Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber welcome prospects again as service to the Rockaways on the A line resumes on Monday, Could 19, 2025 after an intensive, five-month rehabilitation undertaking.
Marc A. Hermann / MTA
We’re all seeing the identical factor: elevated visitors speeds, sooner peak commute instances, faster buses, and a buzzing regional economic system. This system’s additionally proper on track for income projections, producing $215.7 million up to now for much-needed transit enhancements like trendy subway indicators, electrical buses, structural repairs, and the subsequent part of the Second Avenue Subway into East Harlem.
Final week, the MTA and State of New York scored a significant victory when Choose Lewis Liman directed the Trump administration to cease the threats and chorus from any punitive motion, like withholding federal funding, to attempt to coerce us into killing congestion pricing.
We gained’t let Washington drag us backwards. Congestion pricing is a uncommon instance of the federal government taking a giant swing on an advanced and extremely controversial initiative and having it instantly repay for constituents with advantages which might be apparent to everybody.
It’s like just a few years in the past when the Metropolis prohibited smoking in bars. The tabloid press was panicked, however quickly after it began, the ban was rightly acknowledged as a win. And simply because it did on that challenge again then, public opinion has shifted quick on congestion pricing.
In a latest Siena Faculty ballot, help for this system elevated 18% from a month earlier. A majority of these responding stated they supported the State and MTA’s effort to struggle the feds. This motion is necessary.
New Yorkers are good. They don’t need to waste time in visitors. They need a greater transit system. These targets are lastly inside attain! It’s time to say goodbye to gridlock. We tried it for 50 years, and it was unhealthy for our economic system, our well being and our high quality of life.
We’re not going again.
Janno Lieber is MTA Chair and CEO.
