MTA 'doomsday' scenario averted as Gov. Paterson, legislature reach deal

[Trainspotter]

Doomsday derailed!

 

Gov. Paterson and state legislative leaders agreed Tuesday night on a transit-funding plan eliminating the need for sky-high fare hikes and deep service cuts, officials said.

 

The bailout, which could be adopted through legislation as soon as Wednesday, includes an employer-paid payroll tax, a 50-cent surcharge on taxi trips and other measures to fund the subway, bus and commuter train system.

 

"Halleluiah," Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said. "It's great news for subway, bus and commuter rail riders."

 

The deal also provides two-years worth of funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's next five-year capital program starting next year.

 

That program includes basic maintenance and upgrades to tracks, signals and other equipment.

 

"We have rescued this system from the brink of the abyss," Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) said.

 

Facing massive - and ballooning - deficits, the MTA had scheduled fare hikes up to 30% to hit straphangers May 1, and commuter train riders the next day.

 

A monthly MetroCard was set to rise from $81 to an eye-popping $103.

 

The deal, announced in Albany by Paterson, Silver and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens), calls for more modest hikes raising fare and toll revenues by 10%, officials said. A monthly MetroCard now will likely be priced at about $89.

 

The one-way cash subway and bus fare, now $2, is expected to increase to $2.25 - not $2.50.

 

The deal signals an end to the roller coaster ride straphangers have been on for nearly a year with a series of MTA budget proposals, hearings, cost-cutting plans and ballooning deficits as the recession continued to depress tax revenues.

 

The MTA will not have to enact such Draconian cuts leading to the elimination of more than two dozen local bus routes, longer waits for subway trains and the overnight shuttering of a few stations it authorized earlier this year.

 

"This has been very difficult for the commuters of the MTA region," Paterson said. "We can assure them this evening there will be no surprises. There will be no further cuts or fears about fare hikes or toll increases."

 

A state commission headed by former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch released a transit-funding plan in December that included the payroll tax and tolls on East and Harlem river bridges.

 

Some senate Democrats opposed tolls, stalling the rescue effort. The plan agreed to Tuesday does not include tolling the free bridges.

 

Smith called it "victory for the public" that the Senate stood firm against tolls.

 

Democrats have a 32-30 majority in the Senate and need every Democrat to vote for the rescue plan in the face of unified Republian opposition.

 

Transit officials have said that they would likely push back the May 31 and June 1 fare-hikes to do the computer programing and other necessary work to implement the scaled-back increases.

 

By Glenn Blain and Pete Donohue

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

May 5th 2009

[Y2Julio]

The MTA should now have it's books looked at by the state/city comptroller now that this deal has been reached so they can make sure everything is really kosher.

[CPBO]

Still need to break up the current board members and re-structure.......this bailout is like giving a smoker a nicotine patch.....will work for a short while....but will be back smoking (spending out of control) very soon..

 

 

So maybe you don't have to spend over a hundred dollars on a metro card for a month....but u will pay my friends......that is the bottom line with this bailout.....we all have to pay!! Next time you rent a car.....re-new your license....grab a taxi....think about the money you are sending to the disfunct MTA.

[Y2Julio]

So maybe you don't have to spend over a hundred dollars on a metro card for a month....but u will pay my friends......that is the bottom line with this bailout.....we all have to pay!! Next time you rent a car.....re-new your license....grab a taxi....think about the money you are sending to the disfunct MTA.

I don't do neither of those things

[RokuSix]

At some point, you'll probably have to do one of those, Julio. It's mildly inevitable--even I've been in taxis.

 

Anyway, I feel as if this is a decent compromise. Doomsday is no more! Now it's just..."Mildly Unpleasant Day of Reckoning".

[MattTrain]

Nice job, now the and can still go on. The won't have services cut. This is a good compromise after all, I just hope it works in the long run because riders need that. I knew the New York State senate will come through for us, it's only a mild raise so I don't mind paying an extra quarter for services. $88 for a monthly Metro Card, instead of the $103 a month.

 

[SubwayGuy]

I don't do neither of those things

 

Agreed I hardly ever take cabs and never rent cars. I will have to pay when I renew my license, oh well no big deal.

 

Now they just need to look at MTA up and down independently, and someone needs to publicly recommend the reduction of management numbers. As someone else (Jah?) said in the other thrad, 96 RTO supts is way too many

[Y2Julio]

Agreed I hardly ever take cabs and never rent cars. I will have to pay when I renew my license, oh well no big deal.

