Candace BarnetteThe Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is advancing a $68.4 billion initiative to modernize New York’s transit system.
The MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan focuses on repairing aging infrastructure, improving accessibility and enhancing climate resilience to ensure dependable and sustainable transit for daily commuters.
The New York State budget provides the necessary funding for the initiative. With this approval from the MTA board, the plan will be resubmitted to the MTA Capital Program Review Board in Albany.
Several key projects from the plan are already underway, including upgrades to the signaling systems on the Fulton and Liberty subway lines, preliminary design work for the Interborough Express—a proposed 14-mile light rail connecting Brooklyn and Queens—and climate resilience measures to protect Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line against environmental threats.
Other major efforts planned include:
- Purchasing 2,000 railcars.
- Making more than 60 stations ADA-accessible.
- Modernizing 75 miles of signals.
- Installing modern fare gates at 150 stations.
- Updating customer screens.
- Enhancing security.
- Rebuilding more than 80 power stations.
- Upgrading train shops and yards.
- Overhauling the Grand Central Artery.
The 100-year-old Grand Central Artery will be a priority in the plan. The deteriorating terminal is in need of upgrades to HVAC, electrical, water, steam, sanitary, safety and security systems. Accessibility features, such as stairs and elevators, must be upgraded. Structural support will be targeted, with improvements planned for roofs, platforms and employee facilities.
The largest share of the funding—$47.84 billion—will go toward New York City Transit, Staten Island Railway and MTA Bus divisions. Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road will each receive $6.05 billion. A total of $300 million is set aside for interagency projects, and $5.25 billion will support major projects and expansion work.
The MTA deemed which areas should be targeted in the plan through a Twenty-Year Needs Assessment, a blueprint to outline the region’s capital needs. The long-term data analysis is the most detailed evaluation the authority has put in place in consideration of all its agencies.
The review found aging infrastructure, climate change and changing rider needs are the biggest challenges ahead for New York transit over the next 20 years. Deteriorating structural beams are at risk of failure, which could eventually suspend Metro-North service into Manhattan.
In the next two decades, more than 75% of the city’s subway major power substation components will be more than 50 years old, sharply increasing the risk of system power outages. A lack of climate resilience protections in the face of increased severe weather events also raises the risk of system shutdowns.
A 2024 study by Ernst & Young projects MTA’s capital plan will generate $106 billion in economic activity and support more than 70,000 jobs statewide.
Image by Oscar Portan from Pixabay
