A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli — In a recent audit, DiNapoli slammed the MTA for its declined on-time performance and wait assessment.
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas –The Houston-area agency overhauled its entire bus network, connecting residents to multiple business centers–not just downtown Houston. With the revamped system, over a million people will be within a half-mile walk of a high-frequency bus stop.
San Francisco Bay Area — Between 2006 and 2013, the Bay Area saw a 3.8 percent drop in solo car commuting, the largest decline of any metro area.
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx — Secretary Foxx convened a meeting this week to jump-start the trans-Hudson Gateway tunnel project.
LOSERS
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo — Governor Cuomo did not attend yesterday’s meeting arranged by Secretary Foxx to discuss the Gateway project. The governor said there was “no reason to meet” unless the federal government offered grants, and not loans, to cover the costs.
New York Senator Tony Avella — Senator Avella criticized plans for a Flushing pedestrian plaza, claiming it would cause congestion and inconvenience drivers. The proposed space isn’t in his district, though, and the site’s actual elected representatives support the plan.
New Jersey taxpayers — Thanks to a recently signed law, Garden State taxpayers will subsidize the development of the American Dream Meadowlands project with up to $350 million in bonds.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan — Governor Hogan officially cancelled Baltimore’s Red Line project, costing the state $100 million in federal funding.
Once again Mr. Cuomo is having a tiffy fit; if he’s not in charge and control of the project, he’ll probably do anything he can to sabotage it, or at least just stand off and snipe at it, IMHO.
Governor Cuomo believes that New York should get all of the benefits of increased business,increased property values and non-resident income taxes without spending any mooney once again showing leech like tendencies.
NYS State Comptroller’s make it a practice to bash the MTA. It’s been going on for at least 30 years since Ned Regan’s time. Advocates always make hay of it but are these audits really useful? Do they add to any intelligent discussion of how to make transit service better or just create tabloid headlines?