Regional Plan Association (RPA) released a report that addresses the benefits of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) proposed 2025-2029 Capital Plan titled “How MTA’s Capital Plan Benefits All New Yorkers.” The Report emphasizes the role the Capital Plan will play in ensuring the nation’s most complex transit system is made more reliable for the 2.1 million daily commuters.
Benefits of the Capital Plan
The plan is estimated to generate $106 billion in economic output and create 72,000 jobs on average over the five-year period.
By upgrading vital infrastructure, riders will experience fewer disruptions and delays. By modernizing the signal system, for example, riders can save up to 12,000 cumulative hours each weekday.
“It’s no secret that New York’s transit system is the largest in the nation, supporting the most job-dense region in the U.S. Having a plan in place that addresses its most pressing problems that impact rider experience and economic output should be at the top of our region’s priorities,” said Rachel Weinberger, co-author of the report and RPA’s Peter Herman Chair for Transportation at RPA. “The MTA’s Capital Plan is good for the economy and will allow a safer and more comfortable experience for every transit user.”
The 2025-2029 Capital Plan is the largest proposal of repair investment in MTA history. The plan shows 90% of the budget prioritizing system reconstruction and structural improvements.
Focusing on the People.
RPA’s analysis underscores the vast scale of ridership on the MTA transit system, with 37% of the region’s workers and 22% of all New York State workers making up the ridership.
The report also emphasizes the millions of riders who utilize MTA public transit are a diverse group that reflects the New York region’s diversity.
“Funding the MTA Capital Plan is not simply an investment in the MTA,” Chris Jones, co-author and senior research fellow at RPA. “It is an investment in the people that rely on it daily, and in everyone who is part of the region’s thriving workforces and economy. This Capital Plan is one that recognizes and respects the time of its riders, remains committed to increased safety, and reimagines what the experience for those visiting, working, and living in New York could look like.”
The Capital Plan is expected to address priority transit needs, specifically safety, reliability, frequency, waiting times, and crowding.
The plan hopes to accomplish this by installing at least 75 miles of entirely new signal systems, reconstructing or creating new substations in the subway and commuter rail systems, purchasing 1,500 new subway cars, 500 commuter rail cars, and 2,500 new buses, upgrading subway and commuter rail lines, and improving ADA accessibility.
