The MTA Is Losing $200 Million A Week

"If we don't get federal help, we are so screwed" [View this email in your browser]( The MTA Is Losing $200 Million A Week Thanks To The 'Fiscal Tsunami' Caused By The Pandemic Plus: Why does Open Streets amount to a bunch of little public space islands? The NYPD is scaling back its "outreach" to homeless people on the subways. And a pickup truck ran into an outdoor dining area in Sunset Park. By [James Ramsay](mailto:james@wnyc.org?subject=We%20the%20Commuters) [a commuter emerges from the subway with an umbrella on a wet, stormy day in July] Frank Franklin II/AP Though New York City technically [entered Phase 4]( of reopening (a.k.a. the final phase) on Monday, transit ridership is nowhere close to normal. Buses and subways this week have recorded around 1,240,000 daily riders, [a decrease of more than 77%]( compared to this time in 2019. Ridership is still down about 80% on the Long Island Rail Road, and even more on Metro-North. This drop in fare revenue — along with the added costs of cleaning and disinfecting trains and buses — means the MTA is losing $200 million a week. At the MTA's monthly board meeting on Wednesday, Chairman Pat Foye said the agency was facing a "once-in-100-years fiscal tsunami" created by the pandemic. Does this mean the MTA will have to cut service and/or raise fares for riders? "Everything is on the table," Foye said...repeatedly. Foye did specify that he wouldn't ask for a gas tax to further supplement the MTA's revenue, arguing that the public couldn't afford new taxes. The MTA has already identified $340 million worth of cuts it can make, mainly through attrition and ending contracts with consultants. But with $3.9 billion needed to get the agency through 2020 — and another $6.1 billion needed for 2021 — Foye said his "immediate focus" is on getting federal lawmakers to bail out the MTA. Foye also added that it was "cynical" for the Trump administration to be [holding up approval of the congestion pricing plan]( which was supposed to go into effect by the start of 2021 and raise [$1 billion]( in revenue annually. That money, in turn, would be used to borrow $15 billion for major infrastructure improvements. "If we don’t get the federal help, we are so screwed," [said Kevin Law]( an MTA board member. — [Reporting by Christopher Robbins]( Report: Open Streets 👎 [A broken NYPD barricade, used to cordon off this street, lies broken as a car approaches.] Gothamist The good news: New York City now has 67 miles worth of Open Streets in place, which is more than any other city in the United States. The troubling news: Each chunk of Open Streets is, on average, 0.22 miles long. Only 20.5% of New Yorkers who live in walking distance of an open street are Black, even though Black people make up 26% of the city's population. And only 7.88 miles of the city's proposed 18.07 miles of "pop-up" bike lanes have been implemented. Plus, the actual enforcement and maintenance of Open Streets varies widely, depending on who's in charge. In areas where local business organizations or other community groups are maintaining the no-traffic zones, things seem to remain in tact far better than in areas where the local police precinct is supposed to be keeping barriers up. Those barriers, [as many have witnessed]( are not staying up. A new [report]( from the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives says the program as it stands is essentially "a disconnected network of public space islands." The group's overall suggestion is to create a connected, car-free network for people to actually get places by bus, bike, or foot. "The current approach to Open Streets works for those who want to enjoy a meal outside, or have a socially-distant game of catch," the report says. "But it certainly isn't going to mitigate mounting traffic congestion or improve conditions for the growing numbers of bus riders or cyclists." — [Reporting by Ben Yakas]( The NYPD Is Scaling Back Its 'Outreach' To Homeless People In The Subway System [two NYPD officers force a homeless man off an A train] John Minchillo/AP Following weeks of protests over racist police brutality, the de Blasio administration is disbanding the NYPD's Homeless Outreach Unit. Cops will no longer be part of the Joint Crisis Coordination Center, which uses a vast camera surveillance system to monitor where homeless people are in real time. And the city appears to be cutting the NYPD out of its "subway diversion program," which was created last July. Under the initiative, cops would go into the subway system and give summonses to homeless New Yorkers for violations like fare evasion or taking up multiple seats. If those individuals wanted their summonses cleared, they'd have to agree to engage with the Bowery Residents’ Committee, an outreach organization under contract with the city. Throughout the existence of the program, city officials [insisted]( it was helping people move into shelters, but [failed to provide any evidence]( to back up the claim. (Separately, the MTA's inspector general [recently concluded]( that there was no evidence of Bowery Residents' Committee's effectiveness in getting homeless people off the trains and into safe housing.) Advocates for the homeless welcomed the changes, which came about quickly and against the backdrop of citywide budget cuts. "We have long said that police are not an effective way to reach homeless people," said Shelly Nortz, deputy executive director for policy at the Coalition for the