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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 1d

In the long run, the costs for major projects like these need to come down—they are still well, well above the worldwide norm, which makes upgrading our critical infrastructure far harder than it need be.

Still, kudos for getting things done in a timely, non-disruptive manner.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 1d

Congrats to the MTA & Metro-North for completing phase 1 of the Park Avenue Viaduct replacement $93M under budget and 51 months ahead of schedule!
While the initial budget was too expensive, completing it so quickly & with so little disruption is a major victory.

www.governor.ny.gov/news/governo...

Governor Hochul Announces Phase One Milestone of MTA Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement Project

Governor Hochul announced a major Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) milestone with the completion of bridge replacement work on Phase 1 of the Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement Project.

www.governor.ny.gov

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 2d

Greater New York is facing an unprecedented assault on its vital transportation infrastructure.

Infrastructure is far too important to be used for political games.

ICYMI, read ETA's statement:

www.etany.org/statements/2...

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 5d

Greater New York is facing an unprecedented assault on its vital transportation infrastructure.

Infrastructure is far too important to be used for political games. Read ETA's statement:

www.etany.org/statements/2...

Greater New York is facing an unprecedented assault on its vital transportation infrastructure. According to an announcement by OMB Director Russell Vought on X and later confirmed by the US Department of Transportation, $18 billion in funding for both the Second Avenue Subway and the Gateway Program’s Hudson Tunnel Project is being put “on hold” pending “administrative review.” This announcement comes one day after it came to light that the Department of Homeland Security is planning to deny New York State tens of millions of dollars for transportation security under the Homeland Security Program and Urban Area Security Initiative.

Transportation is the lifeblood of greater New York, and these projects are vital to the economies of not only the region, but the nation. Indeed, the Gateway Program is an investment in capacity right at the heart of the Northeast Corridor, by far the busiest part of the country’s rail network. The current North River Tunnels under the Hudson already carry more than 200,000 people every day, a number poised to grow dramatically once Gateway opens, and desperately need to be rehabbed due to damage from Hurricane Sandy. Phase two of the Second Avenue Subway is projected to carry more than 110,000 people every day. These numbers are why Congress saw fit to appropriate funds for these important projects. It is no exaggeration to say that every significant delay for these programs translates into millions of dollars in lost economic value.

This halt will inevitably cost the taxpayer. In capital construction, time is quite literally money, and this is doubly true for projects already under construction. Work is already underway for both Gateway and Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway; this interruption may force workers in the field to put down their tools. Work schedules, equipment orders, site preparations, and the like are now uncertain. The only guarantee is that when work starts again, the price tag will be higher.

This entire situation is the result of last-minute rule making clearly designed to leave the New York region stuck in a Catch-22. The administration claims that federally required regulations dating back to the Reagan administration are now considered illegal. The MTA followed these regulations in order to be eligible for funding. To then turn around and claim that following those rules makes the program ineligible for funding leaves the region in a no-win scenario. The administration could have discussed concerns with regional leaders and come to some sort of understanding. Instead, the DOTs proposed new rules were created with such haste that, at the time of the announcement of the funding pause, they had not even been entered into the Federal Register.

Congress created the programs and appropriated the funds for these projects, recognizing their importance to the region and the nation. Whatever the reason for stopping the funds, Infrastructure is far too important to be used for political games.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 7d

The region's commuter railroads should move towards a proof-of-payment fare system to reduce operating costs and thus allow more frequent service.

Without service improvements, however, customer-unfriendly ticket policies simply punish riders for an antiquated fare system.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 7d

Not having monthly passes on OMNY cards is a mistake not in line with worldwide best practices.

Most transit operators want regular riders to use passes: they simplify fare enforcement, provide steady revenue, and most importantly, encourage people to ride transit regularly.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 7d

It is good that the MTA has reduced the proposed weekly fare cap to $35 instead of $36 and will make commuter railroad tickets expire at the end of the day instead of after four hours.

However, the MTA's current fare plans are far from ideal:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority @mta.info · 8d

Today, the MTA Board approved changes to fares, tolls, and ticketing policies, all to take effect in 2026.

Read all the fare and policy changes across the subway, buses, Access-A-Ride, @mtalirr.bsky.social, and @mtametronorth.bsky.social here: mta.info/fares2025

Changes to MTA fares and tolls in 2025

mta.info

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 15d

To see how, check out @ndhapple.bsky.social's exemplary Momentum report:

transitcosts.com/momentum/

Momentum

Momentum We have most recently updated this report on 07/18/2025. Download the PDF Printable B&W PDF Nolan presented the report at the release event of the printed version on 08/06/2025. Download...

transitcosts.com

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 15d

We're excited to see commutes shortened for Upper Hudson riders. Kudos to Metro-North for both cutting schedule padding & moving quickly.

The MTA should go farther still & electrify the Hudson Line so that even local Poughkeepsie trains can run under 90 minutes.

www.governor.ny.gov/news/governo...

Governor Hochul Announces MTA Metro-North Railroad ‘Super-Express’ Trips Between Poughkeepsie and New York City to Launch Ahead of Schedule on October 6

Governor Hochul announced the launch of faster “super-express” trains on the Hudson Line between Poughkeepsie and New York City with the upcoming MTA Metro-North Railroad schedule effective Sunday, Oc...

www.governor.ny.gov

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 21d

Incidents like this are not some small operational issue. They should have never happened, and the fact they continue to happen years after OMNY integration is beyond unacceptable.

Transit should never punish riders for riding properly.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 21d

Once again, it seems that the MTA's EAGLE teams are punishing normal riders because they are not using the common fare verification tools (handheld scanners) used by almost every other proof-of-payment system in the world.

www.reddit.com/r/nycrail/co...

