What ever happened to the promised New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) 2020 - 2040 Twenty Year Long Range Capital Needs Plan? New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the MTA pledged last year that it would be released by December 2019. It is now seven months overdue.
The plan documents how much money and years or decades will be required before each MTA operating agency, including New York City Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, MTA bus, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad have reached a state of good repair. Categories for each agency include such assets as existing bus, subway and commuter rail fleet, stations including elevators to meet Americans with Disabilities Act and escalators, track including switches, signals and interlockings, communications, line structures including painting, protective netting on elevated structures and bridges, line equipment including tunnel lighting and pump rooms, traction power including power substations, yards and shops and supervisory vehicles. .
It is supposed to be the basis for the justification of NY MTA Five Year Capital Plans prior to its release. In this case, the $51-billion 2020 - 2024 Five Year Capital Plan was released and adopted before anyone could receive and review the updated Twenty Year Capital Needs Plan. The new 2020 - 2040 Twenty Year Plan should update the previous 2014 - 2034 Twenty Year Plan. This is inconsistent with both New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill deBlasio's respective promises to conduct the most open and transparent administrations in the history of state and municipal government. This was suppose to have included independent authorities such as the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Taxpayers, commuters, transit advocates and elected officials deserve to see this document today.
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Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for grants supporting billions in capital projects and programs on behalf of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Transit bus and subway, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, MTA Bus and NYC Department of Transportation.
