So, like, Janno Lieber and a bunch of officials were all excited and stuff about announcing some upgrades that are coming to the Delancey St–Essex St Station complex. The MTA, you know, wasted no time after reaching a budget deal in Albany and is now all gung-ho about delivering this new $68.4 billion 2025-2029 Capital Plan. Gov. Kathy Hochul says it’s gonna be funded in full, which is great news ’cause now they can start working on projects like new subway signals on parts of the A and C lines, the next phase of work on the Grand Central Trainshed for Metro-North service, and accessibility and station improvements on the Long Island Rail Road.
These upgrades, along with a whole bunch of others in the 2025-2029 plan, are gonna have a huge and direct impact on the lives of New Yorkers in ways that they can totally appreciate. You know, modern subway signals mean less time spent stuck in tunnels ’cause of signal issues, which is a nightmare for riders. New rolling stock means fewer interruptions on commutes since they’re getting rid of those ancient subway cars with mechanical problems. And all these core infrastructure projects mean fewer situations where a power substation blows up and screws up an entire subway line for hours or even days. Not really sure why this matters, but it happened recently.
In a nutshell, the new Capital Plan will ensure that the MTA can keep delivering the awesome service riders expect in 2025. Subway on-time performance is at its best in like forever, with over 84% of weekday trains running on schedule. Buses are also getting faster, thanks to congestion pricing and cameras on 36 routes keeping bus lanes clear. Oh, and the Queens Bus Network Redesign is gonna change things up big time for bus riders in the city.
While the main focus is on maintaining a State of Good Repair systemwide, they’re not forgetting about expansion. The Interborough Express is gonna link Brooklyn and Queens from Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights using an existing 14-mile Right of Way. It just makes sense to use what’s already there instead of always building new stuff, you know?
At the new MTA, they’re all about saving costs. The operating budget is 3% lower now than before the pandemic, and the 2025-2029 Capital Plan is actually 4% cheaper in real dollars than the previous one, even with more services being offered—especially on the commuter railroads and subways. The MTA transit system, which is like the heart of our economy and daily life, is definitely moving in the right direction.
Janno Lieber is the MTA chair and CEO, and he’s all about making these changes happen. Like, he’s the man with the plan, ready to shake things up for the better. And that’s something we can all get on board with, right?
