Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Carnage

Thursday’s Headlines: MTA-Palooza Edition

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's monthly  board meeting provided a feast of news for the city press yesterday. The Post's "Ironman" David Meyer got three bylines off of the one measly meeting, including that the MTA "missed a key deadline last month to get reforms needed to curb overtime abuse and fraud" (MTA overtime abuse being a longtime preoccupation of the Tabloid of Record), that subway felonies dropped for a second straight month (perhaps obviating the recent, massive infusion of cops), and that an MTA official installed an illegal charging hub for his Tesla on company property.

Guse of the Newsuh, meanwhile, took a less corruption-fueled approach to the same meeting, reporting on the illegal charger but also chronicling advocates' complaints that the authority's online meetings in the time of COVID had damaged the agency's transparency. Guse also delivered an angle on the late delivery of Kawasaki train cars for one of the authority's suburban lines and pushed ahead the weekend story of the electrocution of a worker in a Long Island Rail Road train yard; the authority will halt the project he was working on.

Gothamist, for its part, fulminated that the MTA is refusing to disclose the legal costs associated with fighting accessibility lawsuits. (MTA Chairman Pat Foye dodged Gothamist's question, saying that he would check with his Freedom of Information Law office about getting the figure, but "wouldn't commit to releasing them." Surprise!)

The City's Jose Martinez found a more promising angle: Foy's acknowledgement that he is looking for help from private developers for ADA-mandated accessibility upgrades — this, in a city in which public-private partnerships remain controversial and have a spotty record.

In other news:

    • NYPD Commish Dermot Shea struck another blow against police transparency, this time spurning a City Council request for more disciplinary records. (Gothamist)
    • In more NYPD news, a video showed a cop shoving a funeral-goer into traffic. (The City)
    • The Verrazzano will get a suicide-prevention fence. (SILive)
    • Motorist-on-motorist violence spurs action: Police charged a 21-year-old who killed a veterinarian in a crash on the BQE last year with criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving and speeding. Would that it were true for so much vehicle violence against vulnerable road users. (WCBS)
    • Council Member Peter Koo and Adam Ganser penned a City Limits op-ed promoting a plan for more open green space. Too bad Koo has no clue about real open space — the streets!
    • RIP gasoline. Yay! (WSJ)
    • We look forward to the immortal Clarence Eckerson's next opus. (Via Twitter)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

SOFTBALLS: Eight Takeaways from Trump’s DOT Choice Sean Duffy’s Confirmation Hearing

The former reality star, congressman and Fox News host said "yes" to just about everything during his confirmation hearing — but wasn't asked the hard questions.

January 16, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: ‘Slow Down, Borough President!’ Edition

Why is Vanessa Gibson's driver such a leadfoot? Plus other news.

January 16, 2025

Zona Roberts — Leading Figure in Accessibility — is Dead

The "wheel behind the wheelchair" has died.

January 16, 2025

KOMANOFF: Why I’m Not Scrutinizing Traffic Data Yet (It’s The Rebound Effect, Stupid)

Watch out, there will soon be a rebound ― a bounceback in driving when traffic moves faster, our expert says.

January 15, 2025

Exclusive: New Policy from Tisch Seeks to Reduce High-Speed NYPD Chases

The NYPD will stop initiating dangerous and often high-speed pursuits of suspects fleeing non-violent crimes and traffic infractions — a major reform that Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch hopes will reduce fatalities.

January 15, 2025
See all posts