Current edition: Mobilizing the Region #483
December 13, 2004
Cool Reception for MTA Tax Plan
MTA Chair Peter Kalikow took a bold and critical step last week when he identified revenue sources to pay for the MTA’s proposed 2005-2009 capital plan. His proposal included raising a variety of fuel, real estate and business taxes that already help pay for MTA capital and operating costs. The measures are predicted to raise $850 million annually if approved by the governor and legislature.
Doomsday at SEPTA: Crystal Ball for NY?
Philadelphia’s mass transit system is at the edge of the fiscal cliff, with huge fare hikes and service cuts on the table. The crisis has prompted Pennsylvania officials to seek permission from the federal government to divert part of the state’s federal highway aid to the transit system as a stop-gap measure.
Come Fight the Fare Increases!
Join the Tri-State Campaign, Straphangers Campaign, TWU Local 100, Transportation Alternatives and others to rally against the 2005 fare hike plan the MTA board will bring to a vote on Thursday.
Call for More Convenient Brooklyn Subways
Councilmembers John Liu and David Yassky joined the Tri-State Campaign last week to call for free street-level MetroCard transfers between Downtown Brooklyn subway stations serving different, non-connecting lines.
Officials Rail Against Hudson Yards Plan
Opponents of Mayor Bloomberg’s West Side stadium plan argued last week that the development rights above the MTA’s Hudson Rail Yards, west of Penn Station, should be valued at $1 billion.
The 70 elected leaders, railroad officials, port operators, state and county transportation officials, planners and advocates attending a Tri-State Campaign symposium in Trenton last week agreed that an extensive public education campaign will be needed if an expanded railroad system is to help reduce the explosive growth of truck traffic in New Jersey.
More Money Needed for Long Island Traffic Calming
The Tri-State Transportation Campaign, elected officials and Vision Long Island celebrated the first project completed under NY State DOT’s "Local Safe Streets and Traffic Calming" program last week at the Barstow Roundabout in Great Neck.
Pedestrian Safety Legislation Moves in NJ
Pending legislation in New Jersey indicates that the state may soon put more rules to protect pedestrians into place. A measure to allow towns greater leeway to install traffic calming devices was signed into law in July (MTR # 469).
| Each week, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign publishes Mobilizing the Region, or MTR. MTR is a bulletin on New Jersey, New York and Connecticut transportation news and opinion from the perspective of advocacy for sustainable transportation. |
| MTR #483 printable format (PDF) file (requires Adobe Acrobat).
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GO TO INDEX of past issues of MTR, since Fall 1994.ll M
Recent editions:
MTR 482-December 6, 2004
MTR 481-November 22, 2004
MTR 480-November 8, 2004
MTR 479-November 1, 2004
