METRO-NORTH COMMUTERS ARE HAPPIER

There’s just too much news.  Trying to keep up with everything that’s happening is like drinking out of a firehose.

But I’m not going to write about the horrific plane crash last week in Washington DC.  Unlike President Trump,  I’ll wait to hear from the experts on what happened and why.

Nor am I going to write about the President’s threats to cut funding for already-approved transportation projects in Connecticut, tying that money to immigration enforcement, marriage and birth rates, vaccination and mask rules.  My colleagues at CTMirror have already covered that well.

No, instead this week I want to remind you of some good news that got lost in the flood of developments in Washington.

CONGESTION PRICING IS WORKING:          Yes, the MTA’s tolling plan for vehicles entering midtown Manhattan is having the desired effects:  traffic is down 7.5% and moving up to 30% faster.  On Metro-North weekday ridership is up 13.5%, due in part to bosses ordering employees back to the office five days a week.  That means almost a quarter million riders per day.

The MTA has yet to tell us how much revenue their tolls are bringing in.  And, of course, we will have to see if President Trump holds true to his promise to kill the Congestion Pricing plan completely.

METRO-NORTH RIDERS ARE HAPPIER:       Kudos to Metro-North for scoring the highest passenger satisfaction scores (85%) in their latest rider survey… higher than the LIRR (76%) and much higher than the 49% tallied by subway riders.

Why the improving scores for Metro-North riders?  Reliability, frequency of trains, availability of seats, cleanliness and, most importantly, on-time performance.

For the full year, passengers enjoyed 98% of their trains arriving and departing “on time”.  That’s impressive.  But…

Keep in mind that the railroad defines “on time” as being within six minutes of the posted schedule.  That’s quite a margin of error.  Assuming an average 90 minute trip, that’s an almost 7% fudge factor.

To achieve these on-time numbers the railroad doesn’t run the trains faster.  It just stretches the timetable.  I’ve often seen a train running express from Grand Central will arrive five minutes early at its first stop, Stamford.  It then must sit there and depart according to the timetable.  So faster running times are possible.

OUR TRAINS SHOULD RUN FASTER:           Why are our trains running slower today than decades ago?  Why do they average just 45 mph when they used to run, at least in some stretches, up to 80 mph? 

Blame it on continuing maintenance issues, an aging signal system and, most of all, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).  They imposed onerous speed restrictions on Metro-North after the 2013 derailments in Bridgeport and Spuyten Duyvil.  And those are still in effect, even though the railroad spent hundreds of millions of dollars installing Positive Train Control to prevent human errors in operations.

It's been six years since Governor Lamont proclaimed his “30-30-30” ambitions:  promising a 60 minute trip from New Haven to GCT.  Today the fastest express (departing at 5:06 am) takes 90 minutes.

So thumbs up to Metro-North for improved service, even if our Governor’s unrealistic promise remains unfulfilled.

ICE, IMMIGRANTS AND MASS TRANSIT

Imagine that.  A politician who keeps his word.

However you feel about our new President, he is doing exactly what he pledged he would do… and quickly.  He is fulfilling promises that got him elected, so nobody should be surprised.  Scared, perhaps.  But not surprised.

As of this writing there have been no massive ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) raids nor large scale deportations of “illegal” immigrants, but you know they’re coming.  Not nationwide perhaps, but strategically enough to convince the public (and the undocumented) that Trump is serious.

Experts think that Connecticut has attracted over 100,000 undocumented immigrants, about 3% of our population.  It’s estimated they pay over $400 million in taxes. 

ICE says it’s going after “the worst, first”, rounding up known gang members and sex offenders.  I have no problem with that.  But what about others that may get swept up in these raids and those legal immigrants just living their lives, doing their jobs and paying their taxes?  Immigrants, legal or otherwise, have every reason to be scared. 

How will they react?  Probably by going into hiding.

If the immigrants are afraid to go to work, their jobs will be empty just like their wallets.  Restaurant kitchens won’t be staffed, crops won’t be picked and offices (and homes) won’t get cleaned.  Frightened immigrants may not seek healthcare or may even avoid food pantries they need to feed their families.

I can empathize with those concerns… the fear of getting swept up at work or an ICE team (or local cops) boarding a bus or train and grabbing anyone suspicious, taking them off to some detention facility for sorting out. 

