A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
New York City street users – At a press conference this morning, the City announced street safety gains made in Vision Zero’s first year, including the completion of more than 50 major street redesign projects, with 50 more slated for 2015, starting with the notorious Queens Boulevard. It was also announced that at 19 speed camera locations around the city, speeding dropped 59 percent from September to December.
Former MTA Chiefs Elliot Sander, Jay Walder and Peter Stangl – Joined by advocates, the three former MTA heads came together to demand a fully-funded MTA capital program, saying “The governor, the legislature, and the mayor must do the heavy political lifting to find new revenue sources to fund a $15 billion gap in the program.”
PATH riders, Hudson and Essex County residents, and businesses along PATH – The distressing proposal to eliminate overnight PATH service has been officially and indefinitely tabled following a meeting between Port Authority Chairman John Degnan, NJ state Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.
New Canaan branch and Danbury line commuters – Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy announced that Metro-North’s New Canaan branch will be receiving new, higher-capacity rail cars to offset the projected 44 percent increase in ridership over the next 15 years, and officials are looking at improvements to get Danbury line upgrades back on track.
New York City Council Member Ben Kallos – The council member is working to persuade the MTA to release more bus data more frequently in order to improve service for riders.
Stamford, CT – As part of Stamford’s Street Smart Initiative, the city is hiring a transportation planner as well as a new bureau chief for transportation, traffic and parking, to be charged with “preparation of a transportation master plan and transportation studies” and seeking state and federal grants.
LOSERS
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie – Despite NJDOT Commissioner Jamie Fox declaring an infrastructure crisis and calling for an immediate solution to the Transportation Trust Fund’s insolvency, transportation funding was not mentioned during the Governor’s State of the State speech.
Bergen County, NJ pedestrians – Statistics provided by the New Jersey State Police show that 2014 was the deadliest year for Garden State pedestrians since 1996, and Bergen County was by far the most dangerous, generating renewed calls for the county to adopt and implement a Complete Streets policy.
If the new Metro North train cars each hold fewer riders than the old ones, how can Molloy call them “new, higher-capacity rail cars”? Typical of Molloy. But it would reflect better on TSTC if you fact checked your “winners”. On a daily basis, Metro North trains are late (even with their ridiculous allowance of 5 minutes and 59 seconds after the scheduled arrival time) and crowded. There is no relief in sight as riders have been told to adjust to longer commutes. Taxpayers are leaving the state – voting with their feet as Molloy delays the lock box for a few more years. We need deeds not words – he isn’t serious about supporting transportation.