Good morning, I’m Jack Connors, Research & Communications Associate at the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, PCAC.
Riders have a lot to celebrate this summer: twelve subway stations across the five boroughs selected to become accessible. They will join the new elevators at the 95th St. R Station in Bay Ridge. The best part is that riders had a say in choosing the next slate of accessible stations. We’re looking forward to the release of the list of the remaining stations as well.
New R211s on the G and B trains means new rolling stock is rolling through all five boroughs, not to mention 300 new M-9As on order for LIRR and Metro-North riders. The CBTC installation and capital commitments updates show how far we’ve come and also what’s next. They also show what happens when there is a delay of any kind, along with the burgeoning effects of tariffs, so we’re glad to see there are still plans to complete $9.1 billion in projects this year.
It’s great to see the fruits of two fully funded MTA capital plans paying off, thanks to Governor Hochul and the Legislature.
That wouldn’t be possible without congestion relief, which is benefiting tri-state area commuters whether they drive or take transit, like 90% of Central Business District-bound commuters. This nation-leading program is speeding up commutes, cutting down on truck traffic, upgrading our transit, improving street safety, and clearing the air – which has never been more important given all the hot air coming from Washington.
The IBX is moving ahead too, and that’s particularly exciting for New Yorkers in Brooklyn and Queens who don’t want to have to travel into Manhattan to go between boroughs. The IBX can also be a catalyst for TOD. A recent Building Congress report found that rezoning land along the Interborough Express corridor could create more than 100,000 new homes. It’s a win-win for addressing our housing crisis and making it legal for riders to live near the transit they depend on .
Thank you.