Affording a car for commuting in our state is expensive so many immigrants must rely on our buses and trains.  But given the fears I mention, I would predict a possible decline in ridership on mass transit as the ICE raids continue.

Will the transit agencies cooperate with ICE?  I asked CDOT… which referred me to Metro-North… which said “no comment”.

The Trump White House has threatened to withhold Federal funds and even prosecute local officials who obstruct ICE plans, so do the transit agencies have much choice?

Under “detainer” laws ICE can get local cops to hold suspects for 48 hours.  Now the state GOP wants to roll back the state’s TRUST Act limiting local police cooperation with ICE to expedite more deportations of criminals.

As courageous Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde appealed to the new President at the National Prayer Service last week, “I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now”.  The President listened but, as always, didn’t like the criticism.  Vice President Vance just rolled his eyes.

Again, none of this should surprise you.  It may shock you, but this is exactly what candidate Donald Trump promised… and what got him elected.

As I’ve always maintained, American voters get the government they deserve. 

 

THANK YOU "AMTRAK JOE"

With the changing of power in Washington this week, let’s say thanks to Joe Biden, the President who has done the most for transportation in our country in the almost 70 years since Dwight Eisenhower built our interstate highways.

While his predecessor (and successor) Donald Trump talked a lot about investing in transportation, Biden (and the Connecticut delegation to Congress) actually got it done.  Biden’s major initiative was…

The Infrastructure & Investment Jobs Act:  $110 billion for roads and bridges, $105 billion for public transit, and $7.5 billion for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. That means funding for more than 66,000 projects nationwide, encompassing road and bridge repairs, public transit enhancements, and airport modernizations.

Here in Connecticut, that means $9.6 billion over the next five years for 300+ projects including:

The Hartford Line, where $207 million will mean double-tracking 6.2 miles and $87 million for a new high-level platform station at Windsor Locks (to be finished by mid-year) with connecting bus service to Bradley Airport.  An additional train is also to be added to service.  Enfield will also be getting a new station and there’s $2.5 million to relocate Hartford’s Union Station.

Connecticut River Bridge:  Amtrak has been awarded $827 million in IIJA funds for the replacement of the aging bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme. The total project cost is estimated at $1.3 billion, with completion anticipated by 2031.

Housatonic River Railroad Bridge: Up to $246 million has been allocated for the design of a replacement bridge connecting Milford and Stratford, with an additional $119 million for interim repairs.

Saugatuck River Railroad Bridge:  Amtrak received up to $23.2 million for early design work on replacing this bridge in Westport.

All of these projects will rejuvenate Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, soon to be running new Acela Avelia Liberty higher speed trains between Washington DC and Boston.

Among other projects being funded…  $2.4 million to consolidate grade crossings on the Metro-North Danbury branch in Norwalk and Danbury… another $2 million for the I-84 rebuild in Hartford’s North End and other work around I-91 in New Haven.

Can any of these projects be cut by President Trump?  No, because they’re written into law.  But they could be delayed or rescinded if Congress takes that move, though that is doubtful because of public support for such work.

President Trump has threatened to kill the New York’s MTA congestion pricing tolls, but it remains to be seen if that’s bluffing.  Anything that removes the $1 billion annually expected from those tolls could cripple MTA’s investment plans to enhance the city’s subways, buses and, yes, even Metro-North.

For years now the cry has been “we don’t have the money” (to fix our transportation).  Now we have the money… lot’s of it.  But do we have enough engineers and skilled workers to do the job?

We can expect years and years of construction and necessary delays.  But in the long term, meaning ten to fifteen years, our trains will run faster, our highways be safer and our air cleaner.

So thank you, President Biden.  Whatever else may have been your shortcomings, history will remember you as our true transportation President.

 

 

COMMUTERS SPEAK OUT!

Last week’s column about NYC’s congestion pricing experiment seems to have struck a nerve, generating a huge number of comments. 

Yes, friends, I do read all your emails and I try to reply, valuing your feedback… though not always agreeing with you.  But I thought some of the comments posted below were worth sharing.

David wrote:  “ Some people maintain that tolls aren't taxes, but really anytime government takes money out of citizens' pockets, it's a tax. Adding one more arrow to Hartford's already full quiver of ways to shake money out of CT residents and those passing through is a bad idea.” 

