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etany.org
Effective Transit Alliance
@etany.org
2.2K followers 0 following 620 posts
ETA advocates for high-quality, accessible, and forward-looking transit through internationally-inspired, technically-oriented analysis in greater New York.
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etany.org
All-door boarding is right for NY buses: by reducing boarding time, it not only improves rider experience, but speeds service.

To date however, the MTA has dragged its feet, even though the fleet already has rear-door OMNY readers.

Hopefully this isn't more stalling.

www.amny.com/news/fare-ev...
Fare evasion: MTA boss Lieber rules out all-door bus boarding until ‘European model’ of enforcement is activated | amNewYork
The MTA will only move towards introducing all-door boarding on city buses after it has rolled out a promised "European-style" approach to fare evasion
www.amny.com
February 5, 2026 at 9:46 PM
etany.org
The Gateway Development Corporation is suing the federal government to receive its appropriated funds.

While there are many issues with Gateway, stopping construction would add years of delay and potentially billions more in cost to this vital project.

www.nydailynews.com/2026/02/02/g...
Gateway Development Commission sues Trump for breach of contract over Hudson River Tunnel cash
The Gateway Development Commission sued the federal government late Monday, after months of the Trump administration’s refusal to distribute money approved by Congress for the construction of…
www.nydailynews.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:24 PM
etany.org
Extending the Second Avenue subway across 125th St is a great concept, but the current project is deeply flawed:

* At $7.7B for 1.3mi, it will cost an order of magnitude more than similar lines in other global cities.

* Deep stations will waste a lot of time—over 10 min across 125th.
nyc.streetsblog.org Streetsblog NYC @nyc.streetsblog.org · 6d
The western extension of the Second Avenue Subway has a $7.7-billion price tag that calls into question the very logic of building it at all — but advocates and researchers say the train is a good idea that could cost a lot less with some minor alterations.
Does Hochul's 125th Street Subway Have to Be That Expensive? - Streetsblog New York City
The next phase of New York City's Second Avenue Subway carries a huge price tag, but advocates say the train could cost less with some minor changes.
buff.ly
February 3, 2026 at 6:36 PM
etany.org
Victory on the All Faiths Tunnel was just the start. Now we’re pushing for:
• Automated light metro
• High frequencies
• Seamless in-system transfers
• High-floor trains

Check out ETA's official recommendations for the IBX environmental review submitted last November:
www.etany.org/statements/i...
Public Comment on the IBX SEQRA Draft Scoping — Effective Transit Alliance New York
ETA's public comment on the IBX, submitted in November 2025 as part of the SEQRA Draft Scoping process.
www.etany.org
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 PM
etany.org
ETA is proud to be part of Unlock New York's Future, a coalition to modernize SEQRA.

For too long environmental law has been used as a cudgel to stop or delay transit investments that we know will benefit not only NYers, but the environment.

It's time to #UnlockNYsFuture.
Logo for Unlock NY's Future: A statewide coalition of 30 organizations calling for SEQRA modernization
January 28, 2026 at 6:58 PM
etany.org
Right now, the tunnel boring machines for Gateway have arrived and are being assembled in their launch pits.

There are many issues with the Gateway project, but stopping construction now would only add years more delay while further inflating costs.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/n...
Work Will Stop on Critical Tunnel Project Unless Trump Restores Funding
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:59 PM
etany.org
TONIGHT, come join ETA for first TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of 2026!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Tonight, Friday, January 23, 2026
from 6-8pm
at The Irish Exit
Moynihan Train Hall's Food Hall

All are welcome!
Tonight, Friday, January 23, 2026 from 6-8pm at The Irish Exit Moynihan Train Hall's Food Hall
January 23, 2026 at 6:12 PM
etany.org
ENR talked to ETA about Metro-North's plan to electrify the Hudson Line's other express track.

This will allow the agency's new Charger locomotives to operate on electricity all the way to Croton Harmon before shifting to diesel, allowing faster, cleaner travel.

www.enr.com/articles/623...
The stretch, which lies south of the Croton-Harmon stop, is the only one of four tracks along the route that doesn’t have a third rail, according to the solicitation document. A single, diesel-only track where all the others are electric is an unusual arrangement, said Blair Lorenzo, the executive director of the Effective Transit Alliance, an organization that advocates for improved transit in the New York region. The construction site lies within what the MTA calls its “third-rail territory,” or 102 miles of Metro-North that have electric capacity and extend up the Hudson, New Haven and Harlem lines. In September last year, the department announced that new Siemens Mobility Charger locomotives were starting to operate along the Husdon line specifically. While older models on the tracks only run electric within the tunnels of Grand Central Terminal, the Charger locomotives are built for long-distance, high-speed electric travel, Lorenzo said. Completing this final bit of electrification on the Hudson line would let the new models operate diesel-free all the way to Croton-Harmon.
January 23, 2026 at 5:47 PM
etany.org
Tomorrow, come join ETA for first TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of 2026!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday, January 23, 2026
from 6-8pm
at The Irish Exit
Moynihan Train Hall's Food Hall

