Updated (1:30 p.m.): Say good bye to the W and Z trains, good weekend service and low fares.
In a 12-1 vote, the MTA Board has approved its so-called Doomsday budget in its legally mandated effort to balance its budget.
The new fare structure will be as I detailed last night (and as presented below), and the new fare rates are set to go into effect on May 31. Late-night and weekend service cuts could go into effect even earlier, and the Z and W trains along with numerous bus routes will be eliminated in their entirety.
Po
This is truly a sad day for supporters and riders of transit in New York City, and the blame for this lies squarely with Albany.
While the battle for now has been lost, there is a faint glimmer of hope. The MTA Board said that today was not the final Doomsday. If Albany acts soon, the Board could put off the service cuts and reduce the fare hike. Politicker NY’s Eliot Brown reports:
Still, the drama continues, as this was not actually the drop-dead deadline for avoiding the fare hike. As many MTA board members noted, the board can take back the action should Albany agree on a new funding package. The fare hikes are slated to go into effect in June, while the service cuts would start earlier.
The Mayor’s Office however warned of at Albany punt. Albany could enact a short-term measure that is a politically popular measure but does nothing to address the inherent problems of the MTA. Writes Brown:
Jeff Kay, a mayoral appointee on the board and director of the mayor’s Office of Operations, was rather pessimistic, suggesting that even if there is a rescue, it will only be a short-term fix that doesn’t get at the root of the problem (not enough long-term reliable funding).
It’s possible, Kay said, that “they’ll come through with what’s politically expedient, which is, make sure fare hikes don’t go into effect.” But even so, “we will be back in two months saying we still have a problem if they just do the politically expedient thing.”
The drama continues.
- Pay-per-ride subway and bus fares increase from $2 to $2.50. Whether the 15 percent discount will remain is up for debate.
- Express bus fares will increse from $5 to $6.25.
- 1-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCards increase from $7.50 to $9.50.
- 7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCards increase from $25 to $31.
- 14-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCards increase from $47 to $59.
- 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCards increase from $81 to $103.
8 comments
The fare hike takes effect May 31, but I can’t find a date for the W and Z eliminations. I want to ride the last Z train ever.
They haven’t said yet. That probably won’t be announced until next month or early May. I’ll have it up on site when it is.
My guess would be if they eliminate the Z and W, the changes would go into effect on June 28.
[…] the ink has hardly dried on the MTA Board’s imprimatur to the fare hikes and service cuts, transit advocates are gearing up for another round of hikes. Unfortunately for transit-dependent […]
[…] inaction has left the MTA with no choice. Last week, the MTA Board approved a package of fare hikes and service cuts designed to eliminate a budget gap in excess of $1.2 billion. With New Yorkers’ collective […]
[…] the MTA raised the fares two weeks ago, the agency announced May 31 as the first day of the new fares. Now, thanks to a New York 1 report, details about the service […]
[…] plan to institute bridge tolls on the East River Bridges began to die a slow death. The MTA Board approved its Doomsday budget by month’s end, and the Second Ave. Subway officially lost its third […]
This is very fascinating, You’re an overly professional blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to looking for extra of your excellent post. Also, I’ve shared your website in my social networks!