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Senator Charles Schumer and Representative Jerrold Nadler have been working with President-elect Barack Obama's transition team and say that NY State "is expected to get $4 billion" from an economic stimulus package. What's more, "most of it slated for mass-transit capital projects in the metro area."
How does they figure that? Well, according to the AP, $20 billion is "likely" to be allocated to mass transportation projects, and NY State usually gets a fifth of those funds. Schumer said, "We are confident that we will get a very, very good number ... maybe a little more, maybe a little less." Nadler said, "This stimulus could be a lifesaver for New York's mass-transit system," and he senior Senator added it's a "a win-win-win for commuters, a shot in the arm for our aging mass transit system and of course, very good for New York."
The proposals include, according to Newsday, "renovating the LIRR's Atlantic Avenue viaduct in Brooklyn, completing the long-awaited East Side Access project to connect Long Island trains to Grand Central Terminal and adding railings at 20 LIRR stations to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act," plus helping the MTA close its billion-dollar budget gap. Additionally, there could be $5 billion in federal funds to help out with NY State's Medicaid financing.
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renovating the LIRR's Atlantic Avenue viaduct in Brooklyn
Why a duck?
yeah - why no a chicken?
But would this help stem the rising tide of fare increases? It sounds like it would only be available for capital projects, not day-to-day operations.
It should be interesting to see how the MTA will explain getting $4 billion and still needing to raise fairs.
* fares
How will it be interesting? They have two separate budgets. Capital money cannot be used for day to day operations and vice versa.
Will this, however, stem the tide of fare hikes? It seems like the money is only for capital projects and not day-to-day operations.
Oops. My web browser told me there was an error. Sorry for the duplicate posting.
Does "completing the East Side Access project" include the 2nd Ave subway?
Let's also hope that in addition to increasing capacity (which comes out of the capital budget) there is money to upgrade and modernize current lines so that their long-term maintenance costs decrease (which comes out of the operating budget).
ESA and SAS are totally different projects.
I thought the SAS was critical to the ESA because without the former the latter will dump even more passengers onto the already overcrowded 4/5/6 lines.
It's doubtful these projects will do much to spur the economy other than putting some money in the hands of construction workers. Only difference will be that the Treasury will be printing money rather than the MTA borrowing it.
"It's doubtful these projects will do much to spur the economy other than putting some money in the hands of construction workers."
Construction workers spend money just like most other people, which will help stimulate the economy.
But better transit will save wasted time in the area, and perhaps reduce pollution, both of which are good things.
My point is that you are less likely to see the multiplier effect that the Interstate Highway System achieved in the 1950s, to cite one example.