MTA: Reversal of Congestion Pricing Plan May Impact ADA Projects like Mosholu Parkway Elevator Installation

By SÍLE MOLONEY

MOSHOLU PARKWAY SUBWAY Station in Bedford Park, seen here in February 2024, located adjacent to the multistory, residential Tracey Towers, and within walking distance of both Montefiore Medical Center and NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx in Norwood does not have elevators and the project to install them may not be in jeopardy due to the U-turn on congestion pricing implementation.
Photo by Síle Moloney

The MTA announced on Friday, June 8, that the last-minute decision earlier this week by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to halt the June 30th planned implementation of congestion pricing in New York City may have serious implications for the MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Program, which includes several ADA upgrades to subway stations in The Bronx, like the elevator planned for Mosholu Parkway subway station, as well as “likely other aspects of the agency’s financial condition.”

The MTA cannot award contracts that do not have a committed, identified funding source, MTA officials said. “Until there is a commitment for funding the balance of the 2020-2024 Capital Program, the MTA will need to reorganize the Program to prioritize the most basic and urgent needs,” part of its statement read.

BARRIERS ARE SEEN underneath Mosholu Parkway subway station serving the 4 train on May 15, 2024, in preparation for the installation of elevators.
Photo by Ariel Pacheco

It continued, “As such, the MTA Board will be evaluating what changes need to be made to the Capital Program in the lead-up to this month’s Board meeting. Modernization and improvement projects like electric buses, accessible (ADA) stations and new signals will likely need to be deprioritized to protect and preserve the basic operation and functionality of this 100+ year old system.”

The statement concluded, “New York State law places an obligation on MTA to implement a congestion pricing program, and the agency stands ready to do so. But under applicable federal law and regulation, the MTA cannot act until the Central Business District Tolling Program is approved by New York State, New York City and the federal government – and with the announcement of the pause, we no longer have the State’s consent.”

A PLANNED MTA webinar on congestion pricing has been postoned.
Source: MTA / Bronx Community Board 7

As reported, the MTA’s “P3” project stations in which new elevators will be installed include:

Mosholu Parkway Station 4
Junius Street Station 3
Church Av b, q
Sheepshead Bay Station b, q
Rockaway Boulevard Station a
Kings Highway Station f
Woodhaven Boulevard Station m, r
Steinway Street Station m, r

The P3 stations at which replacement elevators will be installed are:

161st Street-Yankee Stadium Station b, d
161st Street-Yankee Stadium Station 4
3rd Avenue-149th Street 2, 5
34th Street-Penn Station a, c, e
Euclid Avenue Station a, c

Meanwhile, Congressman Ritchie Torres released the following statement on Friday night in response to the latest congestion pricing U-turn situation. “In a Friday news dump, the MTA abruptly announces that the Central Business Tolling District cannot move forward because it no longer has the State’s consent. Really?”

He continued, “Congestion pricing is required by an Act of the State Legislature. A state law, by definition, is an expression of the State’s consent. For the MTA to claim otherwise is intellectually dishonest.”

A TWEET dated June 17, 2024
Source: X, formerly Twitter

The statement concluded, “The MTA admits that the delay has “serious implications” for the MTA’s Capitol Program and that “it cannot award contracts” without a “committed, identified funding source. This poorly conceived and poorly executed pause will accelerate the decline and fall of the nation’s most critical public transit system. A tragedy for New York.”

Read our most recent update on the Mosholu Parkway elevator project here.

Read our recent story on updates from the MTA to the required track maintenance on the tracks serving the 4 train, which has been causing the suspension of weekend services in recent months, here.

BARRIERS ERECTED UNDER Mosholu Parkway subway station in Norwood, which serves the 4 train, seen on May 15, 2024, signify the advancement of the future installation of long-awaited elevators at the station.
Photo by Ariel Pacheco

Click here to read our recent story about temporary entrance closures at the Norwood-East 205th Street subway station.

Read the opinions of some Bronx residents on the planned but now abandoned congestion pricing program here.

admin

Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.