This Week: MTA Reinvention Commission Hearings

The big happening this week is a series of public hearings held by MTA Reinvention Commission, which will inform the agency’s next five-year capital plan and address other long-term issues facing the region’s transit system — if Governor Cuomo adopts its recommendations.

The commission will host public hearings at its Midtown headquarters today from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Members of the public interested in speaking are asked to register in advance. The hearings will be webcast, and comments are being accepted online.

Before each public hearing, the commission will hear from transit experts. Today’s expert panel, beginning at 1 p.m., features NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, New York State DOT Commissioner Joan McDonald, Riders Alliance Executive Director John Raskin, and Joshua Schank of the ENO Center for Transportation, among others. Expert panels run on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and  on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Here are other events happening this week:

  • Wednesday: New York State DOT is hosting the second of two public meetings on the Kosciuszko Bridge replacement project. Last week’s meeting was in Brooklyn; this week’s is in Sunnyside. The new bridge will be wider and include a bike-pedestrian path over Newtown Creek. 6 p.m.
  • Also Wednesday: Join Transportation Alternatives for a Vision Zero workshop in Jackson Heights and Corona to brainstorm ideas for improving street safety in Queens. 7 p.m.
  • Saturday: TA activists are putting on a scavenger hunt along Queens Boulevard. Be on the look-out for local photo-ops, the best and worst street behavior, and tasty treats along the way. 11 a.m.
  • Also Saturday: TA is kicking off a campaign to improve bike access across the Harlem River with the first of three “street scans.” Join local residents and campaign partners to craft recommendations from cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists. 2 p.m.

Keep an eye on the calendar for updated listings. Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

MTA Announces Public Hearings for Reinvention Commission Next Week

By Stephen Miller |
As promised, the MTA has put out a schedule for the public to weigh in on the transportation “reinvention commission” convened by Governor Cuomo as the authority formulates its next five-year capital plan. The MTA says it is seeking input on different aspects of the capital plan, such as resiliency, demographic and ridership changes, jurisdictional […]

What We Know So Far About Cuomo’s MTA Reinvention Commission

By Stephen Miller |
In early May, Governor Andrew Cuomo directed the MTA to create a “transportation reinvention” panel as the authority prepared its next five-year capital plan. Members were appointed late last month, and the commission has launched Facebook and Twitter accounts. But details about its agenda and how open it will be to the public are scant. […]

Cuomo’s MTA Commission Declines to Endorse New Funding Source

By Stephen Miller |
If you were hoping the release of the MTA Reinvention Commission report would be the moment when Governor Andrew Cuomo comes to his senses and makes an aggressive push to fund the region’s transit system by fixing its dysfunctional tolling structure, don’t hold your breath. Yesterday, Dana Rubinstein at Capital New York published a draft […]