A train rider turned driver noted:  “For many years I rode the train 5 days per week. Back then the cost savings of a monthly train pass made it a no-brainer. (The train) was great and I couldn’t fathom driving.  I last rode the train about 6 months ago and it was slow and expensive. It also rocked back and forth for 20 minutes continuously — a freak occurrence that got me dizzy and motion sick for the first time ever on a train.  The trains have gone downhill since before covid. Less train cars, less express trains, slower speeds, more time between scheduled trains and more stops on each train. What was once an hour-ish ride is now over 90 minutes. They are in disrepair. The mechanicals underneath squeak and vibrate.  The door-to-door when driving in is quicker than the train, even with some traffic.”

But Tony Sheridan of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT wrote: “ A good article. Count this chamber in on any plan that focuses on modernizing our transportation infrastructure. Happy New Year.”

But responding to my enthusiasm for taking the train vs driving, Anthony said:  “You did forget the other advantages of public transit in NYC: getting macheted to death, stabbed in the neck, sitting next to a person that smells like feces, pushed in front of a moving train and my favorite, while taking that nap you talked about getting lit on fire and burning to death.  There is also the frequent mugging. 
I’ll drive, pay the toll and save me and my family from having to suffer the above.”

And from Charlie, who moved from the Bronx to Connecticut:  “I suggest you spend a year living in New York City under current conditions, grappling with the realities of rising crime, persistent delays in public transportation, and the day-to-day challenges faced by working-class residents.  It’s easy to advocate for policies like congestion pricing from the comfort of Connecticut, commuting on Metro-North and enjoying a degree of detachment. But true insight comes from experiencing the daily struggles firsthand.  

I find it telling when articles like this are written by those who seem to prioritize the concerns of the wealthy under the guise of doing good, all while ignoring an entire social class that’s left to bear the brunt of these decisions.”

What are your thoughts?  We welcome your comments and story ideas at TalkingTransportationCT@gmail.com

 

 

 

CONGESTION PRICING... FOR CONNECTICUT?

 

Oh Happy Day!  Congestion pricing is finally happening in New York City’s CBD (Central Business District), i.e. midtown-Manhattan.

After decades of discussion, years of studies, dozens of court cases and numerous delays, motorists who chose to drive into midtown Manhattan (below 60^th Street) will now be charged a toll based on the size of their vehicle and the time of day.  Full details can be found here.

Finally, someone is doing something to deal with too many cars / trucks and not enough space.  Though it will be initially unpopular, precedent-setting cases in other major cities indicate that this tolling plan will limit unnecessary traffic and speed up the remaining cars while raising billions of dollars for mass transit.

According to the MTA, only 11% of CT residents who commute into midtown Manhattan chose to drive.  The vast majority of NYC-bound commuters from Connecticut take Metro-North, saving time and (now, even more) money.

Sure, driving to NYC makes sense if you’ve got a full car or are heading to some destinations.  Driving can be more convenient… if you don’t mind paying up to $50 for parking.  That’s your choice.

But that choice has huge implications on others when your car adds to the 700,000 vehicles in midtown Manhattan each weekday.  Now you will pay more for the privilege.  Yes, privilege, as you have no constitutional right to drive there.

Driving to Manhattan already costs you in terms of gasoline, wear and tear, tolls on bridges and, most of all, your time.  In weekday rush hours driving from Bridgeport to midtown takes about two hours, barring serious delays.  By train the same journey takes about an hour and a half.  But on the train you can work, read or take a nap.

Mind you, the train could be faster.

The railroad is still lumbering along under Federal “slow train” orders, years after it suffered twin derailments.  And despite rumors of revamping the timetables to allow “zoned express” trains, the service schedule has changed little in recent years: too many trains make too many stops, slowing trip times.

As commuters keep telling us, we need more and faster trains.

To their credit the railroad is complimenting congestion pricing with experiments on weekend discounts for monthly pass holders.  While Metro-North fares are among the highest in the US, they’re still a bargain compared to driving… especially with congestion pricing now layered on.

Here’s an idea that won’t win me many friends:  if this tolling plan proves successful in Manhattan, let’s try it on our interstates.  We all know that I-95 is at saturation and it’s time to reconsider “value pricing” our roads.

But such a move would require action of the Legislature and its doubtful they’d be bold enough to act, preferring to instead “study the problem”.

Well, let’s all study New York City and learn from their experience and, hopefully, their success with congestion pricing.