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www.cityhallnews.com
JULY 28, 2010
ISSUE FORUM
CITY HALL
TRANSPORTATION
As Mass Transit Suffers, Tax Credits And Federal Action Provide Solutions BY SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER
T
oday’s economy is fundamentally based on interconnectivity: allowing ideas, and the people who devise them, to move freely from place to place. That is why safe and reliable mass transit matters, why faster rail travel matters, and why affordable air travel that does not compromise passenger comfort matters. While New York has a sophisticated transportation infrastructure, there are additional investments that we need to make. New York has the greatest mass transit system in the nation, but our state’s bus, subway and commuter rail systems are reeling from an economic crisis that has starved them of revenue and subjected them to massive state budget cuts. This, coupled with the aging of the heaviest-traveled systems, has set our transportation systems back instead of propelling them forward. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority alone provides 2.6 billion trips each year, and these riders make up one in every three users of mass transit in the entire country. To further incentivize mass transit, I successfully helped increase the mass transit benefit to $230 for two years for commuters who use mass transit to get to work. As Congress approaches the next transportation reauthorization bill,
it will be important to balance highway funding and mass transit funding. I believe we need to grow the funding pots for both. Rail travel literally shaped our nation, and passenger rail is poised to once again be the preferred mode of moving our masses, especially in New York State. I secured $83 million to begin construction on the long-awaited Moynihan Station in Manhattan, which will perhaps be the greatest indicator of a return to passenger rail’s glory days. The transformation of the Farley Post Office Building will take thousands of passengers out of the cramped Pennsylvania Station structure and into a spacious and iconic train hall, just as Sen. Moynihan wanted, all
the while creating thousands of jobs. Besides facilitating connectivity, rail also encourages economic development, which is why I have been a major proponent of an additional station stop on the No. 7 subway extension on the West Side. I strongly believe it will encourage additional private investment and provide a significant economic boost to the city that helps grow jobs. Rail travel makes good economic sense for upstate New York too, where a relatively dense population is separated by moderate distances between the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Albany. These distances are too close for economic air travel, but far enough to benefit from rapid rail travel. I helped to bring $150 million to begin high-speed rail construction in upstate New York, and I’ll continue to fight for more funding in upcoming transportation bills. Aviation has evolved more dramatically than perhaps any mode of transportation over the last decade. The good old days of flying meant uncrowded airplanes and free in-flight meals. Unfortunately, they also meant cost-prohibitive ticket prices; flying was a luxury that only the wealthiest Americans enjoyed. I’ve worked hard to bring low-cost air carriers to airports across New York State, and we’ve seen a real decrease in the cost of flying. I have also been an
aggressive advocate for Stewart Airport in Orange County to develop into a firstclass regional airport with greater service options for customers. With the airline industry evolving, and in efforts to cut costs, we’re seeing a disturbing trend of nickel-and-diming passengers. Planes are stuffed to overlyfull capacity and in-flight meals can cost as much as dining at a restaurant. Americans have accepted the sacrifices while airlines play catch-up from a soured economy, but too much is too much. I fought to require airlines to be up front about disclosing extra fees, I led an effort to combat carry-on bag fees altogether, and I asked the Food and Drug Administration for better oversight of the food served on airlines. Most significantly, I’ve worked on legislation to bring regional airlines up to the same safety standards of larger commercial carriers. I look forward to the day when all New Yorkers, and all Americans, are given multiple options for transportation, and the transformative impact these options will have on our economy. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat representing New York, is a member of the Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development.
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Eva Moskowitz, right, mulls a 2013 comeback (Page 8), new Council Member Liz Crowley braves the harsh weather for her first day on the job (Page 18)
and Richard Ravitch, left, explains why everyone should get on board his plan to save the MTA (Page 23).
MARTY!
Vol. 3, No. 8
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www.cityhallnews.com
January 2009
The Brooklyn BP on being overlooked, and what he plans to do about it