Just last week, the Governor announced a $1.9B congestion pricing-funded investment to make A and C service in Brooklyn and Queens more efficient with CBTC signal modernization. That will make the commutes of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers faster and more reliable. 

This past month there were several station upgrades and a groundbreaking at 42^nd – Bryant Park, where the first ‘funded by Congestion Pricing’ signage was unveiled. Adding this important signage shows people just where that critical money is going.   Straphangers and drivers alike will now be able to see the benefits of funding made available because of the program with this special branding. PCAC has long called for signs to highlight how essential the program is to delivering the MTA’s capital needs. This is just one of six stations that began construction of ADA upgrades because of Congestion Pricing funding. 137 St-City College elevators are now open on both sides, making the station fully accessible.  

It is always something to celebrate when there are accessibility improvements, so getting to 70% completion on Metro-North’s Woodlawn, Williams Bridge and Botanical Garden stations is a plus. We would just ask that the signage at Botanical Garden be improved to better direct passengers to the GCT Bound platform due to the overpass closure.  

The Capital Program Dashboard is a great tool interested parties may use to remain engaged with the progress and spending of capital projects. This renewed dashboard was a major improvement to user experience and interface. Although we will continue to advocate for increased transparency, the dashboard provides information that can also keep folks apprised of what is being funded by congestion pricing.  

As strong supporters of Congestion Pricing since before its inception, PCAC will continue to acknowledge the great work the MTA is delivering on with the accessibility and efficiency upgrades to the system.  

The post Capital Program Testimony- Congestion Pricing: Continuing to make Capital Investments Possible. appeared first on PCAC.

I would like to thank the railroad crews for working throughout the weekend in the rain and wind to get folks where they needed to go during and following the nor’easter. You keep New York moving!

This past week, the Governor, MTA, and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins announced a Metro-North Resilience Project on the Hudson Line. We are thankful for the proactive approach to addressing the challenges that extreme weather events pose to transportation. The $270 million investment will provide funding to protect the most vulnerable portions of the rail line from Spuyten Duyvil to Hastings-on-Hudson.

With school starting, we are reminded that most families with students who take the LIRR alone to school must assume the costs as there are no eligible transfers or discounts available. We encourage the MTA to consider other avenues to reduce this financial burden. PCAC will continue to advocate for a more flexible fare policy that would also allow for transfers between the railroads and subways and buses within the five boroughs.

We also encourage the MTA to continue to improve its communication with riders. Particularly when there are outages or services changes, whether planned or unplanned. The MTA should look at ways to add the railroads to the request for information that’s going out for improved communication to subway riders.

We will continue to monitor ridership as we anticipate additional increases with fall activities and hope the railroads are able to meet the demand that the fall brings for Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road. I encourage people to take advantage of the additional Leaf Peeper trains on the Hudson line and enjoy the fall views on both sides of the Hudson.

Thank you for your continued collaboration and we look forward to improving rider access and affordability on the railroads.

The post Fall Calls for Resiliency and Increased Access- Joint LIRR/MNR Committee Testimony appeared first on PCAC.