Got a summons on the select bus even though I paid using a physical credit card

I took a select bus today and paid my fare using a physical credit card on the OMNY reader. One stop later the fare inspectors requested I show them my banking app to show proof of payment. I told them I used a physical credit card and that the payment wouldn't show up right away under pending transactions since my bank seems to have a delay of 20 or so mins and I had just gotten on and they didn't care. When I asked if they had the scanner to check my credit card they didn't have it and blamed me for not having proof.

I got a written summons and was told to submit my proof to get it dismissed which I will do but this infuriates me since 1. I did pay my fare and 2. What if my phone died or was malfunctioning or I was the type of person to not be tech savvy? This seems to be discriminatory to those who don't or can't have access to a banking app and just want to use a physical card. I wanted to warn others so that they can prevent this situation somehow.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 22d

Another strong contender would be to claim street space to enhance connections to the future IBX.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 22d

This piece highlights many of the things NY could be doing to make its buses better:

* More and better (physically separated) bus lanes
* All door boarding
* Balancing bus stops for quicker service.

All doable changes that could transform how buses move through the city.

Streetsblog NYC @nyc.streetsblog.org · 23d

We need more (and better) bus lanes, an expansion of all-door boarding, and to remove duplicative bus stops in order to bring the MTA's bus system up to par with our peers across the Atlantic.

What New York Can Learn from European Buses - Streetsblog New York City

... Or better said, why the DOT and MTA should sweat the small stuff.

buff.ly

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 26d

We will try to grab a seat outdoors weather permitting.

If it's your first time, keep an eye out for Blair, who will be there with a sign and business cards!

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 26d

TONIGHT, come out and meet with ETA for TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks, September!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

TONIGHT, Friday, September 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at

Vanderbilt Market
45th St & Vanderbilt Ave
Behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · 27d

TOMORROW, come out and meet with ETA for TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks, September!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday, September 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at

Vanderbilt Market
45th St & Vanderbilt Ave
Behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!

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Reposted by Effective Transit Alliance

Jon Orcutt @jonorcutt.bsky.social · 29d

@governor.ny.gov should absolutely veto this bill that time-traveled out of the 1990s via Albany. Read @etany.org’s terrific analysis here www.etany.org/statements/i...

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Sep 8

And now, it's time for passenger trains to leave Penn Station—as a part of through-running service, that is.

Through-running will not only make the best use of limited platform space, but will connect the region in new ways

That's why it's the standard worldwide.

www.etany.org/modernizing-...

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Sep 8

No other city in the world requires two crew on every train, and indeed, most have long since moved on—much as the world has moved on from elevator operators.

Worse, this law would threaten today's service, as well as expansions like the IBX.

www.etany.org/statements/i...

Impeding Progress, Costing Riders — Effective Transit Alliance New York

Bill Banning One-Person Trains Would Lock NY Transit in the Past

www.etany.org

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Sep 8

New York is a special place in a lot of ways, but that doesn't include the reality of how transportation works.

Cities all over the world have long moved to one-person and fully automated trains.

Indeed, we do it in NY right now on the G & M trains, with no effect on safety.

But Blair Lorenzo, the Effective Transit Alliance’s executive director, said experiences in other cities prove otherwise.

”We see this across the world and we see across the country that one-person train operation is incredibly safe, and often no-person train operation is incredibly safe, if designed well,” Lorenzo said. “It’s kind of hard to argue with the fact that there are so many places doing it right now.”

Samuelsen dismissed experiences in other cities, noting New York City’s trains operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day. “ Other cities are other cities, and New York City is unique,” he said.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Aug 28

It's too soon to tell about other Penn Station plans, and through-running does not require agency consolidation.

That said, as ETA has long argued through-running is the right answer for Penn and the region, and is possible with today's infrastructure.

www.etany.org/penn-station...

Penn Station Can Handle the Load: NY is ready for Through-Running — Effective Transit Alliance New York

Through-running at Penn Station would transform regional rail in NYC, and we have the infrastructure to do it. However, in a recent report, Amtrak made fundamentally flawed arguments pushing its unne...

www.etany.org

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Aug 28

The unnecessary, destructive $17B Penn Expansion is dead for now, and for the right reasons.

Through-running service will not only make the best use of Penn's existing capacity, but will open up new ways of regional travel.

gothamist.com/news/feds-ba...

But officials said they would not entertain proposals that would require the razing of a block south of 31st Street, which Amtrak officials had floated for years.

Andy Byford, the former head of NYC Transit who was tapped to lead the Penn Station project for Amtrak earlier this year, said “at the moment we’re putting that on hold.”

Byford said Penn Station’s existing footprint could handle more train traffic if it were to implement “through-running,” or consolidating NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road service so each railroad wouldn’t need to stop and turn around after reaching Midtown.

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Aug 25

A similar massive upgrade will become illegal to perform unless Gov Hochul vetoes the legislature's poorly considered bill requiring two people to operate every train—something required by no other city on Earth.

www.etany.org/statements/i...

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Aug 22

Infrastructure is also an issue, including on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. The power system's current catenary is outdated, and desperately needs replacement by a modern fixed-tension system.

www.etany.org/repairing-no...

If It Can’t Stand the Heat, You Need to Upgrade the Kitchen: Repairing the NEC’s Electrical Systems — Effective Transit Alliance New York

www.etany.org

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Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Aug 22

Some are related to New Jersey Transit, including old rolling stock (currently in the process of replacement) and locomotive-hauled trains that are both slower and less reliable than subway-style multiple unit trains.

Extending electrification would also massively improve reliability.

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