MTA
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Governor Cuomo Calls for Annual Transit Raids Until 2031
Transit advocates are sounding the alarm as Governor Cuomo again tries to quietly raid dedicated transit funds and back away from the state's promises to the MTA so he can plug Albany's budget holes.
January 24, 2014
The Last Thing New York Needs Is a Tax Break for Drivers
The MTA capital program, which funds maintenance and expansion of the transit system, is on the final year of its five-year cycle. A new plan is being developed, and the big question is how the state is going to pay for it. At a hearing of the Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, state legislators got briefed on the need to plug the enormous funding gap in the next capital program. At the same time, one State Senator is trying to create a new tax incentive to drive.
January 10, 2014
Manhattan Bus Routes Sweep the 2013 Pokey and Schleppie Awards
The Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives today handed out their annual awards for the slowest and least reliable NYC buses, with Manhattan routes taking the honors.
December 19, 2013
With Debut of B44 SBS, Major Brooklyn Bus Route Poised to Draw More Riders
After years of planning, B44 Select Bus Service launched yesterday on the Nostrand Avenue corridor. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, and MTA Chairman and CEO Tom Prendergast marked the occasion this afternoon at a newly-expanded bus stop at Church and Nostrand.
November 18, 2013
Select Bus Service Comes to Brooklyn
Yesterday was the first day of service for Brooklyn's first Select Bus Service route, upgrading the B44 Limited with a dedicated bus lane, off-board fare collection, bus bulbs, and fewer stops. It's the sixth SBS route to enter service, following two in the Bronx, two in Manhattan, and one in Staten Island.
November 18, 2013
As Deadline Approaches, Will Cuomo Sign or Veto Transit Lockbox Bill?
This afternoon, a coalition of more than 200 groups sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo [PDF] asking him to sign the transit lockbox bill, which would help safeguard dedicated transit funds by requiring the state to disclose the impact of any raids on transit agency budgets. The pressure is on: The governor has until the middle of next week to sign or veto the legislation.
November 4, 2013
MTA Plans Busway Beneath the M Train in Ridgewood
The MTA is working on a plan for a short busway in Ridgewood that would run for six-tenths of a mile beneath the elevated M tracks, between Fresh Pond Road and Palmetto Street. While the project wouldn't transform a car-choked traffic sewer into a pedestrian-friendly transit boulevard (the right-of-way is currently a series of weed-strewn parking lots), it could be NYC's first new separated busway since the Fulton Mall opened in the 1970s.
October 4, 2013
Bus Time Set to Expand to Manhattan This Month; Queens and Brooklyn Next
Nearly a year after the Bronx became the second borough to get real-time bus tracking on all its buses, the MTA's Bus Time program is set to expand to Manhattan this month, according to signs spotted in Manhattan subway stations by Twitter user David Rose and Second Avenue Sagas.
October 3, 2013
MTA Planning Chief: NYC’s Next Mayor Needs to Stick Up for Bus Lanes
After a presentation on regional transit ridership trends at NYU's Rudin Center this morning, William Wheeler, the MTA's planning director, said the city's next mayor needs to firmly support the reallocation of street space for dedicated bus lanes, and should not back down in the face of opposition to changes that take away real estate from cars.
September 12, 2013
Pressure Builds Upstate for Cuomo to Sign Transit Lockbox Bill
The transit lockbox bill, which would help safeguard dedicated transportation funds by requiring the state to disclose the impact of transit raids, still awaits a signature from Governor Cuomo following unanimous Senate and Assembly votes earlier this year. Now, two upstate newspapers are calling on the governor to sign the bill.
August 30, 2013