Thanks, MTA...you're sort of bumming us out, but we're glad you're being honest now. You officially passed the subway & bus fares to go up next year, and now you admit that some big projects might have to put on hold in order to make sure the subway is running. MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow said yesterday that the MTA's budget made the subway system "delicate" and "if we don't support it ... it will deteriorate, and it will deteriorate very quickly." Oy. Also, other projects like the Second Avenue subway would be put on hold, if the MTA doesn't get funds for its $27.6 billion capital plan. Kalikow's press conference was squarely directed at Governor Pataki, Mayor Bloomberg and other politicos who would have the power to direct money to the agency. Finally, Kalikow is making sense. Gothamist would love for the subway to be expanded or for new subway cars to be purchased, but maintaining the tracks and signals are important pretty important. Another quote of Kalikow's that we found interesting:
Everybody in government in the early 80's had lived through the 70's and knew how really bad it was. Our problem is that there's a whole generation of New Yorkers that has now grown up and used the system that don't remember when it was horrible.
What's going on here, Gothamist is finding Kalikow compelling? Must be bizarro day. But we're all for making the subways better. Now, stop the stupidity with the photo ban.
Gothamist on the Second Avenue Subway and on the Fulton Street Center.
