Proposed Move NY Fair Plan Legislation

➤ What the bill does: Directs MNYHTA to distribute money from the MNYM Fund, each year, in the following priority:

1. To TBTA, the amount necessary to make up for reduction in tolls on the 7 MTA bridges. Make-up payments are to be calculated and paid quarterly.
2. To NYC-DOT, the amortized cost of toll collection equipment, as well as maintenance and toll administration costs
3. To NYC-DOT, up to $300 million for actual and verifiable costs of maintaining the East River Bridges
4. To MTA, $487 million, which MTA can use to borrow up to $7.3 billion to fund the 2015-19 Capital Plan
5. To NYC-DOT, $75 million plus any money in category 3 not needed for the East River Bridges, to be used for miscellaneous road and bridge maintenance and improvements
6. To MTA, $121 million to fund improved transit access throughout the 5 NYC boroughs (Subtopic 4)
7. To MTA $300 million, which is to be bonded to create a new $4.566 billion "transit gap investment fund" focused on the 5 boroughs (Subtopic 2 )
8. To MTA, $47 million, which is to be bonded to create a $700 million "suburban transit capital projects fund" focused on Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Orange, Westchester, Putnam and Duchess counties (Subtopic 3)
9. Any remaining money is to be distributed 75% to MTA and 25% to NYC-DOT, to be used for capital projects only.

Read the legislative language: P.A.L. § 97-pppp(5).

➤ Rationale: The first priority for MNYM Fund disbursements is replacing revenue lost from reducing tolls on the 7 MTA bridges, because the original tolls were part of the revenue stream against which MTA has borrowed money. Next, the costs of installing and operating the new tolling equipment are to be covered.

Then, a total of $375 million will be directed to roads and bridges maintained by NYC-DOT (categories 3 and 5). The East River Bridges get priority, based on NYC-DOT's estimates of necessary maintenance over a 10-year time horizon. Beyond that, money is made available to address the large percentage of City roadways in poor to fair condition (PDF pp. 8, 12-17).

Next, MTA receives an amount sufficient to bond up to $7.3 billion for additional funding of its 5-year capital plan. Then, $121 million is allocated to fund various measures that can be taken quickly to make public transit more affordable and available for commuters who now have limited transit alternatives. (For specifics, see Subtopic 4). The next priorities are revenue sufficient to establish two new bonded funds: one will address transit gaps and fund locally-supported transportation projects in each of the five NYC boroughs (For specifics, see Subtopic 2), while the other will support suburban transit improvements. (For specifics, see Subtopic 3).

All money in the MNYM Fund is to be paid out each year, with MTA (75%) and NYC-DOT (25%) splitting anything left after the listed payments. Total revenue from the new tolls and surcharges (net of TBTA toll revenue replacement and toll collection costs) is estimated to be $1.35 billion a year.

To learn more about the rationale for this part of the bill, see NY Congestion Discussion Topic 6 and Move NY Fair Plan (PDF pp. 20-25).

➤ What the bill does: (i) Directs MTA to use revenue from the MNYM Fund to bond a new $4.567 billion Transit Gap Investment Fund (TGI Fund) for use by MTA, NYC Transit Authority, and NYC-DOT to remedy transit deserts, and other gaps in available and affordable public transit, in the 5 boroughs.

Read the legislative language: P.A.L. § 97pppp(5)(g).

(ii) Creates the Transit Gap Investment Fund Board (TGIF Board) with the power to approve which projects are funded. Voting members are the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, the President of the Senate, the Mayor, the Borough Presidents of the 5 NYC boroughs, and the Speaker of the City Council (or representatives appointed by these officials); non-voting members are the president of the Transit Workers Union, the chair of the NYC Transit Riders Council, the president of the Regional Plan Association, and a representative from the transit riders advocacy community to be appointed by the President of the Senate.

Read the legislative language: P.A.L. § 97pppp(5)(g).

