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Ex-MTA Czar Leaked Confidential Information

Posted by
on May 21st, 2021 at 6:03 pm

The leaking or confidential information especially on the higher levels of agencies, corporations, governments, etc… are common. So it comes as no surprise to find out that an ex-MTA czar was leaking confidential information. The leaker in this case was former czar Alex Elegudin who violated ethic rules when giving advance notice to a contractor that their bid was going to fail. David Meyer of the New York Post has more:

The former accessibility czar for New York City’s subways and buses quit last year after he violated ethics rules by giving an MTA contractor advance notice that its bid was going to be rejected — while firing off emails to transit officials imploring them to reconsider, the agency’s inspector general revealed Thursday.

Alex Elegudin leaked the impending decision on Curb Mobility’s bid to operate taxis for disabled New Yorkers to a company exec, Jason Gross, in August 2020 — at the same time the contract selection committee met to make its final call, informing him that Curb’s bid was too expensive, IG Carolyn Pokorny said.

Gross proceeded to call his designated contact on the committee, claiming he’d accidentally submitted incorrect price figures.

Click here for the complete story.

As I said it comes as no surprise that the agency dealt with leaks as it is bound to happen. What is unfortunate is how Alex weaseled his way out the door before being properly dealt with.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Metro-North To Penn Station Project Update

Posted by
on May 19th, 2021 at 4:57 pm

Earlier today, the MTA announced more details on their Metro North to Penn Station project which includes the building of 4 new stations in the Bronx. Here is more via the press release they sent me:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that it has published the Environmental Assessment for its Metro-North Penn Station Access Project, which will bring Metro-North service to the west side commuter hub and add four new stations in the Bronx. The publication begins a 45-day period for public comment. As part of this comment period, the public will be able to review project documents online and in-person at sites in the Bronx, including the Morris Park Community Association and the Bronx Jewish Community Council. A virtual public meeting on the project will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, June 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The project will bring local MTA rail service to the rail line currently used by Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor for the first time and will significantly reduce travel times for East Bronx residents. The commute from Parkchester to Penn Station, currently up to 60 minutes, will be cut to as little as 20 minutes. The commute from Hunts Point to Penn Station, currently up to 45 minutes, will be cut to as little as 16 minutes. In addition to quicker access to Midtown Manhattan, East Bronx residents will now have access to job and leisure destinations that were previously difficult to reach in Westchester and Connecticut.

As part of the project, four new Metro-North stations will be built at Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park and Co-op City.

“Additional mass transit capacity is always a plus for the environment,” said Janno Lieber, President of MTA Construction & Development. “With this project we also have the additional environmental benefit of rebuilding an existing rail facility to provide more service for more people rather than building a whole new line from scratch.”

“To be able to expand to another part of the Bronx and to help our customers more easily reach the west side of Manhattan and other employment destinations in the region is a major development and incredibly exciting for us,” said Catherine Rinaldi, President of Metro-North Railroad. “This project will give the East Bronx and all of our customers better transit options which translates to more economic and social opportunities for all.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the resumption of the Penn Station Access Project on May 13. The project had been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic which put the Authority’s historic 2020-2024 Capital Plan mostly on hold. The reopened process will result in the selection of a firm to design and build the four new Metro-North Railroad stations and make track upgrades in the Bronx, and bring Metro-North to the East Bronx. The MTA had identified three consortia qualified to bid for the project in February 2020, three weeks before COVID-19 arrived in New York.

The project is one of numerous efforts to make Metro-North service more attractive and useful in the Bronx. Metro-North doubled off-peak and weekend service at Melrose and Tremont in 2017 and doubled service between Manhattan and Fordham in 2019. The last Metro-North station to be newly built was also in the Bronx, at Yankees-E. 153rd Street in 2009.

Metro-North Penn Access riders from the Bronx and the New Haven Line will arrive at a Penn Station that will ultimately be transformed from the confines long familiar to Long Island Rail Road riders. The spacious new Moynihan Train Hall and a new entrance at 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue opened earlier this year. Work is now underway to nearly double the width and increase the height of the 33rd Street corridor that is the central spine of the Long Island Rail Road concourse.

