Upgrade Subway Signals Faster

Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that the metropolitan transportation authority has 837 track miles, over 1,600 mainline switches and 13,000 signals. While the three most recent metropolitan transportation authority capital plans dedicate more than five billion dollars to signal repair and upgrades, much of this funding is maintaining existing signaling systems, some of which are more than a century old. As ridership reaches highs last seen in the post-World War II years, replacing the signal system must receive the highest priority to ensure a safe, efficient and reliable means of transportation.

§ 2. Section 1 and subdivision (a) of section 2 of part NN of chapter 54 of the laws of 2016, amending the public authorities law relating to committing the state of New York and the city of New York to partially fund part of the costs of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's capital program, are amended to read as follows:

Section 1. This act commits the state of New York (state) and the city of New York (city) to fund, over a multi-year period, $10,828,000,000 in

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD13235-01-7

A. 8595 2

capital costs related to projects contained in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) 2015-2019 capital program (capital program). The state share of $8,336,000,000 shall consist of $1,000,000,000 in appropriations first enacted in the 2015-2016 state budget and additional funds sufficient for Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to pay $7,336,000,000 of capital costs as provided [herein] in this act, of which no less than $1,950,000,000 shall be for the costs to accelerate the development and installation of advanced signal and communications technologies in connection with commuter railroad and mass transit systems within the metropolitan transportation authority's core capital program. The city share of $2,492,000,000 shall consist of $657,000,000 to be provided by the city from 2015 through 2019, and additional funds sufficient for MTA to pay $1,835,000,000 of capital costs for the capital program. The $7,336,000,000 of additional funds to be provided by the state may be used by the MTA to pay direct capital costs and/or the state may fund such $7,336,000,000 of capital costs through financing mechanisms undertaken by the MTA, provided that no less than $1,950,000,000 shall be for the costs to accelerate the development and installation of advanced signal and communications technologies in connection with commuter railroad and mass transit systems within the metropolitan transportation authority's core capital program. Unless extraordinary circumstances justify otherwise, it is intended that the additional funds committed by the state and city shall be provided concurrently, and in proportion to the respective shares of each, in accordance with the funding needs of the capital program.

(a) The additional funds provided by the state pursuant to section one of this act shall be scheduled and made available to pay for the costs of the capital program after MTA capital resources planned for the capital program, not including additional city and state funds, have been exhausted, or when MTA capital resources planned for the capital program are not available. It is anticipated that state funds shall be required by, and provided to, the MTA in an amount to support $1,500,000,000 of capital costs in the first year in which planned MTA capital resources are exhausted; $2,600,000,000 in the second year; $1,840,000,000 in the third year and $1,396,000,000 in the fourth year or thereafter, provided that no less than $1,950,000,000 shall be for the costs to accelerate the development and installation of advanced signal and communications technologies in connection with commuter railroad and mass transit systems within the metropolitan transportation authority's core capital program.

§ 3. Section 1 of chapter 54 of the laws of 2017, enacting the capital projects budget, is amended by adding thereto the items herein below set forth in italics as follows:

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

CAPITAL PROJECTS 2017-18

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (CCP) .............. 1,532,200,000

--------------

Capital Projects Funds - Other

Capital Projects Fund

Mass Transit Purpose

For the costs of the metropolitan transpor-

tation authority's 2015-2019 capital

A. 8595 3

program, pursuant to chapter 54 of the

laws of 2016 regarding the commitment of

the state of New York to fund, over a

multi-year period, $7,336,000,000 of capi-

tal costs related to such program, of

which no less than $1,950,000,000 shall be

for the costs to accelerate the develop-

ment and installation of advanced signal

and communications technologies in

connection with commuter railroad and mass

transit systems within the metropolitan

transportation authority's core capital

program. Funds appropriated herein shall

be made available in the event that the

state elects to meet its commitment

through direct payments (26JW17MT) ....... 1,467,200,000

§ 4. Section 1 of chapter 55 of the laws of 2016, enacting the capital projects budget, as amended by chapter 54, section 1, of the laws of 2017, is amended by adding thereto the items hereinbelow set forth in italics as follows:

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (CCP)

Capital Projects Funds - Other

Capital Projects Fund

Mass Transit Purpose

For the costs of the metropolitan transportation authority's 2015-2019

capital program, pursuant to chapter 54 of the laws of 2016 regard-

ing the commitment of the state of New York to fund, over a multi-

year period, $7,336,000,000 of capital costs related to such

program, of which no less than $1,950,000,000 shall be for the costs

to accelerate the development and installation of advanced signal

and communications technologies in connection with commuter railroad

and mass transit systems within the metropolitan transportation

authority's core capital program. Funds appropriated herein shall be

made available in the event that the state elects to meet its

commitment through direct payments (26JW16MT) ......................

2,934,400,000...................................(re. $2,934,400,000)

§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.