 

Now they just need to look at MTA up and down independently, and someone needs to publicly recommend the reduction of management numbers. As someone else (Jah?) said in the other thrad, 96 RTO supts is way too many

 

and the lowest paid manager was @ $100,000 :eek: That would be a 9.6 million dollar piece of the MTA budget for all these RTO managers if they all made at least $100,000.

[MTR Admiralty]

After weeks of bickering and arguing, we have something.

[KeystoneRegional]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[MTR Admiralty]

Finally, there is something from the Government to New York City Subway/Bus and Long Island Bus service would be at capacity during Rush Hour. I hope the can get working to save some money. And I hope 2011 and 2013 won't be another two year with service raises.

I think our some of the services are already at capacity during rush, not even that, some are already past the capacity (e.g: the Lexington Line)

[KeystoneRegional]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[MTR Admiralty]

Oh yeah, people are like nearly stuffed into the R-142's on the Lines, that is why the Second Ave. Subway is being built, !

It's not just on the Lex, there is a similar situation on the QBL as well.

[S78 via Hylan]

You should see the every morning when i get to school near Delancey st.

Packed as hell.

[MTR Admiralty]

You should see the every morning when i get to school near Delancey st.

Packed as hell.

I live a stop away from Delancy, it's a mess there.

[metsfan]

As far as goes i still think that RI should get a peak hour & special event only LIRR stop to alleviate some crowding. It would also help people trying to get to MNRR.

 

- A

[MTR Admiralty]

As far as goes i still think that RI should get a peak hour & special event only LIRR stop to alleviate some crowding. It would also help people trying to get to MNRR.

 

- A

Not quite sure, it will be quite expensive to construct an in-fill station there.

[KeystoneRegional]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[metsfan]

Not quite sure, it will be quite expensive to construct an in-fill station there.

 

The excavation allows for this. All you'd have to do is change the signals & make a "short" block to stop there.

 

They all ready have enough space for a station between the tunnel segments, and both a connection to the RI station and the surface.

 

Ya, it would take money, but what in pax transport doesn't. :cool:

 

- A

[MTR Admiralty]

The excavation allows for this. All you'd have to do is change the signals & make a "short" block to stop there.

 

They all ready have enough space for a station between the tunnel segments, and both a connection to the RI station and the surface.

 

Ya, it would take money, but what in pax transport doesn't. :cool:

 

- A

I never heard of a shell at Roosevelt Island.

[metsfan]

How do you think the trains will get from LIC to GCT?

 

63rd st tunnel. Right now the LIRR part (lower level) is just a basic straight shot through roosevelt island, however you could easily put a station there. They need to at least put an emergency exit there, since it's in the middle and a safe place for people to go. In the future if funding becomes available you could put a station there once ESA becomes active without affecting train traffic much since all of the work would be on the sides.

 

If i've learned one thing in my short time here on this planet, is that when it comes to transportation projects -anything- is possible.

 

- A

[Joe]

If a shell was to be constructed at Roosevelt Island, you would have to shut the line down while it was carved/blasted. The only exits from the lower level are emergency exits to the upper level, and the portal in Queens.

[metsfan]

Well i guess they better figure out at least a proposal then, huh? :cool:

 

Even if rejected they'll have a blueprint for the future.

 

(NJT) has plans that once water tunnel number 3 is operational, it would see if a connection to ESA is feasible. Right now one of the older 2 tunnels is too close to have any kind of construction while its still in operation.

 

If this connection is made it would be wise to build a station at roosevelt island, because if the subway and tram go down...... I mean, it's only fair. If something happened at GCT you could terminate at roosevelt island and evacuate people there in a proper station vs basic emergency exit. Plus you'll increase options for people.

 

- A

[Joe]

If something happened and they had to evacuate a train underneath the East River, i'm sure there are a good bunch of people who would simply run like hell down the tunnel, back towards land.

 

Not to mention a train can be turned just about anywhere on the LIRR. There are no pesky train stops that they have to worry about.

[Trainmaster5]

Still need to break up the current board members and re-structure.......this bailout is like giving a smoker a nicotine patch.....will work for a short while....but will be back smoking (spending out of control) very soon..

 

 

So maybe you don't have to spend over a hundred dollars on a metro card for a month....but u will pay my friends......that is the bottom line with this bailout.....we all have to pay!! Next time you rent a car.....re-new your license....grab a taxi....think about the money you are sending to the disfunct MTA.

 

And they told you in advance about fare hikes in 2011 and 2013. Read the fine print.