The construction of the four new Bronx Metro-North stations comes at the same time the MTA is working to transform Penn Station into a world-class, 21st-century transportation hub by doubling the width and increasing the height of the 33rd Street corridor at Penn Station. The transformation of Penn Station will unite the passenger spaces of the MTA, NJ Transit and Amtrak into one larger, simplified space, bring in natural light from outside the station, and further improve passenger flow to and from trains within the station.

Read the Penn Station Access Environmental Assessment, comment on the project and see meeting details at https://pennstationaccess.info

Truth be told, while I do see the value this project has to the region, it is not something I would be pushing for to happen as fast as possible. Our transit structure is in a terrible state & money should be spent fixing that up first along with the creation of more pressing subway related projects.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Metro North Penn Station Project Resumes

Posted by
on May 13th, 2021 at 3:40 pm

The plandemic caused damage & delays in every imaginable way to people & businesses. The MTA was not spared this as it saw such things like the Metro-North Railroad Penn Station access project. Earlier today, the worst governor in the United States of America, responsible for the death of thousands (aka murderer), announced that the project will resume. Here is more via the press release I received:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the resumption of the Metro-North Penn Station Access Project, which had been paused by the COVID-19 pandemic and MTA funding uncertainty. The reopened process will select a firm to design and build four new Metro-North Railroad stations and make track upgrades in the Bronx. The MTA had identified three consortia qualified to bid for the project in February 2020, three weeks before COVID-19’s arrival in New York raised questions about funding the historic 2020-2024 capital program. Devastating financial losses and uncertainty related to the pandemic led the MTA to pause the capital program and procurement process.

 

The Governor also announced that the federal government has given the MTA approval to publish the draft Environmental Assessment for public comment.

 

“As vaccination rates go up and COVID-19 abates, it’s time to refocus our efforts on the critical infrastructure projects we need to deliver for New York’s future and economic recovery from the pandemic,” Governor Cuomo said. “Connecting Metro-North to Penn Station has long been an important next step not just for New York City’s economic growth and development, but for protecting our environment and providing more equitable access to transit in our communities. This restarted selection process for a firm to build four new stations will expand access to transit in the Bronx and help to create a new corridor between Manhattan and the Mid-Hudson region.”

 

With Capital Program funding becoming clearer as a result of critically needed Federal support, the MTA is moving forward to seek formal bids from the three consortia. At the same time, the MTA is making preparations for a 45-day comment period that would accompany a formal environmental review of the project. As part of that process, the public will be able to review project documents online and at physical in-person sites in the Bronx, including the Morris Park Community Association and the Bronx Jewish Community Council.

 

“The most cost-effective capital projects are those that squeeze more mass transit service out of existing infrastructure, rather than always building something new from scratch,” said Janno Lieber, President of MTA Construction & Development. “By rebuilding this under-utilized Amtrak rail line to accommodate new Metro-North service, this project will give East Bronx residents better access to jobs, education and a full range of opportunities.”

 

“This is an exciting project that will be as transformative for Metro-North as it is for the Bronx,” said Catherine Rinaldi, President of MTA Metro-North Railroad. “We look forward to doing everything we can to support this project to bring Metro-North service to an entirely new part of the Bronx and give customers on our New Haven Line — historically our busiest — a choice of new destinations as they plan their travel.”

 

Governor Cuomo proposed the project in his 2014 State of the State address and dedicated $250 million to it in 2015. The project will bring four fully accessible Metro-North stations to the Bronx – at Hunts Point, Parkchester, Morris Park and Co-Op City. Trains stopping at those stations will serve an extension of the New Haven Line, offering rail commutation options in the east Bronx to midtown Manhattan as well as points in Westchester County and Connecticut.

 

The commute from Co-op City to Penn Station, currently 75 minutes, will be cut to 25 minutes. The commute from Hunts Point to Penn Station, currently 45 minutes, will be cut to 16 minutes.

 

Metro-North trains will use a rail line owned by Amtrak that has long been used by Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor trains, which travel through the area without stopping. This project will upgrade the line and update its infrastructure systems at the same time that it brings local MTA service to the line for the first time.

