NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RIDERS COUNCIL
MINUTES OF March 23, 2017
A meeting of the New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) was convened at 12:00 noon on March 23, 2017 in the 20th Floor Board Room at 2 Broadway, New York, New York
The following members were present:
Andrew Albert Trudy L. Mason
Stuart Goldstein Scott Nicholls
William K. Guild Edith Prentiss
Sharon King Hoge Burton M. Strauss, Jr.
The following members were absent:
Christopher Greif Marisol Halpern
In addition, the following persons were present:
William Henderson PCAC Executive Director
Ellyn Shannon PCAC Associate Director
Angela Bellisio PCAC Planning Manager
Bradley Brashears PCAC Transportation Planner
Karyl Cafiero PCAC Research Associate
Mark Bienstock NYCT
Deborah Hall-Moore NYCT
Troy Odendthal FTA
Ken Stewart Concerned citizen
Matt Shotkin Concerned citizen
Debra Greif Concerned citizen
Bart Betz Department of Buses
| Time Point | Please note: there are places in the video where you cannot hear the speaker. This is because the speaker was not using a microphone. This is not an issue with the recording. |
| Video 1 | |
| 02:25 | Approval of Agenda
The agenda for the March 23, 2017 meeting was approved |
| 02:45 | Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the February 23, 2017 meeting were approved as submitted. **note** T. Mason later pointed out a misspelling of her name. The minutes will be amended. |
| 3:05 | Chair’s Report (The Chair’s Report is attached to minutes.) |
| 9:40 | Board Report |
| A. Albert: There were not enough MTA Board members present to vote on the Canarsie Tube job. There was a spirited discussion on the Judlau contract. MTA will schedule another board meeting in the next couple of weeks. The Q70 to LaGuardia will no longer be free. | |
| 13:20 | A. Albert: Board member Moerdler asked for a platform door pilot on the L line since they are shutting it down. Followed by a good discussion of the platform doors pros and cons. They can slow the trains down, and something would have to come out of the Capital Program since they are not budgeted for. The MTA has agreed to look at the preliminary feasibility of the doors and come back to the board. |
| 17:00 | W. Guild: Asked if other cities have retrofitted platform doors? |
| Action Item: Are there cities with platform doors? | |
| 18:50 | Many people spoke supporting all door boarding on busses- tapping to board – new fare payment. |
| 19:41 | T. Mason expressed concerns with SBS bus stop spacing, she is working with Ellyn on the Council letter requesting NYC Transit add stops at 72nd Street on the M15 SBS. |
| 21:43 | A. Albert: The ratio of SBS stops to locals is “out-of-wack” on many routes. This is in the letter to Mike Ribosh. The machinery for the SBS tickets did not have snow cleared from this last 7 inch snow fall. Snow-removal needs to occur around these SBS machines. |
| 24:00 | A. Albert: Bill # 1303 increases, by 625 a year, for 5 years the number of food carts that are allowed to be on city streets. It gives no sighting provisions and actually lessens the distance between where the carts can be and brick and mortar stores, cross walks and bus stops, making wheelchair users boarding bus difficult. |
| T. Mason: Motion to oppose bill 1303 as written: allows the food carts to encroach on bus stops, sidewalks, crosswalks, impede freedom of access. | |
| 30:20 | E. Prentiss: In her testimony stated that the food carts have lines to them. She said it is a Freedom of Access issue to sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, and curb cuts.
T. Mason: We are opposed to the Bill as written for the following reasons. T. Mason: It is a bill introduced by Ben Kallos. There has been much local opposition, but no telling when it will be introduced. There are many who oppose the bill. T. Mason: Proposes we go on record as soon as possible. Edith seconds. CC all the NYCTRC members on the letter. Unanimous vote in favor. |
| Action Item: Letter opposing Intro 1303. Draft to members. | |
| 30:30 | Old Business |
| S. Goldstein: Ridership statistics on SAS stations?
Action Item: Get SAS ridership numbers. |
|
| LaGuardia airport signage to MTA service is poor, there is no signage directing people to buses in the terminals.
