Exactly Where Money Is Wasted On MTA projects has been identified
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<<The cost would have been significantly cheaper if ADA standards were not mandatory>>
Have you ever seen a person going down a flight of stairs in a wheelchair?
Which is why back in the day they were forced to use the bus......now they have options and its great. Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway just got a makeover like 10 years ago or something and its ADA accessible now. I'm big on the disabled and public transportation, this is a world class city where everybody from all walks of life should be able to move and handle their business, thats what makes this city great, so many options!
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"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
NYS MTA is one of if not the most inefficient government transportation departments/authorities or whatever in the USA if not world.
They just spent about 2.7 (give or take) *billion* per mile to build the SAS which only runs three stations before joins the rest of "Q" line.
The MTA is *STILL* building East Side Access LIRR to GCT which is expected to be completed (maybe) by 2022 and is going to cost (at today's projections) 10 billion, which means final numbers will likely be much higher. All this for a new line that will serve *less* passengers than the recently completed SAS.
MTA is up to it's neck in debt and while in theory could borrow yet more, costs of servicing current debt load eats up about 1/3 (IIRC) of current budget.
Anyone who thinks the federal government His Orangeness as POTUS not withstanding is going to shovel piles of money to the MTA/NYS for transit wants their heads examined. Feds have already funded the SAS, LIRR East Side Access, the hot mess that is the Farley Station conversion to a "new" Penn Station, and last but not least put up half of the money for new rail tunnels under the Hudson River.
NYS MTA is one of if not the most inefficient government transportation departments/authorities or whatever in the USA if not world.
They just spent about 2.7 (give or take) *billion* per mile to build the SAS which only runs three stations before joins the rest of "Q" line.
The MTA is *STILL* building East Side Access LIRR to GCT which is expected to be completed (maybe) by 2022 and is going to cost (at today's projections) 10 billion, which means final numbers will likely be much higher. All this for a new line that will serve *less* passengers than the recently completed SAS.
MTA is up to it's neck in debt and while in theory could borrow yet more, costs of servicing current debt load eats up about 1/3 (IIRC) of current budget.
Anyone who thinks the federal government His Orangeness as POTUS not withstanding is going to shovel piles of money to the MTA/NYS for transit wants their heads examined. Feds have already funded the SAS, LIRR East Side Access, the hot mess that is the Farley Station conversion to a "new" Penn Station, and last but not least put up half of the money for new rail tunnels under the Hudson River.
Trump is saying he will spend one trillion on infrastructure, and the federal government typically funds the pork barrel projects of prominent politicians in the federal government. So despite the MTA faults, yes they will get money from the Trump administration. They always manage to secure federal and state funding.
Oh in late Dec., the MTA got preliminary federal funding for phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway.
The MTA's capital projects are funded in major part by debt. They borrow money to build stuff or buy equipment, and they pay back the bondholders by raising the fares every two years.
Trump is saying he will spend one trillion on infrastructure, and the federal government typically funds the pork barrel projects of prominent politicians in the federal government. So despite the MTA faults, yes they will get money from the Trump administration. They always manage to secure federal and state funding.
Oh in late Dec., the MTA got preliminary federal funding for phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway.
The MTA's capital projects are funded in major part by debt. They borrow money to build stuff or buy equipment, and they pay back the bondholders by raising the fares every two years.
Trump is looking for private investors to finance projects in exchange for tolls and fees. So yes, infrastructure will get built, but we will pay to use it.
I am happy Cuomo has taken more direct involvement (he forced the MTA to stick to dates on this and on some modernization projects) and I am hoping Trump gets involved and FORCES the MTA to stick to dates and eliminate bureaucracy.
This wouldn't be the first time the feds made the MTA streamline and simplify. Anyone here remember the confusing mess the subway system was in the early 80s? AA train ran all times except nights and rush hours. B and CC run rush hours (this was just the uptown 8th Avenue line). B was local on 6th Avenue, except rush hours. Weekday services stopped at 8pm. A train to Far Rockaway did not run late nights, instead there was a LONG shuttle to Euclid Avenue serving both Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park (does it make sense to have a long shuttle when a shorter shuttle to Lefferts should have been done? This was a change they made either late 80s or early 90s).
I just hope Trump decides to actually fund mass transit, instead of directing all the funding towards roads and labeling public transit as "un-American" and for the communists or whatever.
The ridership of the Far Rockaway branch is similar to the ridership of the Lefferts branch, so they were being cheap by running the main line plus one long shuttle, as opposed to the main line plus two short shuttles. (Lefferts & Rockaway Park).
On a related note, they could make people's lives a lot easier by extending the Lefferts shuttle to Broadway Junction: For one extra station, you have access to two additional lines (the J & L).
Trump is saying he will spend one trillion on infrastructure, and the federal government typically funds the pork barrel projects of prominent politicians in the federal government. So despite the MTA faults, yes they will get money from the Trump administration. They always manage to secure federal and state funding.
Oh in late Dec., the MTA got preliminary federal funding for phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway.
The MTA's capital projects are funded in major part by debt. They borrow money to build stuff or buy equipment, and they pay back the bondholders by raising the fares every two years.
Do you bother to read items you post news from or just go by the headlines?
All the MTA has is *permission* begin "preliminary studies" on SAS Phase 2. The FRA was still then under a democratic president and administration. We do not know what His Orangeness's appointees will say or do over the next four years.
Even *IF* the FRA ponies up that sum is only one-third of the funding. For some bizarre reason building the remaining two stops (96th to 125th) will cost *SIX BILLLION* dollars. That leave a bit over four billion for the MTA to scrounge up.
At this point is costing > ten billion to build about seven subway stops.... nice work for someone.
All the MTA has is *permission* begin "preliminary studies" on SAS Phase 2. The FRA was still then under a democratic president and administration. We do not know what His Orangeness's appointees will say or do over the next four years.
Even *IF* the FRA ponies up that sum is only one-third of the funding. For some bizarre reason building the remaining two stops (96th to 125th) will cost *SIX BILLLION* dollars. That leave a bit over four billion for the MTA to scrounge up.
At this point is costing > ten billion to build about seven subway stops.... nice work for someone.
We don't, however permission to begin preliminary studies is PRELIMINARY federal funding.
So Phase 2 has cleared that hurdle. What Trump's administration will fund is a problem for another day (or perhaps later this month or next month). Considering he's a real estate developer, I'd say the MTA's in very good shape.
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