Testimony of Noah Budnick, Projects Director, Transportation Alternatives

Roosevelt Hotel, New York City

Hello, my name is Noah Budnick. I am Projects Director for Transportation Alternatives, the advocates for bicyclists, pedestrians and sensible transportation. Today, I will focus on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) proposed toll increases on its bridges and tunnels, and the MTA's proposal to raise fares for New York City Transit Subway and Buses and reduce station staffing.

Transportation Alternatives supports the highest possible toll increase on MTA's Bridges and Tunnels. Raising the fee to cross the Bronx-Whitestone, Cross Bay, Henry Hudson, Marine Parkway, Throgs Neck, Triborough and Verrazzano Narrows Bridges and the Brooklyn-Battery and Queens-Midtown Tunnels will raise much needed revenue for the MTA and decrease congestion by discouraging unnecessary crossings. The MTA should also increase the use of high-speed tolling and institute peak hour pricing on these bridges and tunnels. According to "A Value Pricing Toll Plan for the MTA," a new report released by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, peak hour tolling-charging more during rush hours and less during other times-would save commuters time while offering significant dollar savings to motorists traveling outside of peak traffic periods. Peak hour tolling works on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Port Authority's crossings, so drivers in the New York metropolitan area are already accustomed to it.

Furthermore, the MTA should support Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to toll New York City's East River Bridges. Tolling the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and Queensboro Bridges will raise hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from motorists who currently avoid the tolled crossings and cross into Manhattan for free. In addition to raising much needed revenue, tolling the East River Bridges will divert the swarm of motorists driving through residential neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens in an effort to get a free ride into Manhattan.

Transportation Alternatives opposes any proposed increase in New York City Transit Subway and Bus fares. City subways and buses move 84% of the state's transit riders, but New York City only receives 63% of Albany's total transit aid. City riders pay 60% of the cost of running the subway and bus system, a higher percentage than anywhere in New York and the United States! New York City Transit riders are also shortchanged on service; the result is crowding and often slow and unreliable service. Ridership on city subways and buses is at its highest level in a half century, but service lags badly. Since 1996, annual subway ridership has risen 29%, but service has only increased 11%. Bus ridership has soared 50% in five years, but service has increased only 27%. The MTA cannot ask riders to pay more for less. It's not fair and will only hurt ridership, the economy and New York.

The MTA must make MetroCard fare discounts more accessible to low- and moderate-income riders. Low- and moderate-income riders make heavy use of the 7-day, $17 unlimited-ride pass, and the MTA should take steps to make MetroCard fare discounts more accessible to these riders by: replacing lost or stolen 30-day MetroCards, offering 14-day unlimited-ride and 5-day unlimited-ride "flexible" MetroCards, restructuring the 10% bonus on MetroCard purchases of $15 or more, and more aggressively promoting increased participation in "TransitChek."

Transportation Alternatives opposes token booth closings and reduction in subway station staffing. Aside from the obvious and dire effect closing token booths will have on the safety of straphangers and overall ridership, this reduction in service will have an adverse effect on people carrying large packages, strollers and bicycles through service gates in subway stations. This will cripple New York City Transit's bicycle policy, which is considered the best 'bikes aboard' policy in the United States, and will deter New Yorkers from cycling. Currently, bikes are allowed on the subway 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Cyclists are asked to avoid rush hours, and conductors may ask cyclists to wait if a train is too crowded. But notably, to New York City Transit's credit, there are no blanket restrictions. Yet, this nationally recognized policy is only as good as the access provided through station service gates, because it is nearly impossible to get a bicycle, or stroller, wheelchair or other large package, through a turnstile. If token booths are closed and station staff reduced, cyclists, parents with strollers and the disabled will be shut out of the subway.
Thank you.