Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo Drives Old-Timey Car Across Brand New Bridge While Sticking NYers With Old-Timey Transit System

The governor celebrates his transportation infrastructure achievement by driving FDR’s old car over the new Kosciuzsko Bridge. Imagery: @NYGovCuomo

In case you missed it, Andrew Cuomo spent Thursday reveling in the glory that is the new Kosciuszko Bridge.

The governor’s Twitter feed was wall-to-wall Kosciuszko beginning Wednesday night, ahead of a light and music show -- another Cuomo production -- broadcast live online when the bridge officially opened to traffic not long before midnight yesterday.

The coup de grace of the daytime festivities: Cuomo motoring across the bridge, alone, in a 1932 Packard once owned by Franklin D. Roosevelt. As it happens, FDR's car is the same vintage as many components in the signal system of the New York City subway.

The difference is that the signal system isn't a museum piece that Cuomo can commandeer for a day -- it's real equipment that keeps millions of people moving on a 24/7 rail system. Equipment made from parts that ceased to be manufactured long ago, which the MTA now refurbishes in-house. Equipment that leads to a staggering number of subway delays. Equipment that was superseded by modern technology decades ago.

The MTA awarded the first contract to upgrade the signal system in 1999. The potential to improve the capacity and reliability of the subways is huge, but today only one subway line has modern signals. What has Cuomo done to accelerate the replacement of this key system?

At a time when severe transit delays have become an everyday fact of life for New Yorkers -- with multiple incidents in the past week alone -- we can’t think of a more suitable image of Cuomo's tenure as MTA boss than the video below: a remix of Cuomo's ride from Andrew Simone.

Be sure to turn up the sound to get the full effect, and to muffle your sobs.

https://twitter.com/asimone/status/857633785269166080

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday Video: Check Out Lorde On a Bike!

The Kiwi singer is on the top of the charts — and in our bike-riding hearts.

April 25, 2025

RELAX: A New City Rule for Private Seating in Public Space Is More of the Same

A proposed new rule governing how much space restaurants can occupy on open streets is hardly controversial, John Surico writes.

April 25, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Double DOT Incompetence Edition

What this city needs is a place to walk on the Queensboro Bridge ... and for the federal DOT to get out of our way. Plus other news.

April 25, 2025

Breaking: US DOT Threatens Cities for ‘Santuary,’ ‘DEI’ Policies

Advocates are raising the alarm about yet another vague and disturbingly broad letter from Sean Duffy — and the fierce battle that's likely to follow it.

April 24, 2025
See all posts