2008 began and ended very differently for New York, and transportation was no exception. The first half of the year was dominated by discussion of New York City’s congestion pricing proposal to fund MTA projects and reduce traffic. In March, Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned, throwing state government into turmoil. By the end of the year, the global economic slowdown had sent the MTA, the state, and NYC scrambling for funds and put the MTA on the brink of financial collapse. From a policy perspective, 2008 has seen steady improvement from state and city agencies. But the fiscal crisis could overwhelm recent policy innovations and mean a harsh 2009, especially for transit riders.

MTA

The MTA began 2008 with an ambitious vision. CEO Lee Sander held the first “State of the MTA” address in March, describing a planned 5-year capital program that would be the agency’s largest ever and complete the LIRR East Side Access connection into Grand Central and the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway.

But financial realities quickly set in, as the agency continued to strain under a debt load caused by years of underfunding by the state and city, and its disastrous decision (backed by then-Gov. Pataki) to borrow billions of dollars in 2000. A fare increase went into effect in March, the MTA withdrew planned service increases, congestion pricing failed to make it through the State Legislature, and many capital projects including the LIRR Third Track were delayed.

As the problem unfolded, Gov. Paterson created a commission, led by former MTA chairman Richard Ravitch, charged with fixing the MTA’s finances. The commission began work in the summer and released its report in December, recommending a payroll tax and East River bridge tolls to fill the agency’s operating and capital needs and increase service, especially for bus riders. At the end of the year, the MTA unveiled a doomsday budget of fare hikes and service cuts that will be staved off only if state elected officials adopt the Ravitch Commission plan or an alternative which raises a similar amount of money.

The Ravitch Commission report also included several recommendations to improve the MTA’s transparency and governance, which were much-needed. During the congestion pricing debate, it became clear that public distrust of the agency had an impact on elected officials’ willingness to support increased transit funding.

MTA staff displayed more policy  innovation than in years past, though the MTA is still far behind many of the other transportation agencies in the state and city. Under Sander, the MTA made progress towards regional bus, launched NYC’s first bus rapid transit route, and announced it would study high-speed tolling on its bridges and tunnels. Individual MTA agencies have made progress on promoting development near its transit stations, although the agency has been slow to launch a formal program. The agency is also working to improve its relationship with the riding public, via line managers and a new service advisory text and email alert system.

Trend in 2008: Up, but policy improvements won’t mean much if the MTA’s financial issues lead to drastic service cuts and fare hikes in 2009.

NY State Department of Transportation

The Tappan Zee/I-287 Corridor project was one of the biggest stories of the year for NYSDOT. In January, the project was split into two phases, with bridge construction to begin before the planned transit system. During the summer, MTR learned that the project would include land-use training for communities in the corridor. In September, the team announced that it had made its transit selection, a combination of cross-corridor bus rapid transit and Rockland-Manhattan commuter rail (an option it previously dropped from considertation, reexamining it only after advocacy from TSTC and others). However, the state is still determining how to finance the project.

NYSDOT seemed to gain policy momentum as the tumult caused by Gov. Spitzer’s resignation faded. In the second half of the year, NYSDOT enacted new truck regulations upstate, and launched a smart growth website and the “GreenLITES” sustainability rating system for new projects. A teardown of the Sheridan Expressway began to look more likely after changes to the project in July. In August, Gov. Paterson vetoed a bill which would have killed the LITRIM transfer station planned for Brentwood, a project that will allow more of Long Island’s freight to move via rail.

Advocates on Long Island engaged NYSDOT Region 10 over connecting land use to transportation projects, though few conclusions were reached in 2008. More evidence that Long Island’s old-school planning was flawed came in when TSTC analyses found that the Hempstead Turnpike in Nassau County was the deadliest road in the region and that Nassau was the second-most dangerous county in downstate NY for pedestrians over 65. In response, Gov. Paterson announced a SafeSeniors program to make selected locations safer for seniors to walk, with the first projects in Long Island. Advocates also got an early Christmas present when many of Region 10’s planned road widening projects were delayed because of budget issues.

Trend in 2008: Up.

