Union Tpke Posted June 6, 2019 Share #1 Posted June 6, 2019 https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2019/06/05/trottenberg-a-voice-of-sanity-on-mta-board-submits-resignation-1042498 Trottenberg, a voice of 'sanity' on MTA board, submits resignation By DANA RUBINSTEIN 06/05/2019 12:56 PM EDT Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Polly Trottenberg, a prominent voice of dissension on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, has submitted her resignation to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, POLITICO has learned. On June 3, Trottenberg wrote to Cuomo saying that she was resigning “effective immediately” upon the state Senate’s confirmation of her successor. “I thank Mayor de Blasio for the opportunity to serve the millions of MTA riders — and I look forward to continuing to work closely with Chairman Pat Foye and the MTA as NYC DOT Commissioner,” she said in a statement. Trottenberg's board tenure began in 2014, when Mayor Bill de Blasio first nominated her to the position. Gov. Andrew Cuomo effectively controls the MTA. And while on the MTA board, Trottenberg has raised pointed questions about several of his MTA initiatives, including the governor’s “enhanced station initiative,” which critics said funded largely cosmetic improvements to the subway system in the midst of the subway crisis. She also questioned the MTA’s use of a Cuomo emergency order to circumvent board approval of MTA contracts. She has often seemed frustrated by the city appointees’ lack of power to effect change at the state-run authority. “She’s one of the most informed and effective voices for sanity at the MTA, so we’re of course sorry to see her go,” said Reinvent Albany executive director John Kaehny. The mayor has nominated former Office of Labor Relations commissioner Bob Linn to succeed Trottenberg, and Dan Zarrilli, the mayor’s chief climate policy adviser, to fill the seat left open by the April departure of Carl Weisbrod. “Their dedication to public transit will serve New Yorkers well, and help get our subways and buses moving,” de Blasio said in a statement provided to POLITICO. “I also want to thank Polly Trottenberg for her service. I am confident that she will continue to advocate for the all-of-the-above transportation system our city needs.” De Blasio, by law, has to submit his nominations to the governor, who then must decide whether to submit them to the Senate. A Cuomo spokesperson had no immediate comment as to whether he would in fact submit those nominations to the legislative body. “I guess the big question is, will the replacements step up and be as well informed and forceful as Polly was, and actually protect the interests of New York City,” Kaehny said. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GojiMet86 Posted June 6, 2019 Share #2 Posted June 6, 2019 It wasn't that long ago when some people here were questioning her decisions. But her deficiencies pale compared to Cuomo. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QM1to6Ave Posted June 6, 2019 Share #3 Posted June 6, 2019 Oh great, now she will have more time to find idiotic places to install bike lanes 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted June 6, 2019 Share #4 Posted June 6, 2019 Oh great, so now I can’t pressure her at the board meetings... The DOT is a mess... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestFarms36 Posted June 7, 2019 Share #5 Posted June 7, 2019 16 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: Oh great, so now I can’t pressure her at the board meetings... The DOT is a mess... More like she won't have to swallow dry anymore whenever a public speaker yells at her because the streets in this city suck... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted June 7, 2019 Share #6 Posted June 7, 2019 8 hours ago, WestFarms36 said: More like she won't have to swallow dry anymore whenever a public speaker yells at her because the streets in this city suck... Exactly... Oddly enough DOT was quite nice in my meeting and answered my questions on the agenda as best as they could. I found myself yelling more and the MTA planners and Road Ops. I’ve been working with the DOT on bus stop restorations and bus shelter requests. VERY slow process but better than nothing. They’re supposed to install a BxM3 stop in two weeks. Took three or four months to get it. lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T to Dyre Avenue Posted June 8, 2019 Share #7 Posted June 8, 2019 On 6/5/2019 at 11:00 PM, Union Tpke said: Their dedication to public transit will serve New Yorkers well, and help get our subways and buses moving,” de Blasio said in a statement provided to POLITICO. “I also want to thank Polly Trottenberg for her service. I am confident that she will continue to advocate for the all-of-the-above transportation system our city needs.” Honestly, I don’t find her to be all that competent. And as for de Blasio’s confidence in her advocacy for “all-of-the-above,” what exactly are we looking at here? More bike lanes and SBS? Because those seem to be the only solutions her DOT seem to come up with. We need a DOT that can aim a bit higher than that. