Enacted Budget Promotes Statewide Transit Sustainability Solutions
Spending Plan Commits $10.2 Billion to Support Public Transportation
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Transportation Chair David Gantt and Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair Amy Paulin today announced that the enacted State Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget invests $10.2 billion in the state's transportation network. New measures will address current and future capital needs at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) by establishing dedicated a revenue stream to prioritize the safety and service reliability of the subway system and to improve access to mass transit in the outer boroughs.
"This budget recognizes that New York has one of the hardest working transportation networks in the world," said Heastie. "The investments in this plan will not only provide for immediate improvements to service and reliability, it will ensure a fiscally responsible path forward for future capital needs."
"With this budget we consider the present and long-term needs of the state's transportation systems but also ways to reduce congestion and improve performance across the board," said Gantt. "Ensuring the safety of the motoring and commuting public remains among our top priorities."
"The transportation solutions offered in this budget are both comprehensive and responsive to the challenges facing our residents, our workers, and our families," said Assemblymember Paulin. "These investments are critical to ending the disruptions that prevent New Yorkers from working, studying, and living to their full potential."
The state and City of New York commit to jointly fund the $836 million Subway Action Plan to address safety, service reliability and other necessary capital investments for the MTA. To provide a long-term revenue stream to support transportation sustainability, the enacted budget includes a per-trip surcharge on for-hire vehicle, yellow taxi, and pooled rides within a newly designated travel zone in the New York City, at a rate of $2.75, $2.50 and seventy-five cents respectively, for all trips below 96th street. These revenues will be collected into an MTA lock box dedicated for the Subway Action Plan, outer borough transit improvements and general transportation needs of the MTA.
In other transit actions, the final budget takes steps to reduce traffic congestion by expanding the New York City Bus Lane Photo Enforcement Program with authorization for fifty new mobile, bus-mounted cameras and longer hours of operation, for the enforcement of bus lane restrictions which are currently enforced from 7 a.m. to 7 .p.m. going to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. These efforts will enhance the existing Bus Lane Camera Program to reduce transit times and improve overall commutes within the city.
To support suburban and upstate transportation needs, the enacted budget includes $104.5 million in capital funding for non-MTA transit and $522.3 million for non-MTA upstate and downstate transit assistance. The Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) and the Marchiselli program will receive $478 million and $100 million is provided Pave NY. Other capital investments include:
- $65 million for extreme weather recovery, which will be distributed to local governments through the CHIPs formula;
- $13.8 million for the Verrazano Narrows Bridge Rebate Program, which will allow for the full restoration of a 24 cent rebate for Staten Island Residents;
- $3 million to upgrade diesel train engines to meet higher emissions standards;
- $500,000 for the South Fork Commuter Connection Bus Service in Suffolk County, and
- $365,000 to counties for STOP DWI and ignition interlock programs.