The Capital Program will buy thousands of new subway cars, train cars and buses; invest $2.8 billion in subway station improvements; finish installing positive train control on Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road; and more.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) board approved its 2015-19 Capital Program, the largest investment ever in the subways, buses, railroads, bridges and tunnels that keep New York moving.
The Capital Program will buy thousands of new subway cars, train cars and buses; invest $2.8 billion in subway station improvements; finish installing positive train control on Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road; bring countdown clocks to the majority of subway stations; begin work on extending the Second Avenue Subway to East Harlem; build a new LIRR station in Elmhurst, Queens; and construct four new Metro-North stations in underserved areas of the Bronx.
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“Since our first Capital Program in 1982, we have invested more than $100 billion to rescue our mass transit network from near-collapse and make it an engine of growth for the entire region,” said MTA Chairman/CEO Thomas F. Prendergast.
The revised Program totals $29 billion, almost 10% less than the $32 billion Program first proposed a year ago. It includes $21.6 billion in core investments in the MTA’s subways, buses and railroads; $4.5 billion for the East Side Access, Penn Access and Second Avenue Subway projects; and $2.9 billion for MTA Bridges and Tunnels.
The Program is fully funded with $11.8 billion in MTA funds, an $8.3 billion commitment from Gov. Cuomo, $6.4 billion in federal funds and $2.5 billion committed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
To deliver these projects at a lower cost, the MTA will use innovative methods such as design-build, negotiated procurement processes and public-private partnerships to operate more efficiently, spread risk more broadly and take advantage of innovative techniques. The MTA will continue its strategy of replacing deteriorated components, rather than entire systems, which has been successful in addressing subway station conditions and will now be expanded to power supplies, subway structures and other areas.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