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulrivera Posted June 8, 2019 Share #8 Posted June 8, 2019 But wait, I thought the MTA board had more power than the "figure heads" of Byford, Rinaldi, and Eng, and that even the senior managers had more power than said figure heads as well. I wonder who's really in charge of the MTA... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Posted June 8, 2019 Share #9 Posted June 8, 2019 5 hours ago, paulrivera said: But wait, I thought the MTA board had more power than the "figure heads" of Byford, Rinaldi, and Eng, and that even the senior managers had more power than said figure heads as well. I wonder who's really in charge of the MTA... Why don't we ask the guy with no control? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Ridge Express Posted June 8, 2019 Share #10 Posted June 8, 2019 7 hours ago, paulrivera said: But wait, I thought the MTA board had more power than the "figure heads" of Byford, Rinaldi, and Eng, and that even the senior managers had more power than said figure heads as well. I wonder who's really in charge of the MTA... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestFarms36 Posted June 8, 2019 Share #11 Posted June 8, 2019 5 hours ago, Bay Ridge Express said: Ah... Yes. The only go who is obsessed to the point where he wants his carpet to match his drapes... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenEleven Posted June 8, 2019 Share #12 Posted June 8, 2019 2 hours ago, WestFarms36 said: Ah... Yes. The only go who is obsessed to the point where he wants his carpet to match his drapes... Hey, that's hella important in house decor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtehpanda Posted June 9, 2019 Share #13 Posted June 9, 2019 4 hours ago, SevenEleven said: Hey, that's hella important in house decor. Jeez, Sandra Lee on the Food Network and apparently Cuomo auditioning for HGTV... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestFarms36 Posted June 10, 2019 Share #14 Posted June 10, 2019 On 6/8/2019 at 10:23 PM, bobtehpanda said: Jeez, Sandra Lee on the Food Network and apparently Cuomo auditioning for HGTV... Not surprised if Cuomo appears on a new season of Love it or List it... 🤣 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T to Dyre Avenue Posted June 10, 2019 Share #15 Posted June 10, 2019 On 6/8/2019 at 10:23 PM, bobtehpanda said: Jeez, Sandra Lee on the Food Network and apparently Cuomo auditioning for HGTV... HGTV ought to give him his own show. Then we wouldn’t to be stuck with him as governor, 😆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Union Tpke Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share #16 Posted June 11, 2019 On 6/7/2019 at 8:27 PM, T to Dyre Avenue said: Honestly, I don’t find her to be all that competent. And as for de Blasio’s confidence in her advocacy for “all-of-the-above,” what exactly are we looking at here? More bike lanes and SBS? Because those seem to be the only solutions her DOT seem to come up with. We need a DOT that can aim a bit higher than that. She wants to do a lot more, and told me that when I spoke to her once, but has been severely constrained. She said that she would love to do more things like 14th Street, but that was only done because of the Shutdown. Hundreds of miles of bike lanes and bus lanes are needed across the city. If she was given free rein, things would be a lot better in the city. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T to Dyre Avenue Posted June 11, 2019 Share #17 Posted June 11, 2019 Well, I won’t disagree that we need more bus lanes. Flushing should really have them on 39th Avenue where the Q13, 16 and 28 buses load up. That street gets choked with cars trying to cut through to Union Street, so the buses can’t get out or turn left quickly enough. Maybe some sort of “queue jump” signals so the buses can get through without being cut off or obstructed by cars and trucks. I’m certainly fine with more protected bike lanes complete with signals. Though I would like to see the City do a much better job at cracking down on reckless cyclists. We need to do a better job at avoiding bicycle/pedestrian collisions, because the messenger on his bike didn’t stop for the light or is biking the wrong way on the street. Or on the sidewalk. My point was that I don’t want DOT to reflexively turn to bike lanes or SBS as the solution to traffic woes. 14th Street is definitely a good start. But let’s go further. And include rail in the solution process (though not where there is already rail, like with BQX and the ). More and better cooperation between DOT and MTA is badly needed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtehpanda Posted June 12, 2019 Share #18 Posted June 12, 2019 20 hours ago, T to Dyre Avenue said: Well, I won’t disagree that we need more bus lanes. Flushing should really have them on 39th Avenue where the Q13, 16 and 28 buses load up. That street gets choked with cars trying to cut through to Union