The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board approved a series of capital projects that will allow the transit system to improve in 2025. 

The projects include the acquisition of more reliable subway cars, new Long Island Rail Road locomotives, station accessibility improvements, and signal upgrades for the A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens.

These projects, several being funded with revenue from congestion pricing, will reduce future maintenance costs across the system and give customers higher performing, more reliable infrastructure.

“We’re moving forward with transformative projects including accessibility work at 10 stations, hundreds of modern railcars, and critical work supported funded by congestion pricing like modern signals and the Second Avenue Subway,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “And we’re continuing to build better faster and cheaper thanks to innovative tools like Design-Build and bundling projects.”

MTA's Progress

The MTA is continuing to modernize its rolling stock with an additional 435 R211 subway cars and up to 44 new dual mode Long Island Rail Road locomotives. New York City Transit is also ordering 355 closed-end cars and 80 open gangway cars, bringing the total number of R211 cars on order to 1,610.

The new railcars will replace the R46 cars which first entered service between 1975 and 1978. These new cars are about five times more reliable and can travel an average of 220,000 miles before requiring maintenance for mechanical issues.

The R211 features security cameras in every car, more accessible seating, brighter lights, clearer signage, and 58-inch wide door openings.

Additional LIRR Railcars

Long Island Rail Road is exercising Option 3 of a previously awarded contract to order up to 44 dual mode locomotives to replace their existing diesel locomotives. 

For 2024, the Long Island Railroad has achieved a higher year-to-date on-time performance of 95.7%, compared to the same period in 219 while running 40% more services. Additionally, the Long Island Railroad announced its best November in recorded history with an on-time performance rate of 96.2% and service delivery rate of 99.6%.

The new locomotives will provide more reliable service and are rated Tier IV compliant, cutting airborne pollutants by more than 85%.

Additional Measures

The MTA continues to complete Americans with Disability Act (ADA) projects, delivering more ADA stations in the last five years than in the previous ten years combined.

MTA Construction & Development has completed work on 15 stations this year, and there are currently 36 subway stations under construction.

The MTA Board approved and awarded a contract for Northwood Av, Myrtle Av, Avenue I, Burnside av, and Middletown Road stations recently.

Several of these critical projects are supported by funds expected to be generated from congestion pricing.