Why New York's Transportation Infrastructure Costs So Much

It's been remarked upon before. Infrastructure in New York City is a cost nightmare compared to other global cities. Accountability is lacking, Josh Barro writes, but MTA also suffers from an "institutional lack of power."

2 minute read

May 31, 2019, 6:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


New York Subway

Kristi Blokhin / Shutterstock

Amid the nationwide debate over crumbling infrastructure, Josh Barro writes, "where New York stands out is the massive price tags associated with proposed and actual new projects, and the delays and limitations of vision they impose on new construction." While cities like London and Paris implement "transformative" transportation projects, NYC is paying inflated sums for the "mundane."

Barro goes through some of the many problems driving up costs. It's a lengthy paragraph. "When you're doing everything wrong, the best way to fix the problem isn't usually to go through the list of things you're doing wrong and fix them one by one. It's best to step back and ask why you're so bad at everything, whether a systemic problem is causing you to make so many separate mistakes."

Two root problems afflict MTA, Barro says. The first is a lack of accountability: it's unclear who's in charge, and no one is on hand to take blame. "Less discussed than the accountability problem is the MTA's institutional lack of power. When the MTA wants to build a big new shiny thing, it's at the mercy of a lot of people and entities it doesn't control."

Tackling the accountability problem will require fixing the power problem, Barro writes. The agency must have "the tools it needs to have even a chance at success, so somebody will be willing to be blamed if it fails." And beyond dealing with MTA's dysfunction, another question New York should be asking is, "At what point is the price too high for a project like this to be worth building?"

Thursday, May 30, 2019 in Intelligencer - New York Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

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.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

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.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

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.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

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.

July 17 - San José Spotlight