Street, so the buses can’t get out or turn left quickly enough. Maybe some sort of “queue jump” signals so the buses can get through without being cut off or obstructed by cars and trucks. I’m certainly fine with more protected bike lanes complete with signals. Though I would like to see the City do a much better job at cracking down on reckless cyclists. We need to do a better job at avoiding bicycle/pedestrian collisions, because the messenger on his bike didn’t stop for the light or is biking the wrong way on the street. Or on the sidewalk. My point was that I don’t want DOT to reflexively turn to bike lanes or SBS as the solution to traffic woes. 14th Street is definitely a good start. But let’s go further. And include rail in the solution process (though not where there is already rail, like with BQX and the ). More and better cooperation between DOT and MTA is badly needed. DOT is only as good as its boss lets it be. BdB straight up does not give a shit about the subway. The Triboro RX or something along that right of way would be the Big One against that "tale of two cities" bullshit he was peddling during his campaign, but instead he wants a property developer streetcar giveaway. At this point, I would hold out for a mayor Corey Johnson or Scott Stringer before anyone took the subway seriously. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R68OnBroadway Posted June 12, 2019 Share #19 Posted June 12, 2019 9 minutes ago, bobtehpanda said: DOT is only as good as its boss lets it be. BdB straight up does not give a shit about the subway. The Triboro RX or something along that right of way would be the Big One against that "tale of two cities" bullshit he was peddling during his campaign, but instead he wants a property developer streetcar giveaway. At this point, I would hold out for a mayor Corey Johnson or Scott Stringer before anyone took the subway seriously. It's really telling that a Republican county commissioner from upstate supported the Triboro RX while our mayor hasn't said anything... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenSin Posted June 12, 2019 Share #20 Posted June 12, 2019 On 6/8/2019 at 9:22 AM, Bay Ridge Express said: Looks like the guy got caught with his hands in his (or someone else’s) pants in public 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestFarms36 Posted June 13, 2019 Share #21 Posted June 13, 2019 (edited) On 6/11/2019 at 7:15 AM, Union Tpke said: She wants to do a lot more, and told me that when I spoke to her once, but has been severely constrained. She said that she would love to do more things like 14th Street, but that was only done because of the Shutdown. Hundreds of miles of bike lanes and bus lanes are needed across the city. If she was given free rein, things would be a lot better in the city. Trottenberg and Byford are two people who have many solutions and plans up their sleeves, but the bureaucracy in this state is just asinine and disgraceful. Cuomo just seriously needs to f**k off and fight for the by finding solutions to fund the Transportation Mogul of NY State, not complaining about cleaning products used in the subway, by demonstrating people that he is committed to fully funding the not tearing apart division heads on talk shows, confronting the truth, not running with it. If there is one thing that lead to this, and it was their infamous campaign slogan, "Vote for the Cuomo, not the homo." ...Well, I think this Cuomo, is a just a no-no. Edited June 13, 2019 by WestFarms36 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T to Dyre Avenue Posted June 13, 2019 Share #22 Posted June 13, 2019 On 6/12/2019 at 12:10 PM, R68OnBroadway said: It's really telling that a Republican county commissioner from upstate supported the Triboro RX while our mayor hasn't said anything... It is, unfortunately. This really is an issue where de Blasio has been a major disappointment. 17 hours ago, WestFarms36 said: Trottenberg and Byford are two people who have many solutions and plans up their sleeves, but the bureaucracy in this state is just asinine and disgraceful. Cuomo just seriously needs to f**k off and fight for the by finding solutions to fund the Transportation Mogul of NY State, not complaining about cleaning products used in the subway, by demonstrating people that he is committed to fully funding the not tearing apart division heads on talk shows, confronting the truth, not running with it. If there is one thing that lead to this, and it was their infamous campaign slogan, "Vote for the Cuomo, not the homo." ...Well, I think this Cuomo, is a just a no-no. True, indeed. The City and State bureaucracies - especially the State - have really hamstrung Byford and, yes, Trottenberg too. Certainly de Blasio is more to blame for DOT’s shortcomings than Trottenberg because she works for him and he could have been doing a shit load more about the City’s transit issues, but won’t because he doesn’t really care, but just wants to look like he does. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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