Relatively modest fair hikes, in places where fares previously did and did not exist, and a regional mobility tax are a part of the plan to rescue the Metropolitan Transportation Agency from further debt.
"The plan - presented in a 19-page report [pdf] - would permit automatic, inflation-adjusted fare and toll increases every two years without public hearings, ending what [Commission on Metropolitan Transportation Authority Financing leader Richard] Ravitch called a cyclical "political circus." The plan would allow for a state takeover of the city-owned Harlem River and East River bridges, which have historically been free to drivers. The new tolls would be collected electronically, without toll booths.
The regional mobility tax - 33 cents on every $100 of payroll - would provide $1.5 billion a year, and the tolls would produce $600 million in net revenue a year ($1 billion a year in gross revenue minus expenses), Mr. Ravitch said. The new revenue streams would help finance borrowing for a $30 billion-to-$35 billion M.T.A. capital plan for 2010 to 2014 that would help stimulate the economy while maintaining vital infrastructure.
'This is a major stimulus bill to New York State,' Mr. Ravitch said at a morning news conference at the governor's office in Midtown Manhattan. 'The number of projects being canceled and terminated as a result of inadequate financing,' he said, is 'adding enormously to all the other problems this financial crisis has imposed on everybody.'"
FULL STORY: Ravitch Unveils M.T.A. Rescue Plan

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie