Chris Ward
Streetsblog Basics
When Will Cuomo Respond to the Distress Signals Coming From NYC’s Transit System?
Congestion is growing and transit ridership is falling in NYC. But at a moment when transit desperately needs smart stewardship, the city's political leaders, especially Governor Andrew Cuomo, are nowhere to be found.
March 10, 2017
Panel: NYC Electeds Need to Get Serious About Funding Infrastructure
This morning, the Association for a Better New York, a business group, hosted a discussion on the city's infrastructure. The focus was squarely on transportation, and the message wasn't pretty. Panelists warned of dire consequences if elected officials don't act on the precarious state of transportation funding.
April 23, 2014
Taking Stock of NYC Streets and Transit at Stringer’s Transpo Conference
Times have changed since Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer hosted a conference on transportation reform in 2006. Five years ago, New York City appeared to be on the verge of shaking off the traffic-first approach to street engineering that had dominated city transportation policy for decades. Whispers were in the air about a push to tame city traffic and fund the transit system by putting a price on congestion-plagued streets. Since then, plenty of innovation has come to NYC streets, while traffic congestion and transit funding remain core challenges.
November 21, 2011
Cuomo Names Patrick Foye to Head Port Authority
As expected, Governor Cuomo has tapped Patrick Foye to replace Chris Ward as executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
October 19, 2011
Chris Ward: NYC Truck Traffic “an Economic and Environmental Crisis”
Speaking at the Municipal Art Society's annual summit this afternoon, outgoing Port Authority chief Chris Ward said he wouldn't be sending any parting shots at the New York region's leaders, but he didn't hold back from proposing some big and bold ideas. With only a few weeks left at the Port Authority, Ward issued a call for the construction of a cross-harbor freight tunnel and a rail freight distribution system for the city, as well as the abandonment of container shipping at the Red Hook terminal in Brooklyn.
October 13, 2011
Amid Christie and Cuomo Raids, Port Authority Plans Huge Fare and Toll Hike
Crossing the Hudson River will get much more expensive under a proposed Port Authority plan to sharply increase tolls and fares on its four bridges, two tunnels and the PATH train. The increases are a result of the poor economy, the costs of rebuilding after the attacks of September 11, and the expensive repairs needed on the agency's aging infrastructure, said the Port Authority. Left unstated was the enormous cost of raids on the agency by the state governments of New York and New Jersey.
August 5, 2011
If Cuomo Fires Chris Ward, NY and NJ Will Lose a Proven Leader
Chris Ward may only have a few months left as executive director of the Port Authority. According to a report in the New York Post, Andrew Cuomo intends to replace the Paterson appointee this fall, once the ceremonies marking the tenth anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks have passed.
May 31, 2011
Cuomo Will Retain Jay Walder and Chris Ward
Erik Engquist at Crain's has the good news. Governor Cuomo will keep two widely respected managers at the helm of the MTA and the Port Authority:
January 24, 2011
Port Authority Chief Calls for Green Overhaul of Region’s Freight System
In a region where passenger transportation is being reimagined, freight needs to catch up. That's the message Chris Ward, the executive director of the Port Authority, delivered in a "call to arms" at Baruch College this morning. After outlining the importance and challenges of moving freight, Ward put forward the beginning of a plan to rationalize cargo movement, calling for a combination of new infrastructure, new pricing schemes, and centralized distribution centers scattered across the New York region.
June 23, 2010
Port Authority Commits to Agency-Wide Plan for Better Bike Access
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a huge player in the region's transportation system. It manages the PATH train, the world's busiest bus terminal, all the major airports and seaports, and the bridges and tunnels between New York City and New Jersey. Now the Port Authority is adding one more mode to its portfolio: the bicycle.
March 31, 2010