NYMTC Committee Considers Candidates for Downstate MIS
On December 1, 1994, the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council's (NYMTC) Program, Finance and Administration Committee met and adopted a list of candidates for downstate major investment studies. The adoption of the list, which omits the Cross-Westchester I-287 highway expansion, the Gowanus Expressway reconstruction project and the Goethals Bridge highway expansion was met with unanimous and vociferous oral objection by four Tri-State Transportation Campaign groups, a number of its affiliates, its executive director and others including the Brooklyn Borough President's borough engineer. The Campaign also submitted written testimony on the process of defining and choosing major investment projects. The major investment study regulation puts teeth into ISTEA's call for thorough examination of a wide range of social and environmental consequences of large-scale transportation policy decisions by requiring explicit review economic, energy, equity and other factors for regionally significant transportation projects. The Campaign received a letter from NYMTC director Ray Ruggieri shortly after the meeting expressing NYMTC's desire to sit down with us and others to develop better procedures for defining and identifying major investment projects. Interestingly, he disowned the list of candidates, saying it was developed by the agencies, and that the Campaign would have to do what we have to do about it. This is either disingenuous on Ruggieri's part or further confirmation of his complete lack of influence on transportation policy decisions, especially since NYMTC is granted an explicit role in determining major investment study actions. Some of our groups are reviewing next steps. The next relevant NYMTC meeting is February 16, 1995, where revision to the major investment study identification and definition procedure may take place.