Homeless. "Everyone who's done work successfully to reach out to very marginalized homeless people, who've been sleeping on the streets for a long time, knows that it's all about relationship development and trust development." — [Reporting by Mirela Iverac]( Here's What Else Is Happening After a homeless man on the subway was repeatedly punched by a cop for taking up an extra seat, Mayor Bill de Blasio this week admonished the straphanger for not following "a valid instruction." Joseph T., a homeless hairdresser from the Bronx, was seen in police bodycam footage from May being punched and pepper-sprayed by a cop after being told to leave the train for taking up more than one seat. The mayor, who said last Thursday that he hadn't seen the video (even though it had been viewed over [3 million times]( said this week that he didn't like seeing what "seems to be an officer using too much force," but also disapproved of Joseph "refusing to follow an instruction by an officer that’s obviously a valid instruction." ([THE CITY]( A pickup truck barreled into an outdoor dining area in Sunset Park on Tuesday, injuring three people. Based on Facebook [photos]( of the outdoor dining setup at L'wren Bar in Sunset Park, it appears there was a substantial barrier around the tables and chairs placed in what would otherwise be a parking spot. It was still no match for a pickup truck, which knocked over at least one person, along with some dining furniture. The NYPD said a 22-year-old driver was operating the truck without a license, and was given a summons. ([Gothamist]( The myMTA app now includes real-time info on how many passengers are on certain buses. The app update, which was released on Tuesday, is meant to give riders a heads up about crowding so they can decide whether to wait for an emptier bus. Only about 40% of the city's bus fleet has the technology to provide a head count. While the app indicates how many passengers are on a given bus, it doesn't say what that bus' capacity is. Meaning, riders won't necessarily know if the bus is actually overcrowded. ([Streetsblog]( Next Tuesday is the final opportunity for kids to take the Long Island Rail Road's safety class. The "TRACKS" course (Together Railroads And Communities Keeping Safe) for Kindergarteners through 8th graders has gone online this summer because of the pandemic, with a final session scheduled for July 28th. The goal of the class is to teach children how to stay safe around the LIRR's 292 railroad crossings. The MTA runs a similar program for kids living near [Metro-North]( stations. ([WTNH]( New York City Reporter's Death Marks First Known Fatality On Revel Scooter [a headshot of CBS reporter Nina Kapoor] Nina Kapoor/Twitter Nina Kapur, a 26-year-old TV reporter with CBS2, died on Saturday after being thrown off the back of a Revel scooter in Greenpoint. An NYPD spokesperson said the driver of the electric moped she was riding "swerved for an unknown reason," sending them both to the ground. Kapur was taken to Bellevue Hospital shortly after 5:30 p.m. and pronounced dead. The driver sustained minor injuries. Kapur's death appears to be the first fatality of a Revel rider since the scooter-sharing company [arrived in New York City two summers ago](. Revel, which now has over 1,000 scooters located around New York City, requires users to have a valid driver's license. Two helmets are also located under the seat. The company did indicate in an email to registered users last week that [over 1,000 riders had been suspended]( in the last 30 days for safety violations like riding on sidewalks or not wearing helmets. "We are heartbroken here at CBS2 as a member of our news family has passed away," the station said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Nina’s family. She will be missed." — [Reporting by Jake Offenhartz]( Weekend Service Changes: Night of July 24th – Early Morning on July 27th This is a partial list of major service disruptions scheduled for the weekend. For a complete list of the MTA's Weekender updates, [check here](. Note: The entire subway system is closed each night from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. until further notice. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be no train service between 241 St and E 180 St. On Saturday and Sunday, Hudson Yards-bound trains will skip 111 St, 103 St, 90 St and 82 St. Uptown trains will skip 135 St, 155 St and 163 St, and on Saturday and Sunday during the day, no trains will run between Rockaway Blvd and Lefferts Blvd. On Saturday and Sunday, uptown trains will skip 163 St, 155 St and 135 St. World Trade Center-bound trains will skip 67 Av, 63 Dr, Woodhaven Blvd, Grand Av, Elmhurst Av, Briarwood, and 75 Av. Brooklyn-bound trains will skip Sutphin Blvd, Briarwood and 75 Av, and no trains will run between Church Av and Coney Island-Stillwell Av. On Saturday and Sunday, Bay Ridge-bound trains will skip 67 Av, 63 Dr, Woodhaven Blvd, Grand Av and Elmhurst Av. trains will not run between Hewes St and Broad St. [Check here]( for complete details about the Long Island Rail Road. For NJ Transit, [check here]( for the latest service advisories. [a close-up of James Ramsay sitting on a vespa] James Ramsay thinks railroad crossing safety definitely sounds like something an 8th grader would be into. (Photo by Amy Pearl) Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential transportation coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2020 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](