 

The project is one of numerous efforts to make Metro-North service more attractive and useful in the Bronx. Metro-North doubled off-peak and weekend service at Melrose and Tremont in 2017 and doubled service between Manhattan and Fordham in 2019 by eliminating a longstanding prohibition inherited from previous private railroads on the use of New Haven Line trains already making those station stops. The last Metro-North station to be newly built where none had been before was also in the Bronx, at Yankees-E. 153rd Street, which opened on May 23, 2009.

 

Metro-North riders from the Bronx and full New Haven Line will arrive at a Penn Station that has been transformed from the confines long familiar to Long Island Rail Road riders. The spacious new Moynihan Train Hall and a new entrance at 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue have already opened. Work is now underway to nearly double the width and height of the 33rd Street corridor that is the central spine of the Long Island Rail Road concourse.

 

Further work to transform Penn Station into a world-class, 21st-century transportation hub will occur simultaneously with the construction of the four new Bronx Metro-North stations. Crews at Penn Station will unite the passenger spaces of the MTA, NJ Transit and Amtrak into one larger, simplified space, bring in natural light from the streetscape, and further widen and heighten the passenger areas.

 

NYS Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, “The introduction of a Metro-North Station for the Northeast Bronx, long viewed as a transportation desert, is a major victory for residents. I would like to thank all of our elected officials and community leaders who have worked to make this a reality. Infrastructure development projects such as this are key to improving connectivity for Bronxites, while also allowing for more seamless travel to and from Manhattan, helping to revitalize our local economy as we reopen and recover from the COVID shutdown.”

Rep. Ritchie Torres said, “Our mass transit system is the backbone of our economy and it is imperative that no community gets left behind. We are fortunate that this important project is moving along once again, and I applaud the Governor and his team for their vision and for fighting to make sure our communities are more interconnected as we recover from the COVID crisis.”

Rep. Jamaal Bowman said, “Expanding and enhancing our transit network will be key in building back better, more equitable communities. These four additional trains stations will help reduce our dependence on cars and make many people’s commutes more seamless, which can go a long way in fueling the economic growth we need. Our office has been working hard with the MTA to get this in motion, and I’m glad that we were able to work with Governor Cuomo’s office to make this possible and bring these improvements to families in the Bronx.”

 

Senator Jamaal Bailey said, “Metro-North has long been an important conduit for economic development in New York City and the Mid-Hudson region, and connecting it to Penn Station is the next step in a process to open up New York for mass transit. This project will help expand equitable access to mass transit and encourage more people to reduce their reliance on cars. The Bronx has suffered for far too long from limited infrastructure investment, leaving transit deserts in places where sizable populations of people reside. I represent Co-Op City, which is a unique community that has for too long suffered from transportation inequity. With the completion of this Metro-North station, Co-Op residents will have more reliable rapid transit. I thank Governor Cuomo for his steadfast commitment to this important infrastructure project for New York’s future and look forward to seeing the four stations open throughout the Bronx.”

 

Assemblyman Michael Benedetto said, “The people of the Bronx and Co-op City are delighted by this announcement. We have been waiting a long time and we appreciate the Governor’s commitment to the project.”

 

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, “The Metro-North Railroad has long provided a vital economic and social connection between Westchester County and New York City, and expanding it to Penn Station is a commonsense step that will bring huge economic benefits to our county. Governor Cuomo has championed this project and I am heartened to see it move forward, even in the midst of the terrible COVID-19 pandemic. This won’t just help commuters travel from Westchester to Manhattan; it will also help residents, businesses and families move from the Bronx to our county and provide new opportunities for commerce and economic development in the region.”

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said, “Ensuring equitable access to mass transit is important to reach underserved communities and reduce our reliance on less efficient means of transportation. Governor Cuomo has championed this infrastructure improvement for the entire region and I thank him for his dedication to getting it done despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This project is a critical step forward expanding opportunities to take mass transit in the Bronx and providing an economic conduit between the Mid-Hudson region and New York City.”