(iii) Directs that $3.5 billion of the TGI Fund be used for network expansion projects and instructs the TGIF Board to consider the following projects for funding:

• citywide ferry capital construction ($70M)
• Sheridan Expressway conversion in the Bronx ($70M)
• Triboro RX circumferential rapid transit ($1B)
• BRT on the Northern Shore of Staten Island ($500M)
• bike and pedestrian path widening at the Brooklyn Bridge ($19M) and construction of such paths on the Verrazano Bridge ($50 M)
• conversion of the LIRR Atlantic Avenue line to a subway operated by NYC Transit ($750M)
• initial work on Phase 2 of the Second Ave, subway line ($500M)
• Manhattan crosstown corridor SBS on 14th, 42nd, 57th, 96th streets ($46M)
• new SBS: 125th St. to LaGuardia; Webster Ave. (Bronx); Southern Brooklyn East-West corridor; Southern Bronx East-West corridor; Woodside Ave. in Queens; Utica Ave. in Brooklyn ($83M)
• G Train extension to Queens Plaza or Queensboro Plaza with new pedestrian transfer between the two facilities ($400M)
• free out-of-station transfers between the G line and JMZ lines at the Broadway and Hewes stations ($2M);
• free out-of-station transfers between the G and L lines at the Broadway and Lorimer stations ($2M)
• free out-of-station transfers between the 3 Line at Junius St. station and the L Line at Livonia Ave. station ($1M)
• feasibility studies for reactivation of the Rockaway Beach Branch Line ($2M), and for light rail or BRT along the West Shore of Staten Island ($5M)

The TGIF Board is directed to hold public meetings at which the public can comment on funding proposals.

Read the legislative language: P.A.L. §§ 97pppp(5)(g), 97pppp(5)(g-1).

(iv) Allocates the remaining $1 billion in the TGI Fund to be spent on local transit access projects (e.g., bus shelters, subway station accessibility and streetscape improvements consistent with Vision Zero) in the following amounts:

• $300 million to Brooklyn and Queens
• $175 million to the Bronx and Manhattan
• $50 million to Staten Island;

Also instructs that each community board shall petition for its priority projects, and the final list of projects shall be approved in each borough at the first borough board meeting after the TFIG Board is established; requires that funding be distributed evenly, within a 10% margin, among the various community boards within the borough.

Read the legislative language: P.A.L. § 97pppp(5)(g-2).

(v) Requires that the TGI Fund be allocated within 5 years, and annually audited until the money is gone.

Read the legislative language: P.A.L. § 97pppp(5)(g-3).

➤ Rationale: A large share of NYC's recent job growth, transit ridership gains, and population growth has occurred in the four boroughs outside Manhattan, yet transit service in the boroughs has not kept pace--and the biggest losers have been the city's working poor (PDF). The TGI Fund is targeted to projects that address transit deserts and expand and rehabilitate the transportation network in all boroughs.

The largest portion of the money is under control of the TGIF Board to be used for larger expansion projects in every one of the boroughs. A billion dollars, allocated among the boroughs on the basis of population and transit needs, is under the control of the borough boards, to fund local projects proposed by the various community boards.

➤ What the bill does: (i) Authorizes MTA to establish through bonding a $700 million fund for suburban transit capital projects including:

• converting Tappan Zee express bus service to a BRT line;
• reimbursing counties that operate bus systems for up to 10% of annual operating costs;
• investing in transit-oriented development and increased parking capacity at LIRR and Metro North stations;
• establishing new express rates from points west of the Hudson into the City

(ii) Provides that this fund will be controlled by a board made up of the county executives of Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties, plus the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, and Temporary President of the Senate.

Read the legislative language P.A.L. § 97pppp(5)(h).

➤ Rationale: The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District, for which MTA is responsible, includes the suburban counties of Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester. The new tolls will affect some suburban drivers, so these counties should get in return some new revenue for improving and expanding transportation options and amenities.

➤ What the bill does: Directs MTA to use $121 million from the MNYM Fund (Topic 3.1, category 6) to do the following:

• increase the number and availability of express bus routes
• reduce all express bus fares by one dollar
• expand the City Ticket program to 7 days a week
• expand the City Ticket program to trips taken between NYC and Far Rockaway and between Fordham and Manhattan
• set the fare for LIRR and MNR trips taken wholly within New York to $6 peak and $4 off-peak
• fund the Freedom Ticket proposal of the NYC Transit Riders Council (to create a single, cheaper fare alternative for trips that require a combination of commuter rail and subway or bus) and expand the pilot program throughout NYC, including all express bus routes and LIRR and Metro North stations within the City

Read the legislative language: Bill § 9.

➤ Rationale: These changes can be rapidly implemented to lessen the impact of new tolls by providing commuters with more public transit alternatives at lower cost.

To learn more about the rationale for this part of the bill, see NY Congestion Discussion Topic 6.2 and 6.3 and Move NY Fair Plan (PDF pp. 23-25).