NY State Senate Strike Stopgap Compromise Plan for MTA Bailout

The Democrat-run New York State State Senate reached a compromise – with itself – on a MTA funding plan which doesn’t include East River Tolls, but includes an increase in payroll tax and increased rider fares:

Democrats in the State Senate finally have a plan they say will plug the M.T.A.’s current $1.2 billion operating deficit with a payroll tax and four percent fare increase, but does not address the authority’s long-term spending needs.
…
According to Smith, who was flanked by a dozen senators including many who blocked him from including tolls, the plan includes:

  • A payroll tax at 25 cents for $100 of payroll, down from 33 cents in the Ravitch plan. This will raise $987 million.
  • A fare increase of four percent, down from eight. This will raise $117 million.

Again, as last week’s podcast discussed, this whole charade is a failure of leadership by Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith who couldn’t cajole his own Senators in line. Yet another reason why New York City should partition into its own state.

Circus Elephants’ Annual Walk Through Queens Midtown Tunnel @ 11:30 PM on 3/23

P3219885P3219885, originally uploaded by John Zwinck

It’s that time of year, notwithstanding PETA’s objections, Ringling Brother’s Circus is bringing elephants through the Queens Midtown Tunnel:

A total of ten Asian elephants, nine horses and three ponies, along with animal trainers and escorts, are coming to Manhattan to appear in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The annual “elephant parade” route is through the north tube of the QMT. The circus entourage will exit the tunnel in Manhattan and make its way westward across E.34th Street to Madison Square Garden, where the show runs from Sun., March 26th through Mon., April 13th.
Those interested in viewing the procession should wait on the Manhattan-side of the tunnel at E.37th Street between Second and Third Avenues beginning around midnight to see the circus group emerge from the mile-long tunnel.

If you haven’t seen this, it is well worth your time. Prime viewing spots are on 34th Street as they cross Manhattan or when they emerge from the tunnel on 37th street at 3rd Avenue. Anywhere east will be closed off.
Later
If you missed the elephants, check out photos by Digiart2001 and check out the Gothamist photo pool.

Shameless plug


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Tuesday, My Earnings Report is Late, Links

Q1 2009 Current Major Transportation Capital Projects in New York City


Over the weekend I was in a conversation discussing the different transportation capital improvements currently in process in the New York City Region. Below is a current list as of the First Quarter (Q1) of 2009 for all major capital improvements by the MTA and the Port Authority. If you step back, there are an amazing amount of infrastructure and transportation capital projects occurring in the NYC Region. Note: capital campaigns are separately funded from the operational budgets. The current MTA budgetary issues are operating, not capital. But without additional funding, in both operating and capital budgets, the current level of service the MTA provides will degrade back in to the 1970’s level of service.
Current Major Transportation Capital Projects in New York City:

South Ferry Terminal

  • Status: Grand Opening Today
  • New York City Transit (MTA)
  • Budget – $530 million (Federal Transit Administration)

The South Ferry Terminal is a new station of the 1 Line in Lower Manhattan replacing the original turn-back loop which can only fit the first five cars. This project was slated to open in early 2009 but has been plagued with accessibility issues and other performance issues.
Today is the official Grand Opening

Second Avenue Subway

  • Status: Phase 1 est. completion 2015
  • New York City Transit (MTA)
  • Current Budget – $337 million (Phase One only)

The first new subway line in over 30 years, the Second Avenue Subway is halfway through Phase One. Phase One includes new tunnels from 105th Street and Second Avenue to 63rd Street and Third Avenue, with new stations along Second Avenue at 96th, 86th and 72nd Streets. Once Phase One is complete, the Q train will be extended from its current terminus at Lex/63rd Street up Second Avenue stopping at 72nd, 86th, and 96th Streets. Phase Two (125th St. to 96th St.) is scheduled for 2014-2017, Phase Three (63rd St. to Houston St.) for 2015-2018 and Phase Four (Houston St. to Hanover Sqr.) 2017-2020. The main reason the project’s schedule is so long is the lack of secured funding.

7 Line Extension

  • Status: tunnel boring began – est. completion 2010
  • New York City Transit (MTA)
  • Extension of the 7 Line west to Tenth Avenue then South to a new 34th Street Station.
  • Current Budget – $2 billion (financed by NYC bonds)

Extension of the 7 Line to service the existing Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (the extension was originally proposed for the failed 2012 Olympic Bid and the failed NY Jets Stadium at Hudson Yards). Currently, there is a tunnel boring machine running north from 29th St/11th Ave.

East Side Access

  • Status: Tunelling
  • Project Completion 2015
  • Long Island Railroad (MTA)
  • Current Budget – $6.3 billion

East Side Access will bring Long Island Railroad service to Grand Central Terminal using the existing 63rd Street Tunnels and two new sets of tunnels connecting both ends of the 63rd Street Tunnels. One set of approach tunnels pass under the existing Sunnyside Yards while the other tunnels pass under the existing Metro North Tunnels on Park Avenue and terminate at Grand Central. Project is estimated to be complete in 2015.

Fulton Street Transit Center Project

  • Status: Unknown
  • New York City Transit (MTA)
  • Linking 12 Downtown Subway Lines
  • Current Budget – $1.4 billion ($497 million from HR-1 Stimulus Package)

Stations served by the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, E, J, M, R, W and Z services will be rehabilitated and connected via an east-west underground passageway designed by Grimshaw Architects. A high-visibility Transit Center will be constructed, with entrances on Broadway between Fulton Street and John Street. The station will be handicapped accessible.

World Trade Center Transportation Complex

  • Status: Construction of subsurface tunnels
  • Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
  • New Commuter Rail Station
  • Current Budget – $3.2 billion

Designed by Santiago Calatrava, this transit center will house the terminus for the PATH trains at World Trade. Initial foundations are complete and sections of the structure have been erected.

Access to the Region’s Core

  • Status: initial contracts
  • Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
  • New commuter tunnels under the Hudson River to Penn Station
  • Current Budget – $8.7 billion (NJ State $2.7 billion, PANYNJ $3 billion, $3 Federal)

ARC is a new two-tunnel (single track) project creating a single-seat trap for New Jersey Transit riders to Penn Station doubling the current capacity. Creation of two new Hudson River tunnels and new deep-cavity terminal connected to Penn Station. The first contracts were announced last week.

Moynihan Station

  • Status: unknown
  • Amtrak, New Jersey Transit

This project has a particular place in my heart, a project which typifies large capital construction in New York City. Last week Senator Schumer was seeking federal funding for Moynihan Station with Amtrak moving into the future Moynihan Station. Currently the project is in negotiations between the City, State, Federal governments and the two developers involved in the project Related and Vornado. Keep wishing.

Snakebit – A Film About Samuel Mockbee & the Rural Studio

Mockbee Rural Studio - Mason Bend CommCenter-01Mockbee Rural Studio – Mason Bend CommCenter-01, originally uploaded by greco2104

Snakebit is a documentary film on Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio:

Snakebit is a documentary film on the late architect Samuel Mockbee and the radical educational design/build program known as the Rural Studio that he co-founded deep in poverty-stricken Hale County, Alabama. Awarded a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant and the American Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal Award for his work at the Rural Studio, Mockbee was an artist, builder and educator who instilled his passion and philosophy in those he believed will become a new generation of “citizen architects.” Snakebit is a 60-minute film for PBS that explores the effort by Mockbee to inject architecture’s future practitioners with the knowledge and passion to improve their community’s quality of life by putting compassion and ethical responsibilities at the heart of their design.