Need to reach out to the General Counsel’s office to see what can be done with the Codes and Rules without infringing on rights. A. Albert: MTA is pursuing issue with the Port Authority. T. Mason: Does not see a decrease of crowding on Lex line, because service is still erratic. |
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| 36:15 | T. Mason: Would like NYCTRC to be invited to events
A. Albert will talk to Donna about getting PCAC and members on invite lists. |
| 39:00 | E. Prentiss: Need to resolve areas of responsibility around stations before the next snow season. |
| Action Item: Find out responsibilities for snow removal | |
| 45:00 | New Business |
| S. Nicholls: Tree over tracks at Huguenot Station | |
| Action Item: Report Tree at SIR Huguenot Station, St. George bound. | |
| 46:00 | T. Odendthal: Discusses President’s budget. Impact SAS – limited funding for New Starts Programs and Tiger Grants – no new grants until 2020. |
| T. Mason: SAS funding is in the infrastructure bill.
T. Odendthal: Nothing has been put forward to FTA regarding funding yet. |
|
| 50:20 | E. Prentiss: Would like to invite Transit Center to discuss their elevator project |
| Action Item: Discuss with Transit Center- elevator project. | |
| 51:30 | E. Shannon: ESA impacted by Amtrak funding
A. Albert and B. Henderson: Discuss track time, Sunnyside Yards/Herald Interlocking, Positive Train Control, and 2019 East River tunnel closings. |
| 55:00 | E. Prentiss:Stuck in Northwest Passage in GCT. No elevator outages listed at GCT. There is no place to know those elevators are out. It is considered part of MNR. But since they are in NYC. MNR says they do not list it even as a long term rehabilitation. Nothing that tells you how to get around if it is out short term or long term? A. Albert: will ask Joe Giulietti of MNR about this issue. |
| 57:00 | Presentation: Mark Bienstock, NYCT Program Officer, Systems and Security, will discuss the B Division train tracking and count down clocks |
| 1:07:00 | 4th Avenue to go live in Spring of 2017 |
| 1:07:12 | A. Albert: What if the transit wireless network goes down?
M. Bienstock: It is repaired quickly. |
| 1:07:40 | M. Bienstock: NYCT will be installing wireless on elevated stations |
| 1:07:55 | S. King-Hoge: (Yellow/Green line) NYCT must clarify On the Go kiosks vs. countdown clocks – scheduled information vs real time info. confuses. |
| 1:14:30 | T. Mason: On-the-Go schedule information confusing. Can they be reprogrammed? |
| 1:19:30 | S. Goldstein: Alternate service on line, can it distinguish between lines?
M. Bienstock: Yes |
| Action item: Understand information on On the Go kiosks | |
| 1:21:30 | B. Brashears: Can NYCT connect real time information to train digital displays? M. Bienstock: Possibly in the future |
| 1:26:40 | K. Cafiero: Programed for G.O. work?
M. Bienstock: GO work is loaded into the train track system |
| 1:28:45 | T. Mason: Possible displays at GCT?
M. Bienstock: Initial efforts will be on platforms. |
| 1:30:45 | S. King-Hoge: Can you coordinate On the Go’s have real time info dominate?
M. Bienstock: Yes |
| 1:33:00 | B. Betz- Assistant Chief Maintenance Officer for Department of Buses arrives to introduce the Nova bus |
| 1:33:15 | E. Shannon: Difficulty of boarding rear of bus due to doors – crowding – 34th St. |
| 1:35:00 | B. Betz: Buses shown last time are being put into service today – today is the third of those buses (Nova). Group of 92 new buses. Gives specifics on the buses.
Adjournment |
| 1:45:25 | Council goes downstairs to view new bus. |
Youtube Meeting Video: Video 1
Action Items:
- Are there cities with platform doors?
- Letter opposing Intro 1303. Draft to members
- Find out responsibilities for snow removal
- Report Tree Huguenot Station
- Invite Transit Center to talk about elevator project
- Understand information on On the Go kiosks
Respectfully submitted,
William Henderson