(The following appeared on the Newsday website on August 10, 2009.)
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Monday released the first draft of the newest capital budget, which seeks to fund major transit infrastructure projects over the next five years.
The 2010-2029 Twenty Year Needs and Preliminary 2010-2014 Capital Program proposes to spend $25.5 billion on efforts including its ongoing East Side Access project, which will expand the Long Island Rail Road into Grand Central Terminal, creating a Second Avenue subway line and a regional bus analysis “to learn about the opportunities and challenges of a more unified regional bus system,” MTA officials said.
“The MTA’s capital program is critical to maintaining the system that supports our economy, and we’re pleased to be able to release the plan early to promote transparency and public input,” said Helena E. Williams, the MTA’s interim chief. “We are ready to manage this capital program budget with new controls in place to mitigate risk, control costs and operate with full accountability.”
The project also seeks to fund new technologies and the purchase of 500 subway cars, 2,800 buses and 410 rail cars for the LIRR and Metro North Railroad. The budget will be funded through a combination of local, state and federal funds as well as through new borrowings.
The MTA is encouraging the public to submit comments on the plan at www.mta.info.