What will the ascendance of new New York Governor Kathy Hochul mean for transportation safety in the state? According to a recent report by AMNY, transit safety groups are hopeful the answer will be good news for New Yorkers.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s resignation took effect earlier this week, with former Lieutenant Governor Hochul assuming the Governor’s office on August 24th. In a statement, the advocacy group Tri-State Transportation Campaign told AMNY that it expects “a flux in leadership of New York’s most powerful agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, and Empire State Development.” The group said it remains to be seen how Governor Hochul’s assumption of the governorship will affect projects like the LaGuardia AirTrain and the redevelopment of Penn Station, but it looks forward to working with her.
Other transit safety advocates expressed their hope that Hochul will help mitigate vehicle usage in New York City while increasing MTA revenue by pushing for a congestion pricing program. In a statement, the Executive Director of sustainable transit organization Transportation Alternatives said Hochul “must break the congestion pricing logjam to deliver a steady revenue stream for transit and cleaner air for New Yorkers.” He went on to call for other initiatives, like the expansion of bicycle and pedestrian access on MTA bridges, and support for the Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act, a legislative package that the state legislature “failed to pass this year.”
As AMNY notes, Governor Hochul’s administration will have access to federal funds included in the recent infrastructure package, including “$110 billion for transportation programs, roads, and bridges, as well as $66 billion in Amtrak investments that include the Northeast Corridor from DC to Boston.”
More information on what the change in leadership means for transportation safety in New York is available via AMNY.
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