Current edition: Mobilizing the Region #493
March 7, 2005
MTA Faces Huge Budget Pressures
Plenty of news coverage has described the shortfall Governor George Pataki’s recent budget plan represents for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s 2005-2009 capital program. The Governor outlined only a $19 billion five year program, in contrast to the nearly $28 billion sought by the MTA..
Mayor Bloomberg’s election year opposition to the proposed cross-harbor freight rail tunnel does not of itself spell doom for the project. The tunnel plan has reservoirs of support throughout the NYC political, civic, business and transportation establishments, and there will be time after the mayoral election this November to sort out city government’s official position on the plan.
New Jersey is considering legislation to get NJ Transit into the ferry business. In mid-February, as the Port Authority ended months of speculation that ferry service from New Jersey to Manhattan could see a serious diminution in service, the New Jersey Assembly approved bill A.3674, authorizing NJ Transit to take over ferry systems that fail.
Strike is Latest Blow to Bee-Line
The strike that has stranded tens of thousands of Westchester Bee-Line bus riders is the latest evidence that mass transit service in New York’s suburbs operates on an untenable shoe-string, with virtually no ability to plan for the future.
Transportation Alternatives gives New York City passing if not stellar grades for bicycle-friendliness in the organization’s 8th annual NYC Bicycling Report Card.
Full Market Value for MTA's Atlantic Yards?
Last week, Forest City Ratner agreed to pay the MTA "full market value" for development rights above the Atlantic Yards site in Brooklyn, though does not identify what that value is.
| 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 #493 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 492-March 1, 2005
MTR 491-February 21, 2005
MTR 490-February 14, 2005
MTR 489-February 7, 2005