All are welcome!
Friday, January 23, 2026 from 6-8pm at The Irish Exit Moynihan Train Hall's Food Hall
January 22, 2026 at 6:28 PM
etany.org
😎^3
A tweet from Ben Furnas of Transit Alternatives quoting an interview with MTA Chair Janno Lieber in which he says, "Organized civic groups in New York City have declined. They've in many cases, gone out of business or faded from memory or faded in importance and impact. In their place has arisen a network of urban-oriented and especially transit-oriented advocacy groups, and they had a huge impact on the all of what we've been able to accomplish in the fact in the past few years."
January 22, 2026 at 6:25 PM
etany.org
This Friday, come join ETA for first TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of 2026!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday, January 23, 2026
from 6-8pm
at The Irish Exit
Moynihan Train Hall's Food Hall

All are welcome!
Friday, January 23, 2026 from 6-8pm at The Irish Exit Moynihan Train Hall's Food Hall
January 20, 2026 at 5:38 PM
etany.org
Appointing the same leader to run both NJ Transit and the NJ Turnpike Authority is an innovative move.

If it can reduce planning silos—and especially if it can begin finding ways to divert auto funding to transit—it could be a significant move for the region.

www.northjersey.com/story/news/t...
In an unprecedented move, Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill reappointed Kris Kolluri to head NJ Transit and also appointed him to head the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, two large and complex state transit agencies. The unusual decision to appoint one person to lead the two agencies is meant to “unify strategy, rethink how we move people, and ultimately improve commutes for the residents of New Jersey,” said the Jan. 8 press release announcing the decision. “We need a collaborative and creative approach when it comes to addressing challenges and opportunities affecting our state, which is especially true as we update New Jersey’s approach to transit,” Sherrill said in the statement.
January 14, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Reposted by Effective Transit Alliance
calelectricrail.org
Join us @icgee.bsky.social @publicenterprise.bsky.social and @seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social for a webinar about how transit funding holds back ambitious investments like electric rail that we need for climate action & affordable transportation. January 8th, 1-2 PST.
actionnetwork.org/events/trans...
Full Steam Ahead: Funding Transformational Transit
Transit and passenger rail investment in the United States struggles for adequate investment. Despite some improvements in top line figures for transit and passenger rail, federal and state transporta...
actionnetwork.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:07 PM
etany.org
It's been one year of congestion pricing and the results are clear:

*11% fewer cars in the congestion zone
*Faster travel speeds
*Faster busses
*No negative effects on surrounding neighborhoods.

All while raising significant funds for transit.

A huge win for NYC!

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
A graph in change of bus speeds 2024-2025, showing a 2.4% increase in local bus speed through the congestion zone (vs 0.8% citywide) and a 2% increase in express bus speeds in the zone (vs -0.4% citywide)
January 6, 2026 at 9:59 PM
etany.org
Great news: Gov Hochul has reportedly decided to veto a bill requiring two-person train operation.

This poorly-considered bill would've mmediately impacted services that are currently run with one person, and would've make it impossible to fully automate new lines like the IBX.
stefanoschen.bsky.social Stefanos Chen @stefanoschen.bsky.social · Dec 19
Gov Hochul will veto a bill to require both a conductor and a driver on every subway train, according to two sources familiar with the decision. Story to follow. Details on the bill here:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/n...
Does the Subway Still Need Train Conductors?
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:54 PM
etany.org
A new, bipartisan bill would allow states to take responsibility for federal environmental reviews for transit projects, a major source of delays and cost increases.

Streamlining the process for transit (to parity with highways) could be a big win for new transit everywhere.

tinyurl.com/bdctcstm
Sen. Lee Bill Would Give Transit Environmental Review Back to States - Passenger Transport
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced bipartisan legislation to improve transit project timelines and quality by restoring the responsibility for environmental reviews back to state agencies from the fe...
aptapassengertransport.com
December 16, 2025 at 6:06 PM
etany.org
The Interborough Express has the potential to be a transformative piece of infrastructure, but to truly live up to its potential, it needs to be constructed to global standards: as an automated light metro.

