Riding into the Future, MTA’s Plan for the Next 4 Years

New York, NY – The MTA approved its infrastructure plans for the next four years through its 2025-2029 Capital Plan, but not without pushback from transit advocates who are not on board for the ride.

Over 20 members of Riders Alliance, a grassroots movement for public transit, gathered in a rally against Governor Hochul’s abrupt halt on congestion pricing, just outside of the MTA’s board meeting to vote on the Capital Plan.

“Riders need congestion pricing and they need it, like, yesterday,” contends Danna Dennis, senior organizer at Riders Alliance. The governor's sudden about-face on the plan cut an estimate of more than $16 billion to subway upgrades; Riders Alliance believes the gap in funding is critical to making reliable and accessible improvements for a more sustainable transit system.

Dennis says that the rally “is about reminding the board of their duty, to fill this hole that is coming.” She continues that the MTA, and New Yorkers, need congestion pricing for “dedicated funding” to allow projects from the Capital Plan to be fulfilled.

In a June 2024 response to the pause in congestion pricing, MTA Chairman, Janno Lieber, said that he and Governor Hochul sometimes “don't look at things exactly the same.” He added that he is focused on preserving federal funding and making plans on how to “reprioritize, re-sequence, and shrink the current MTA capital program.”

Inside the public meeting, in a unanimous vote, the board approved the plan for the next four years. 

The almost $70 billion Capital Plan for 2025 - 2029, which Lieber says is “the largest in MTA history,” has several projects outlined. New initiatives include the modernization of fare gates at 150 stations, development plans for 60 new, accessible stations and the addition of 2,000 railcars. The MTA claims these proposals are in line with their 20 year assessment plan, "The Future Rides With Us," a blueprint for the MTA’s long-term goals.

But with the indefinite pause of congestion pricing by Governor Hochul, gaps on how the Capital Plan will be funded came into question. “Where is the money gonna come from?” asks Howard Birnbaum, resident and member of the Queens Community Board 6, echoing other members of the public in attendance at the meeting.

Lieber says he is “optimistic” that legislators in Albany understand the need for funding, adding,  “New Yorkers depend more on public transit on a daily basis than any other governmental service or activity to enable their lives.”

“It's a start, but there are some deficiencies with the Capital Plan," says Jack Neirenburg, Vice President of Passengers United, a New York transit advocacy group. Neirenburg added that he wants to see more efforts that benefit transit desert areas. 

Another project from the Capital Plan outlines a transit desert initiative, the Interborough Express (IBX), a project with a budget close to $3 billion. It aims to build a new rapid, light rail-line service to connect and improve transit access to underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens.

The MTA is expected to send its 2025-2029 Capital Plan to Albany for approval from the state’s Capital Program Review Board by October 1.