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Service Diversions 05-08

Posted by
on May 8th, 2009 at 6:05 am

I have just updated the service diversions page with the latest scheduled diversions for the weekend & upcoming week (and beyond in some cases). Don’t forget to check in for any changes to the page. I also suggest printing out a copy of the page to use while riding the system. Have a safe & wonderful weekend!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions
1

Ronkonkoma Parking Lot Renovations Begin May 11th

Posted by
on May 8th, 2009 at 6:04 am

Yesterday afternoon, the Long Island Rail Road sent out a press release via e-mail to announce Ronkonkoma parking lot renovations will begin May 11th. Here are the complete details:

Work to improve the parking area located on the northeast side of the tracks at the MTA Long Island Rail Road Ronkonkoma Station is to begin May 11. The work will be done in two stages. Work on the western half of the lot will proceed first. Commuters will still be able to use the eastern half of the lot until work on the western half is completed by the end of August. At that time, customers will be able to use the western half of the lot, as work is completed on the eastern half. The project is expected to be completed by December 31.

Alternative parking during the work may be found in the garage. Handicapped and additional street-level parking may also be found in areas to the west of the garage and bus loop.

The rehabilitation work includes the installation of new drainage, curbs, sidewalks, asphalt paving, lighting, striping, signage, fencing and landscaping.

The parking lot will have approximately 300 spaces. There are approximately 6,095 parking spaces at the LIRR’s Ronkonkoma Station. Since 1986, over 14,000 new, rehabilitated or replacement parking spaces have been added in the LIRR service area under the MTA LIRR Capital Program. Approximately $4 million is budgeted for the new lot under the MTA LIRR Capital Program.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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SAS To Receive $79M In Stimulus Money

Posted by
on May 7th, 2009 at 8:09 pm

February was the last time I blogged about stimulus money for the MTA. In that entry, I talked about the MTA’s desire to use some of the money for the Fulton Transit Center. However a more important project will be receiving federal stimulus money & that is none other than the Second Avenue Subway. The project is slated to receive $79M in stimulus money. Jason Fink of AMNY has more in this brief report:

The long-delayed Second Avenue subway will receive $79 million from the economic stimulus bill passed this year, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan), announced today.

The money will be used for the first phase of the project, which includes stations at 96th, 86th and 72nd streets on Second Avenue. This section is expected to be complete by 2016.

Click here for the complete report.

This news while good is sure to get lost in the current cycle of the MTA bailout being passed & MTA CEO/Execuite Director Elliot Sander resigning. This is project has faced so many delays & really needs to be completed to its full potential. While this money won’t come close to being enough for such a result, every bit helps.

x

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11

MTA CEO Elliot Sander Resigns

Posted by
on May 7th, 2009 at 5:30 pm

Not even 24 hours after Albany officially passed a MTA rescue bill, a shakeup at the often criticized agency has taken place. MTA CEO/Executive Director Elliot Sander has resigned. His resignation will take effect on May 22nd. Lets take a look at the official statement from Mr. Sander released by the MTA via e-mail:

It has been a great honor to lead the 70,000 hard-working men and women who run the world’s greatest public transportation system. I am tremendously proud of our accomplishments making the M.T.A. a leaner, more efficient and effective organization. Each of the M.T.A.’s agencies is performing at peak levels, the relationship with our employees is dramatically improved and we communicate more frequently with our customers.

The integration of the M.T.A.’s three bus companies, the merging of back office functions across 7 agencies and the introduction of line general managers on the subway system will save the M.T.A. millions and improve the agency’s performance. New innovations like rider report cards, text message alerts and Select Bus Service have improved the customer experience. There is more work to be done, but I leave confident knowing the M.T.A. is headed in the right direction.

I am grateful to Governor Paterson and Governor Spitzer for this wonderful opportunity. I wish Governor Paterson the best of luck in choosing a successor who will build on the progress the M.T.A. has made over the past two and a half years.

Now lets take a look at a report by the New York Times’ William Neuman:

The chief executive of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said on Thursday that he was resigning to give Gov. David A. Paterson the chance to take the authority in “a different direction.” The chief executive, Elliot G. Sander, submitted his resignation on the same day that Mr. Paterson signed into law a financial rescue package for the authority.

