Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bus Rapid Transit

Feds to NYC: “Get on the Bus”

1:17 PM EDT on August 14, 2007

Looking closely at the conditions attached to the $354.5 million federal grant New York City received today, a few things jump out right away:

    1. The final Implementation Plan cooked up by the 17-member committee isn't just going to be a "traffic migitation" plan. To qualify for this funding, New York City is going to have to "use pricing as the principal mechanism" to achieve traffic reductions, according to the Feds.
    2. Keep your eye on the 6.3%. The federal grant demands that whatever plan New York City settles upon, it must reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the congestion zone by 6.3%. Even in relatively simple cases (like, say, removing traffic from Central and Prospect Park) traffic modeling can be a subjective and complex business. Whomever is responsible for inputting data and analyzing the output of New York City's traffic model, is going to be an important person these next few months. I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad that Bruce Schaller is working for the Dept. of Transportation now.
    3. Today is a great day for New York City's bus system. Forget the congestion pricing fight for a moment. The vast majority of this federal money -- 92% of it! -- is going straight into immediate upgrades for New York City's bus system. That is huge. With $213.6 million, the MTA will roll out 367 new buses, upgrade pedestrian walkways around some stations and build a dedicated bus lane across the East River. The grant will also provide $112.7 million to fund New York City's long-promised Bus Rapid Transit project. Ferries get $15.8 million too.

Still, it all depends on New York City and State legislators' approval. But would you vote for a City Council Member or State Legislator who caused New York City to lose a federal grant that was going to provide for $342 million in nearly immediate bus and ferry improvements?

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Wednesday’s Headlines: Another Big Day at City Hall Edition

Today is going to be another busy day for the livable streets crowd. So get ready with today's headlines.

December 6, 2023

Reporter’s Notebook: Will Eric Adams Ever Publicly Embrace Congestion Pricing?

The governor, the head of the MTA and the city's leading transit thinkers all celebrated congestion pricing on Tuesday as an historic moment while Mayor Adams spent Tuesday failing to live up to it.

December 6, 2023

Tuesday’s Headlines: Gridlock Alert — And Gridlock Abort — Day Edition

A "Gridlock Alert" day is a perfect day for supporters of congestion pricing to rally in Union Square! Plus other news.

December 5, 2023

‘Crazy Nonsense’: City Now Allows (Cough) Plateless Vehicles to (Cough) Break Idling Law

City environmental protection officials are now refusing to punish owners of commercial vehicles for idling if the trucks don't have license plates — a move that has enraged citizen enforcers.

December 5, 2023
See all posts