NEW YORK Volume VIII No. 1 Fall 2004 TRANSPORTATION JOURNAL wagner.nyu.edu/rudincenter THE STATE OF TRANSPORTATION IN NEW YORK Letter from the Editor It has become customary for the New The inability of the United States Congress to reach agreement on new legislation for the federal York Transportation Journal to cele- transportation funding programs, and the soon to expire New York State funding programs, is creating brate the livability of New York City. We challenges for transportation agencies and local government in programming projects. This is further have exhibited articles discussing the strong role that the City’s transporta- complicated by an evolution in national and state priorities as the growth in new roads has slowed tion infrastructure has played in the and the maintenance of existing highways and bridges has become recognized as important to City’s development as a leading interna- the economic well being of the State. New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) tional economic power. We have also Commissioner Joseph H. Boardman has been a leader in the discussions regarding the new financing presented articles that cite the mainte- programs and has created new processes and considerations for assigning transportation funding nance and expansion of the City’s trans- portation system as essential for the across the State. Janette Sadik-Khan, Senior Vice President and Transit Director at Parsons City to keep its economic edge and Brinckerhoff, and a regular contributor to the Journal, interviewed Commissioner Boardman on emphasized the need for a responsibly current financing issues, funding priorities for the State transportation program and other key issues. financed MTA capital program. As we go to press, a proposed 2005-2009 JSK: What impact has the delay in federal time we have insufficient funds at the state MTA Capital Program is being debated. funding had on the NYSDOT program? level to make up for losses at the federal level. This edition of the Journal contributes to the discussion. Alexis Perrotta of the JB: The real issue is the inability to plan for We probably have an insufficient amount of Regional Plan Association contributes an article that critiques the proposed MTA the future because we don’t know with a high money at this point in time to deliver the type 2005-2009 Capital Plan and presses for degree of certainty what kind of funding we of program for all the modes in New York — maintaining an adequate level of capital are going to receive. The problem is not just whether they are transit, highway, rail or investment financing while at the same the fact that we don’t have a bill, but that we aviation — needed to advance the economy. time restoring the MTA’s fiscal health. In don’t even know what size it might be or (Continued on page 5) what the splits might be. JSK: Many State DOTs have been struggling with staffing problems due to the retirement of Now if you go beyond DOT, because you asked many senior professionals. How are you going about DOT specifically, but if you go beyond to deal with the wave of retirements? Are you Inside NYTJ DOT, I think that there’s a question about looking to do more work through contracting or what’s going to happen with transit — engaging in internal training of staff? Financing the MTA Capital Plan whether the resources that have been prom- By Alexis Perrotta ised for the Metropolitan Transportation JB: That’s an interesting question. In 1995 we Authority (MTA) are going to continue to be had 12,777 employees here (full-time equiva- Stepping up to the Plate for there for the future. Our expectation is they lents). By the end of this fiscal year, we’ll have the MTA Capital Plan will be, but without a bill there’s an inability 9,499, so we’ll have had a reduction in staffing By Henry Peyrebrune, P.E. for us to have the degree of certainty we here at NYSDOT at 26 or 27 percent of our would like. workforce. That’s not just the professionals. It’s The Grand Concourse: Historic, Visionary, also those who are doing the day in and day out Abused and Re-imagined JSK: Given the continuing lack of federal work of the snow and ice program maintenance By Michael Fishman reauthorization, what are your plans for the and all of those who work every day to have a next fiscal year and what do you see as the most good transportation system. Green Transportation promising source of funding for the program? Infrastructure for We have had a change — a transformation I New York City JB: Well certainly we expect there’s going to would call it — in the way we’re doing work, By Mysore L. Nagaraja be a bill, that’s number one. How likely is it similar to the way the private sector and others that they’re going to have a resolution by have done things, knowing that fewer Evaluation Study of the Port Authority of NY & NJ’s early Fall? I think it’s probably unlikely resources are available or less expertise is Value Pricing Initiative because of some of the outstanding issues. available to be used in the same way that it’s By Allison L. C. de Cerreño, Ph.D. We still have a dedicated fund for transporta- always been used. tion in New York State but at this point in (Continued on page 2) 1 2 NEW YORK TRANSPORTATION JOURNAL TRANSPORTATION IN NEW YORK CONT. (Continued from page 1) Part of the rationale behind the change is the particularly when we look at our border crossings from New York into Canada. completion of the interstate system. So there is All of the transportation agencies in the State are trying to figure out the best a need to change how we do work, because today way to both better secure the transportation system and also not make it it’s really more about operating the system a burden. This way there continues to be a seamless transportation system — a efficiently. In some cases there needs to be some system that’s interconnected throughout New York State. expansion, but in most cases today we need to rebuild, to “fix it first,” so to speak, to take care JSK: In terms of funding allocations and transportation policy, what is your of our infrastructure assets to advantage our- policy for balancing New York City vs. the rest of New York State, and New York selves for the future. State vs. the other trading partners that we have? This will include different work that people don’t JB: Well, certainly there is historical perspective to what is out there and the do inside DOT and a different way or a different types and levels of funding necessary to maintain the service, whether it be type of work that we would be asking the private transit service or whether it be highway service across the State. But those get sector to support us on. We’ve always had a blown out the window when you have major projects. For example, whether it’s roughly 50/50 split between using private services converting Route 17 to Interstate standards to redesignate it as Interstate and our own staff. I don’t expect that percent- 86 or connecting up to the new Interstate 99 coming up from Pennsylvania age will change much, Janette. It changes a and the Corning area. Just a couple of projects can overwhelm that little bit year to year based on the complexity region’s normal allocation for asset preservations. So what has to happen is and the types of projects, but over time, I think we have to rebalance how those highway dollars are being used across the State that’s what you see. and certainly prioritize those things that we need to get done. We have five priority areas we look at when we make our investment decisions: JSK: The increased emphasis on security is 1) Security; 2) Safety; 3) Reliability or Mobility of the transportation system, certainly a new type of work. To the extent that with Reliability being the key; 4) Economic Sustainability; and, 5) Environmental you can talk about them, what are your security Sustainability. Looking at those five areas what we find is a way to deliver priorities and plans to deal with sensitive areas? resources, whether they are in New York City, Elmira or in Buffalo. JB: That’s a good question. Generally, we take JSK: What are the performance measures that you use to assess your priorities our lead at this point in time from the State’s for NYSDOT and how do you think they are doing? Office of Homeland Security. We have started working with them, inventorying our assets and JB: Well we’re developing a new set of performance measures. In the past, the facilities, and deciding how we might harden or primary performance measures at DOT had to do with pavement conditions and take care of our critical transportation assets. As bridge conditions. You looked at the conditions of your roads, the conditions of you can understand, certainly there’s been a lot your bridges and drove the whole program based on that. Those are important of debate about security in the West Street because they certainly bring reliability to the transportation system. What Project that’s going on right now in New York we’ve begun to look at in a different way is going out there and measuring how City. And that’s being repeated across the State, funding is being used for the future.