MILEPOSTSWEST A Newsletter for MTA Metro-North Railroad Customers September – October 2014 Parking On Sale… $20 A Year! We’re slashing parking fees at all LAZ-operated parking facilities located on Metro-North’s Pascack Valley and Port Jervis Lines for one year. This will lower the cost of your commute, and hopefully make the railroad an even better option for those of you traveling from Orange and Rockland counties. As part of the one-year pilot program effective November 1, we are offering a “12 for 1” annual parking permit, with 12 months of parking available for the cost of just one month – a 91% reduction. This reduces the cost of annual parking from $235 to just $20. Any 12-month/16-hour permit with a starting date of November 1 can be purchased for $20 (permits with remaining unused time after October 31, 2015 will still be honored until the permit reaches its expiration). Daily meter parking fees also will be reduced by 55% from $2.75 a day to $1.25 a day. Permits can be purchased just as you buy your current parking permit from LAZ, either via a current online account (accessible by RRparking.com) or by telephone at 888-682-PARK (7275). If you require additional information you may contact LAZ directly via the web at RRparking.com or by phone (Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 9 PM) at 888-682-7275. Why are we doing this? We believe Metro-North is the most reliable and convenient way to get to Manhattan and this change will save you money. It will also make commuting by train even more attractive to those who would otherwise find themselves stuck in traffic during long drives or uncomfortable bus commutes. This program demonstrates our commitment to Orange and Rockland counties and to the many people there who can, and do, benefit from taking the railroad to work and back. Metro-North has 2,674 permit spaces and 1,020 daily meter spaces at six stations on the Port Jervis Line and all three Pascack Valley Line stations. Port Jervis Line ridership tripled from 516,000 annual rides in 1984 to over 1.5 million annual rides in 2008, making it our fastest growing line, though ridership fell in the aftermath of the recession and heavy storm damage from Tropical Storm Irene. Ridership is on the rise again, up 4% since the beginning of 2014. On the Pascack Valley Line, ridership has increased by almost 50% since the institution of weekday off-peak and weekend service in 2007. So far this year, ridership is up 10% on the line, almost all in the discretionary, non-commutation market. In addition, beginning in late 2015, Metro-North plans to initiate a new out- bound, midday Port Jervis Line train to close a nearly three-hour service gap. Both the parking fee reduction and the additional train were announced as part of the MTA’s 2015 financial plan, which includes $363 million in safety improvements, $125 million in increased operations and maintenance costs and $20 million in added service system-wide. Weekend Busing Accommodates Port Jervis Line Improvements The weekend busing between Harriman and Port Jervis occurring on October 24 – 26, October 31 – November 2, and November 7 – 9 is for a good cause. This service change accommodates: b • Rock slope remediation just east of Cornwall-Salisbury Mills; • The replacement of track panels at Port Jervis Station; • The installation of new signal huts in the area as part of the continuing cab signal system upgrade; • The installation and welding of insulated track joints, again, required as part of the cab signal system upgrade. Busing begins 11 PM on Friday nights, with train service resuming by 7 PM on Sunday nights. See station signs for details or visit mta.info/mnr. We appreciate your patience as this work progresses. Are You Ready For Some Football? We are… And if you take the Pascack Valley & Port Jervis Lines you can take the train to get to the Meadowlands Sports Complex Station to see the Jets and Giants play. You can take our service from Spring Valley, Nanuet, and Pearl River stations on the Pascack Valley Line as well as from Port Jervis Line stations connecting at Secaucus Junction. It’s as easy as saying “hike”! Here’s the play: To Get To The Game Monthly commuters to Hoboken and Penn Station-NY can use their NJ TRANSIT monthly ticket without an additional charge. If you don’t have a monthly ticket, purchase a round-trip ticket to the Meadowlands Sports Complex Station from a NJ TRANSIT Ticket Machine or Ticket Office. (The price is equivalent to a round-trip ticket from your boarding station to Secaucus Junction.) On-board fares are higher, so purchase tickets before you board! Visit njtransit.com for train schedules departing from your boarding station and connecting at Secaucus Junction to the Meadowlands Sports Complex Station. Parking at Metro-North stations is free on weekends. Returning From The Meadowlands Sports Complex After the game, ride the Meadowlands Rail Line to Secaucus Junction. Transfer at Secaucus Junction for train service to Pascack Valley or Port Jervis Line stations. Heads Up! New timetables effective November 9 will feature minor adjustments to connections between Secaucus Junction and Penn Station-NY for Port Jervis Line and Pascack Valley Line trains. Be sure to pick one up at Hoboken and Secaucus Junction the week of November 3, or visit njtransit.com or mta.info/mnr for more details. Published by MTA Metro-North Railroad Corporate & Public Affairs 345 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 Read us online at www.mta.info/mnr.