In July, the MTA and Cuomo proposed a plan to fund the program with $17 billion generated by the authority, $8.3 billion in state aid and $3.2 billion from the city.
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“The state has made an unprecedented commitment to the health of the MTA system, the final structure of which will be subject to negotiations with the Legislature in the context of a statewide transportation plan next session”, said Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi.
“I look forward to working with the governor whenever it can serve the people of New York City, and in this case we were able to serve the people of New York City”, Mr.de Blasio said of his relationship with Mr. Cuomo today.
At the State’s direction, the MTA recently reduced the Capital Program Review Board component of the Capital Program from $29 billion to $26.8 billion by utilizing alternative delivery methods such as design-build and public-private partnerships, as well as streamlined and negotiated procurement processes.
The State will not divert any funds or fail to provide any funding committed to this Capital Program or due and owing to the MTA for any other expenses unless in accordance with the provisions of Executive Law 182 passed in 2011.
“If the state issues the bonds and the state pays it back with state funds, then the rider is not affected”, Pally said.
Gene Russianoff, attorney for the Straphangers Campaign, said investments in past years had helped maintain the largest transit system in North America.
“The ridership has gone way up in the system”, he said.
Prendergast said the agency has “plenty of work to do and we’re eager to get started”.
Cuomo on Monday said the added spending from the city and state will allow the MTA to upgrade stations, purchase 1,000 new subway cars and 1,400 new buses.
Rebuild New York, which advocates for increased investments in infrastructure, called on state officials to make upstate New York’s bridges and roads a priority during next year’s budget talks.
The governor laughed off a question about how he and de Blasio announced the deal on Saturday, just two days after Cuomo said the sides weren’t close to an agreement.
“I don’t blame any New Yorker who doesn’t spend all day focused on the governmental operations”, Mr.de Blasio said, when asked if it was frustrating City Hall often takes the blame for bad commutes even though he doesn’t set MTA policy.
The city originally had offered to put in $657 million. The City guarantees $2.5 billion to be provided to the MTA by city sources.
De Blasio noted the caveats.
“But it’ll also be better for the economy”, Cuomo said.
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The city’s growth and success has always been linked to transportation infrastructure, from its position beside New York harbour to the Erie Canal to the subway system, according to Lucius Riccio, a former city transportation commissioner and past MTA board member who’s now a senior lecturer at Columbia University and New York University.
