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MTA service improvements delayed

By Marlene Naanes, amNewYork Staff Writer
More stories | MNaanes@am-ny.com

March 11, 2008

The MTA announced that due to MTA real estate taxes service changes designed to increase bus and subway service on the 4, 5, 6 and 1, 2,and 3 lines would be stalled. (Lane Johnson / March 24, 2008)

Riders got the hike, but they won't get the service improvements the MTA promised would go along with higher fares -- at least not right away.

Citing a gloomy real estate market, the MTA put on hold yesterday $30 million in bus and train service improvements that were to start rolling out in June.

Revenue from MTA real estate transactions came in $32 million below expectations in March alone. Total year-to-date real estate revenues are $21 million below budget, officials added. The agency will watch the market and decide in June how to move forward with the 32 service improvements.

"They're not getting the money they expected, but in retrospect maybe they should have held off on the good news announcements," said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign. "They trotted them out to take the edge off the fare hike."

Straphangers packed into crowded trains on the No. 1 line yesterday questioned why they were paying more.

"I think that if they're charging us more, then the service should improve," said Craig Kanig, 24, a student who lives on the Upper West Side.

The improvements, which include adding trains to shave wait times on the congested No. 1, 4 and 6 lines, were approved in December at the same time as the fare hike The agency suggested yesterday that some improvements could go forward as planned.

"Trying to predict what the future is in these volatile markets is something we can't do," said Gary Dellaverson, MTA finance chief.

Three weeks ago, MTA CEO Elliot Sander promised in his State of the MTA address that the improvements would move forward, and the agency was expected to seek board approval this week.

It¹s not the first time this year the MTA announced delays. Last month, the agency announced the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway's completion would again be delayed, until 2015, because of escalating construction costs.

The City Council's Transportation Committee will hold a hearing today that investigates the impact of cost overruns of three transportation agencies, including the MTA.

Some riders yesterday complained of slow service or train delays, which transit officials said yesterday increased early this year. On-time trains decreased by 3.5 percent this January compared to the same month last year, according to the latest statistics.

The agency lowered the goal for on-time trains to 92 percent in 2008, down from the 97-percent level that's been in place for the past two years.

Transit officials did not say Monday why they lowered the goal, but said that reasons for delays include more track work on the line and customers holding doors.

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Some of the proposed service improvements facing delays:

Increase evening service on the 1, 4 and 6 lines and additional early morning service on the 4 line to shave off about two minutes between trains

Increase weekend service on the 7 line to reduce wait times by about two minutes.

Add hours of service on the W and B lines during weekday evenings.

Extend M service to Manhattan on weekday evenings and weekends.

Establish a new bus route from Fordham Plaza to LaGuardia Airport

Extend the B67 service to DUMBO.

Establish a new bus route between Flushing and Fordham Plaza.

Establish a new bus route from Williamsburg to midtown Manhattan.