Cuomo Unveils Comprehensive Plan to Have City Oversee & Expedite MTA Capital Projects to Deliver a Modern, Clean, Safe, Reliable Subway System
Proposes Independent City-Run Construction Management Team to Oversee Capital Plan; Clean Trains, Stations
Cuomo Plan will be More Efficient & Less Costly to Stop Fare Increases on Riders
New York, NY — This morning, during a presentation before the Association for a Better New York, Andrew M. Cuomo, candidate for Mayor of New York City, announced a sweeping plan to modernize the subway system. Cuomo proposes an independent Construction Management Team reporting to the mayor take control of capital project management for the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), pledging to finally deliver the clean, safe, and reliable subway system New Yorkers deserve. The authority to oversee the MTA subway capital projects will run concurrent by the new mayor’s term.
“For years, New Yorkers have watched the MTA spend billions while our subway system continues to crumble – projects delayed, budgets blown, promises broken,” Cuomo said. “We don’t need more bureaucracy; we need results. The City owns the subways – and it’s time we take charge, cut through the red tape, and build a world-class transit system that actually works for New Yorkers.”
Under Cuomo’s plan, New Yorkers will see:
Improved Reliability: Upgraded tracks, and technology for faster, more dependable trains.
Cleaner, Safer Stations and Trains: A return to the standards Cuomo set during the COVID-era cleaning initiative.
Modernized Signals Throughout the System: Replacing nearly 100 miles of outdated fixed-block signaling with state-of-the-art Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology on key lines—including the Broadway (N/Q/R/W), Liberty Avenue (A), Rockaway (A/S), and Nassau Street (J/Z) lines—to improve reliability, increase train frequency, and reduce delays.
Upgraded Maintenance Facilities: Rehabilitated train shops, yards, and support facilities in order to handle new rolling stock and current needs.
Renewed Power Systems: Significant investment in power infrastructure: substations, third-rail delivery systems, pump rooms, to reduce major service disruptions caused by power failures.
Rebuilding Critical Structures: Projects like rebuilding the “Grand Central Artery” (i.e., the internal major structural spine of the subway system) and repairing & waterproofing elevated structures, bridges, viaducts.
Accessible Subways: Every station ADA-compliant and modernized.
Flood-Proofing and Climate Resilience: Infrastructure built to withstand extreme weather. Subway projects will have a synergy with above-ground resiliency projects.
Purchasing New Railcars: The CMT will oversee purchase for new rolling stock to replace approximately a fifth of the fleet with cars with modern technology to improve service and rider comfort, replacing aging models from the 1980s. The new cars will be compatible with modern signal technology and wider doors and improved accessibility.
The Cuomo MTA Plan would create an independent Construction Management Team reporting to the mayor responsible for the fast and efficient completion of key upgrades to the system. Cuomo proposes the following as part of the plan:
Streamline Design & Procurement: Bundle work by corridor or asset type instead of awarding isolated contracts, use corridor-based or systemwide bundles to quickly and more cheaply get work done. This can cut project time by up to 25 percent.
Use Progressive Design-Build: The Capital Management Team should have design build authority, allowing design refinements during construction and avoiding costly change orders that plague design-bid-build models.
Shortlist and Pre-Qualify Vendors: Establish rolling, pre-qualified pools of contractors for recurring asset types to reduce procurement cycle time to months, not years.
Deploy Digital Engineering: Implement Building Information Modeling across all major projects that allows for integrated scheduling and precise cost tracking.
Leverage Technology for Efficiency: Deploy AI-driven schedule optimization to forecast bottlenecks. Use drones and LiDAR scanning for inspections and progress verification.
Incentivize Modular & Prefabricated Components: Fabricate elevators, track panels, and station canopies off-site for quick installation that could reduce on-site construction time by 40–60% and minimizes rider exposure to noise/dust.
Coordinate with Stakeholders Key to Project Implementation: Coordinate Utility & City Work. Joint planning with NYC DOT, DEP, and Con Ed to synchronize street work — preventing repeated excavation of the same roadway. The Mayor would have better ability to drive this coordinated on the ground process.
Concentrate work during full, planned outages rather than endless partial closures to minimize disruptions to rides: Use “Blitz” and “Surge” Weekend Closures: Align major shutdowns with low-ridership periods (summer weekends, holidays).
According to a Citizens Budget Commission survey, only 50 percent of riders report feeling safe on the subway during the day — and that number drops to just 22 percent at night. Meanwhile, despite a $68 billion MTA Capital Program (2025–2029), key projects remain delayed or over budget, including:
Second Avenue Subway Phase II — delayed, over budget
Signal Modernization — $5.4 billion over budget
Station Renovations and ADA Accessibility — years behind schedule
Fare Gate Modernization — incomplete, stalled deployment
Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Projects — uncoordinated and delayed
Interborough Express ($2.75 billion) — still in planning
Metro-North Bronx Stations ($1.6 billion) — no progress
Andrew Cuomo has a long record of breaking through bureaucracy and delivering major infrastructure projects on time and on budget – proof that competent management can deliver real results for riders.
This includes:
Opening Phase I of the Second Avenue Subway Extension, ending decades of delay
Preventing the L Train Shutdown through innovation and decisive management
Rebuilding LaGuardia Airport into a world-class transit hub while keeping the present airport open.
Delivering large-scale public works on time such as the Moynihan Train Hall and Kosciuszko Bridge
Enacting the COVID Subway Cleaning Initiative, meeting then-current public health guidelines to keep trains safely running.
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