Earl: Support NYC Subway Rescue Plan So Riders Can Get To Work

 

New City, NY (July 26, 2017) – Rockland County Legislature Chairman Toney L. Earl is calling for action when it comes to addressing the ongoing MTA subway delays and service interruptions in New York City.

“It is past time for these problems to be dealt with so that hardworking commuters can get back and forth to their jobs without experiencing this ridiculous level of misery,” Chairman Earl said. “This situation is affecting many Rockland County commuters and it’s unacceptable.

“A modern and effective subway system is critical to the strength and growth of our economy,” Earl said. “The current state of the subway is not satisfactory and needs immediate action to be repaired and modernized. Joe Lhota’s plan for the subway will ensure that our communities receive the quality of service they need and deserve. I look forward to working with leaders across the downstate region and the entire state to provide a high-quality, modern, and efficient system.”

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joseph J. Lhota has announced an $800 million emergency rescue plan for the problem-plagued subway system. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has pledged that the state will provide half of the funding. Lhota has asked New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to cover the other half, something the mayor appears to be balking at.

Chairman Earl said the subway issues – overcrowding, signal problems and other issues that have now led to routine delays for riders – requires leadership and action and he encouraged support for the rescue plan.

More than 6,400 Rockland County residents use public transportation to commute into New York City boroughs daily, including nearly 6,000 into Manhattan alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2009-2013 American Community Survey. Once they arrive in the city, many take the subway to their offices, said Earl, a former Health & Safety Director for the NYC Transport Workers Union.

“This cannot wait,” Earl said. “The longer we delay implementing solutions, the worse the problems are going to grow. Among other actions, the rescue plan puts more workers on the job, steps up maintenance of subway cars, and repairs signals that aren’t working as they should be. It is a positive – and necessary – step. I urge full support of the plan.”