NYC Department of Transportation/New York City

Progressive transportation reform in NYC seems to have barely been deterred by the non-passage of congestion pricing. A strategic plan released in April and November’s World Class Streets report made it clear that the agency, using the values espoused by Mayor Bloomberg’s plaNYC initiative, is thinking comprehensively about how to make NYC a more pedestrian-, cyclist-, and transit-oriented city (see examples of 2008 public space projects here). The agency also co-sponsored the Select Bus Service BRT program.

This focus was backed by other city actions. At the beginning of the year, NYC announced it was cutting parking permits for city employees by 20% — then ended up slashing them by over 50%. New City Planning regulations, proposed in November, would require new buildings to include secure bicycle storage.

This month, NYCDOT found that cycling had increased over 35% in 2008 over last year, showing that bike improvements have made a difference. However, bike network funding could be halved due to citywide budget cuts.

Trend in 2008: Still rising.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Little transportation news came out of the Port Authority during the beginning of the year. That changed in May with the hiring of Chris Ward as the agency’s new executive director. Soon after, the Port Authority selected a consultant for its study of cashless tolling on all of its bridges and tunnels.

The authority then announced a series of improvements to its bus facilities. In July, MTR learned that the PA was close to recommending a second Lincoln Tunnel bus lane (however, an official announcement has been slow to materialize). In August, the PA said that a renovation of the PA Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan would increase bus capacity at the crowded station. In October, the PA announced it was also increasing capacity at the George Washington Bridge Bus Station and that the replacement Goethals Bridge would include bus/carpool lanes in each direction.

The agency wrapped up the year with two big rail freight announcements. In November, rail freight operator CSX began operating “direct flight” service on the Staten Island Railroad spur refurbished by the PA earlier in the decade. A week later, the PA announced it was beginning a regional freight management study and would start work on an Environmental Impact Statement for a Brooklyn-NJ Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel which would eliminate millions of truck trips annually.

Trend in 2008: Up.

Big Questions for New York’s Agencies

Although 2008 saw much progress in New York, there are major questions facing all agencies.

New York City’s current administration has a proven understanding that a livable city prioritizes transit, pedestrians, and cyclists. The big question is whether it can keep the pace in a city election year and with city and state officials dealing with budget issues and some constituencies questioning new bus lanes and livable streets projects.  Good goals for the city in 2009 would be rolling out multiple BRT routes and getting the State Legislature to allow bus lane enforcement cameras. (NYCDOT certainly seems active on bus issues; in fact, Commissioner Sadik-Khan told the Wall Street Journal that one of her New Year’s resolutions was getting signal priority for buses on Fifth and Madison Aves.)

On Long Island, the big question is whether any elected officials will stand up for transit. Local opposition seems to be holding back vital projects like a third track on the LIRR Main Line, and the MTA’s doomsday budget would hit Long Island Bus especially hard (LI Bus fares could rise from $2 to $3.50). The Ravitch proposal to create a regional bus authority will greatly benefit the Island, but the idea will not move without elected champions.

For NYSDOT, the big question is whether it can build on 2008’s reforms and perform a grand gesture to demonstrate its commitment to smart growth.  A corridor planning effort that links transportation and land use (similar to existing programs in New Jersey) or a teardown of the Sheridan Expressway would qualify. The agency also needs to find a sensible way to finance the Tappan Zee Bridge project.

The Port Authority announced many bus improvements this year, but has to decide whether it can take the next step — a comprehensive plan to improve bus travel across its entire system. Commuters would reap huge benefits from dedicated bus lanes on all Hudson River crossings, for example.

While car traffic in New York City and much of the region declined in 2008 due to high gas prices and a economic slowdown, communities throughout New York continued to struggle with increasing truck traffic. On Long Island, can NYSDOT get community buy-in for a truck-rail intermodal facility? Will NYCDOT find a way to connect livable streets initiatives and community protection from truck traffic? And, with the Port Authority in charge of the project, could 2009 see major progress on the Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel? The agency’s regional freight management study could also identify policy solutions.

But the most important question of all is whether New York will fund the MTA, and how that question is answered will define what 2009 means for our regional transportation network. If the Ravitch Commission plan is passed, it will save MTA riders from service cuts and also provide enough money to dramatically expand bus service and fund a major 5-year capital plan like the one the MTA envisioned early this year. If no solution is found, it could be the end of over 25 years of transit system improvements and 15 years of increased transit ridership in the NY metropolitan region.