 

Regional Plan Association President & CEO Tom Wright said, “Penn Access is a terrific project, repurposing existing rail infrastructure to provide new capacity, connectivity and resiliency, and providing critical transit accessibility to historically under-served communities in the Bronx. RPA looks forward to working with communities and the MTA to make sure we take full advantage of this transformational investment.”

Never forget that Cuomo is a murderer and is responsible for the deaths of thousands under his watch.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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New Haven Line Schedule Adjustments

Posted by
on May 12th, 2021 at 7:48 pm

Just a short time ago, the MTA Metro-North Railroad announced schedule adjustments for the New Haven Line due to track work. Here are the details via the press release I received:

MTA Metro-North Railroad today announced that crews will perform New Haven Line track work between Larchmont and Harrison starting May 17 to ensure the continuing safety and reliability of the line. As a result, the railroad is making minor schedule adjustments to mid-day and evening trains. Among the track work tasks, crews will re-level the tracks to ensure proper height in relation to the overhead wires that power the trains using a routine, periodic process known as “undercutting” because it adjusts the level of the ballast, or stabilizing stones, under the tracks.

To accommodate the work, three mid-day Grand Central-bound local trains from Stamford will operate between five to eight minutes later, and four Stamford-bound local trains evening trains will operate between two and 10 minutes later.

All adjusted departure times will be shown in the Metro-North Train Time and MYmta apps and downloadable PDF timetables showing the changes will be available at http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/planning/schedules/schedules.htm.

Transit Blogger

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MTA Seeking Tenants For Pearl River Station

Posted by
on May 12th, 2021 at 6:12 pm

The MTA announced that it is seeking tenants for the Metro-North Railroad’s Pearl River station. Here is more via the press release I received:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Construction & Development today announced that it is seeking a retail tenant for the Metro-North Railroad station at Pearl River, N.Y. Prospective tenants will also have access to the 1,250 square foot station building just steps from the station platform, and sidewalk space for outdoor spacing possibilities. Metro-North has made state-of-good repair improvements to the station building and platform over the last year.

The request for proposal (RFP) is part of MTA Real Estate’s Station Leasing Program, an initiative to transform commuter rail station houses into retail space to give customers the best possible experience, and help build up downtown business that was not previously at these stations. Recent successes include The Bakehouse at the Tarrytown station, who remained open during the pandemic, serving the local community and honored as a ‘Comeback Hero’ award by Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi last week.

“This program has been successful throughout the Metro-North region bringing quality retail to our stations, and we hope to build off that,” said Janno Lieber, President of MTA Construction & Development. “The Pearl River train station building presents a nice opportunity to add retail for our commuters that will also complement the existing downtown business district.”

“Customer experience is a major element of Metro-North’s mission statement,” President Rinaldi said. “The Station Leasing Program betters that experience by giving people more reasons to visit our station, while helping improve the community, and I am looking forward to welcoming another success story.”

“A big piece of bringing riders back to the railroad is transforming the customer experience,” said MTA Board Member Randy Glucksman. “Once completed our West-of-Hudson riders will have an additional reason to stop by the Pearl River station.”

“It is crucial that we invest in our West-of-Hudson infrastructure and communities,” said MTA Board Member Frank Borelli Jr. “This RFP will help revitalize the downtown area as much as the Pearl River station itself.”

The MTA Real Estate Department leases retail spaces throughout its service area. Retail opportunities in the MTA system range from full service restaurants, to newsstands and cafés. The Real Estate Department also leases and licenses parking lots and industrial spaces within its territory.

This comprehensive, successful program includes lease holders at the following Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road stations:

Metro-North

  • Mount Kisco 
  • Tarrytown 
  • Tuckahoe 
  • Hastings-on-Hudson 
  • Peekskill (coming soon)

LIRR

  • Great Neck 
  • Brentwood (formerly) 
  • Riverhead 
  • Speonk (coming soon) 
  • Kew Gardens (coming soon)

Business owners interested can view the RFP at MTA’s Real Estate webpage. Proposals for must be received by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021.

If you know anyone who is interested, reach out to the MTA & take advantage of a great opportunity for your business.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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