MTA has high hopes for the next federal package of economic stimulus. It is assumed that agencies that provide public transport in the United States will receive $ 30 billion. New York can count on the largest “piece” of this “pie.”
A source close to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Sumer told the Daily News. The amount was not specified, but the source, who provided the information on condition of anonymity, stressed that the estimated $ 30 billion will exceed the allocation for transport in the two previous stimulus packages: in the first, $ 25 billion was allocated, in the second – $ 14 billion.
MTA is the largest shipping agency in North America. Therefore, it is quite logical to assume that its share will be quite significant.
MTA received $ 4 billion in each of the two previous payments. The leaders of this organization assure that they need another $ 8 billion to cover the damage from the pandemic, which led to a decrease in passenger traffic by up to 70% from the previous level.
In the worst case, if at the last minute there is less money in the aid package than expected, MTA will receive at least $ 4.8 billion, which, although not completely, will still significantly improve the agency’s financial situation. But they still hope for the best, knowing that New York Senator Chuck Schumer, now Senate Majority Leader, has a lot of influence, and in a recent interview with the Daily News, he said encouragingly about the anticipated stimulus package: “It will be very good for public transport and will keep the MTA in working order. “
Schumer also spoke optimistically about the future of the Gateway Program, which involves a radical reconstruction of two railway tunnels under the Hudson, intended for the Amtrak and NJ Transit trains.
The project will double the number of these trains. For many years, the federal authorities did not provide him with any support. Now the situation has changed radically.
Newly approved Transport Minister Pete Buttigieg assured Schumer that the necessary funding would be made and the Gateway tunnels would be reconstructed by the target date, which is 2026.
Newspaper headline:
Big hopes