trip times over the New Rochelle line remains to be seen.

$2.8 billion for the East Side Access project. Stated to be enough to complete the project which has become Big Dig 2, the sequel, in cost increase and years of delay. The total projected cost is now around $10.2 billion and has a 2022 completion date which many are skeptical will be met.

Other interesting info from the Capital New York article:

The plan includes new subway cars, including two prototype "open gangway" cars.

The program will also install better signals on the tracks, make the Times Square station more wheelchair accessible, and provide the final funding for a new Long Island Rail Road station beneath Grand Central Terminal.

It also funds a study looking into extending the Utica Avenue subway in Brooklyn, a de Blasio priority.

 

[Palmetto]

I haven't used the subway for many years, but when I lived in NYC, I was surprised at how elder un-friendly the system was, especially in the outlying stations in the Bronx. Stairs was the only way to go up to the el. This really isn't on topic, but I thought I'd throw my thought in. Moderators can remove it or put it somewhere else if they wish.

 

[afigg]

I haven't used the subway for many years, but when I lived in NYC, I was surprised at how elder un-friendly the system was, especially in the outlying stations in the Bronx. Stairs was the only way to go up to the el. This really isn't on topic, but I thought I'd throw my thought in. Moderators can remove it or put it somewhere else if they wish.

The slow pace of upgrading station in the NYC subway system for ADA compliance or even improved access is a legit topic when discussing the MTA capital programs. There is funding for station improvements in the 2015-2019 plan including ADA access improvements, elevators at some stations, but as with getting many of the outlying stations back to a state of good (well, borderline acceptable) repair, they are only tackling a relatively small number of stations compared to the 468 stations in the system.

For more details, MTA has posted a 239 page PDF Capital Program document (8.7 MB) on what the $29 billion is to be spent on.

 

[Andrew]

What does "early construction" refer to regarding the Second Avenue Subway?

Which expansion project is pictured on slide 27?

 

[seat38a]

I haven't used the subway for many years, but when I lived in NYC, I was surprised at how elder un-friendly the system was, especially in the outlying stations in the Bronx. Stairs was the only way to go up to the el. This really isn't on topic, but I thought I'd throw my thought in. Moderators can remove it or put it somewhere else if they wish.

They system is old. It is one of the oldest public transit systems in the world. If you think its elder un friendly, then you should go try out the London Tube and Paris Metro. No elevators and primarily only stairs. So unless there is money for wholesale station rebuild it will probably continue to be unfriendly. Not only the elderly but its no joy for anyone trying to take public transit with luggage or the disabled in wheelchair.

In London and Paris, they have BIG gaps between the train and the platform and in some cases even a height difference along with the horizontal gap. It does not seem to be an issue for people there. No one trips and sues or falls in between the gap.

 

[NY Penn]

For everyone thinking that the $29 billion capital program is justified, it's worth mentioning that new subway construction in NYC costs about 10 times what it does elsewhere in the world. NYC capital projects have gone incredibly late and over budget in recent years, with little visible accountability.

Here are two interesting articles (and comment threads) about the cost bloat of the capital programs:

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2015/11/05/inside-east-side-access-a-new-lirr-connection-but-at-what-cost/

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2015/11/06/off-the-cuff-horodniceanu-quotes-a-high-price-for-future-sas-phases/

Regarding accessibility, despite my lack of a law degree I've done some basic research and it seems that MTA has been systematically violating ADA in the last few years. They've been rebuilding many above-ground stations recently, often from the ground up. Very few of them have had elevators or ramps installed.