The rescue package also included a series of reforms meant to make the authority more accountable, including a change to combine the positions of chairman and chief executive.

That gives Mr. Paterson the chance to clear the rails at the authority and put his own imprint on it.

Mr. Sander’s resignation is to take effect May 22. The new law states that Mr. Hemmerdinger’s term, which would normally have lasted until 2011, will expire in 30 days.

The governor may then appoint a new chairman — or reappoint Mr. Hemmerdinger. The new chairman will also be chief executive, making him more powerful than either Mr. Sander or Mr. Hemmerdinger have been.

Mr. Sander said that he told the governor’s aides several weeks ago that when the new law passed he would offer to resign. He met with a top aide to Mr. Paterson on Thursday.

Click here for the complete report.

This is truly a sad day in the world of mass transit in our region. In the short amount of time Elliot was on the job, it was clear he had a vision & more importantly a plan to improve & grow our mass transit system. Considering what he was giving to work with, I felt he did a tremendous job.

My feelings on this remain just as strong as they were back in March when talk of his days being numbered were in full force. I stand by feelings 100% that the likely replacement will be a huge step backwards for the agency. However should I be surprised by asinine MTA related decision by Albany? They have shown for decades how clueless they truly are. This is just another example in a rich tradition of the wrong kind.

Elliot Sander, thank you for your quality service & know that you will be missed.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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8

State Legislature Passes MTA Rescue Bill

Posted by
on May 7th, 2009 at 1:38 am

Hooray, hooray….. Albany saved the MTA & the millions of riders who depend on it. While some understand how much sarcasm I am oozing at moment, lets not take away from what “appears” to be good news to the common rider who does not know how the MTA works. The State Legislature officially passed the MTA rescue bill just a short time ago.

Lets take a look at the New York Times piece which talks about the bill’s passage while also acknowledging the questions that exist on how effective the bill really is. William Neuman & Nicholas Confessore had this to say:

The State Legislature passed a series of new taxes and fees late Wednesday night meant to keep New York’s base subway fare from rising above $2.25 this year. But the hastily drafted bill, approved largely along party lines, raised many questions about how the plan would work and how effective it would be in stabilizing the struggling Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

In the short term, the plan would appear to raise significantly less money this year than in some earlier projections, although legislative staff members said it would be enough to get the authority through the year.

There were also questions about how a 50-cent surcharge on yellow cab rides in New York City would be collected from thousands of taxi drivers and owners.

And in the Senate, Republicans harshly criticized a promise in the bill to have the state reimburse school districts for the cost of a payroll tax, saying there was no guarantee the promise would be kept.

Questions also remained about the authority’s capital spending program, which is only partially financed in the rescue plan.

Click here for the complete report.

As noted in the New York Times piece I just presented, Republicans were critical of the proposal. Politicker NY’s Jimmy Vielkind has more on this angle:

Republicans have started formally making their case against the M.T.A. bailout bill, voicing objections for the record that will not, barring some unforeseen act, affect its final passage.

In the State Senate, Democrats Martin Malave Dilan and Bill Perkins answered questions as best they could. Dilan weathered the most blistering of the Republican storm, getting grilled by State Senators John Flanagan and Tom Libous.

Flanagan attempted to ask Dilan whether the bill, which he considered a “mandate,” would be subject to an executive order issued last week by David Paterson requiring more stringent reporting related to mandates.

Click here for the complete report.

The Republicans were fighting a losing battle after Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith swayed the last 2 Democratic Senators to his side. So their resistance towards the bill was nothing more than showmanship. While I agree that the bill should not have passed, the intentions I am basing it on versus the Republicans is completely different.

Regardless of what some might feel is good of this bill being passed, transit advocates know that this is not a victory. This is more of a long term defeat masquerading as a victory. When the MTA comes back in no time with more facts that show long term solutions are needed, what will Albany & the supporters of this bill say?

Their answers should be extremely interesting as either they will own up to the reality of what is needed or will continue to live in a fantasy world where stop-gap measures will fix the problem.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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