ETA talked with Ben Schneider about the future and potential of the IBX:
Under the Microscope The IBX is also the first major transit project in New York to have its entire design and planning process scrutinized by a new generation of transit advocacy groups like the Effective Transit Alliance and the Transit Costs Project. Unlike older advocacy organizations, which focused on good urban planning or the needs of riders, these entities are laser-focused on the technical minutiae of transit design, construction and operations. Already, they appear to have influenced aspects of the project. For example, the MTA’s initial plans called for a short section where the train would run on the street to get around a corner of All Faiths Cemetery in Queens as a cost-saving measure. But, in a report entitled “515 Feet from Greatness,” the Effective Transit Alliance argued that this street-running section would slow down service and constrain ridership. Another reason Lorenzo and like-minded advocates fought for the tunnel is that keeping the train off surface streets creates the potential for automating the line. “Our biggest point by far is to push them towards automated light metro,” a technology similar to the JFK Airtrain, Lorenzo said. “With automated technology, you can run every 90 seconds,” said Eric Goldwyn, a professor of urban planning at New York University and the director of the Transit Costs Project. The MTA currently plans to run trains on the line at five-minute frequencies during peak times. “You could have shorter trains and smaller stations, so some of your capital costs could shrink potentially, and you could provide much more robust service,” Goldwyn said.
December 12, 2025 at 5:55 PM
etany.org
TONIGHT come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Tonight, Friday December 12, 2025
from 6-8pm
at Vanderbuilt Market
45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!
Tonight, Friday December 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at Vanderbuilt Market 45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.
December 12, 2025 at 5:49 PM
etany.org
TOMORROW come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday December 12, 2025
from 6-8pm
at Vanderbuilt Market
45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!
Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy! Friday December 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at Vanderbuilt Market 45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central. All are welcome!
December 11, 2025 at 6:08 PM
etany.org
Congestion pricing is working: it's not only lowering traffic and generating valuable funds for transit, but as a recent study out of Cornell shows, it's reduced air pollution by a whopping 22% in the zone, with significant improvements also seen across the city (8%) & region.

tinyurl.com/rb6xk3h7
Congestion pricing improved air quality in NYC and suburbs | Cornell Chronicle
Cornell researchers tallied the environmental benefits of New York City’s congestion pricing program and found air pollution dropped by 22% in Manhattan, with additional declines across the city’s fiv...
news.cornell.edu
December 10, 2025 at 9:35 PM
etany.org
Earlier this week, the F and the M train swapped places at 8 stations in Manhattan and Queens as part of process called "deinterlining," which increases the frequency and reliability of subway service.

ICYMI, read ETA on why deinterlining is so valuable and where else it can be used:
etany.org Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Dec 8
This morning, the MTA swapped the F/M trains at 8 stations in Manhattan & Queens. This is an example of "deinterlining," a technique which improves the frequency & reliability of subway service.

Read ETA on why deinterlining is so valuable & where else it can be used:

www.etany.org/statements/d...
Deinterlining: Simpler Service, Fewer Delays — Effective Transit Alliance New York
Deinterlining simplifies subway operations, allowing for more trains to travel more quickly, and prevents delays from spreading. It's the correct solution for both riders and operations.
www.etany.org
December 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
etany.org
In a baffling and unacceptable move, the MTA announced that its purchase of 378 new R268 subway cars will not include walk-through open-gangway trains.

As ETA's Blair Lorenzo explained to Streetsblog, walk-through trains are the global standard for good reason.

nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/12/09/m...
"We're as confused as anyone as to the MTA's reticence to buy open-gangway cars," said Blair Lorenzo, the executive director of the Effective Transit Alliance. "Walk-through trains have long since become the standard around the world: they're safer, they're more comfortable for riders, and they increase train capacity by around 10 percent. They are an obvious win."
December 9, 2025 at 11:16 PM
etany.org
This Friday, come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday December 12, 2025
from 6-8pm
at Vanderbuilt Market
45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!
This Friday, come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year! Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy! Friday December 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at Vanderbuilt Market 45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central. All are welcome!
December 9, 2025 at 6:53 PM
etany.org
This morning, the MTA swapped the F/M trains at 8 stations in Manhattan & Queens. This is an example of "deinterlining," a technique which improves the frequency & reliability of subway service.

Read ETA on why deinterlining is so valuable & where else it can be used:

www.etany.org/statements/d...
Deinterlining: Simpler Service, Fewer Delays — Effective Transit Alliance New York
Deinterlining simplifies subway operations, allowing for more trains to travel more quickly, and prevents delays from spreading. It's the correct solution for both riders and operations.
www.etany.org
December 8, 2025 at 6:11 PM
etany.org
A bill like this is an affront to good transit planning.

Rules like bus lane enforcement exist to keep transit riders—the clear majority of New Yorkers—moving.

No neighborhood should have an exemption to transit rules.
reinventalbany.bsky.social Reinvent Albany @reinventalbany.bsky.social · Dec 4
Gov Hochul should VETO the bill that carves out Co-op City from bus lane enforcement.

It slows buses and worsens pollution. The state Legislature should not be getting involved in local transit decisions.
buff.ly/01VdEUW
December 5, 2025 at 9:46 PM