🚦Delays, Derailments & Dining Debates: Welcome to Edition #6 of the BOMA-NY Transportation Report 🗞️
March 2023 Edition
This month’s transportation roundup has it all: late trains, loud objections, lithium-ion fires, and a cameo from the Ghostbusters.
As the MTA struggles to fix what it predicted would go wrong a decade ago, NYC’s public and political players are locked in battles over outdoor dining, congestion pricing, e-bike safety, and whether remote work is here to stay. Add to that some toxic train spills, exploding batteries, and another debate over MSG’s future, and you’ve got the latest cocktail of policy, politics, and practical impacts on how people, goods, and risks move through your building’s front door.
In this issue:
🚉 Grand Central Madison opens fully—and unleashes a host of painful commuter transfers
💸 Payroll tax hikes for the MTA? Adams says “no thanks,” and suburban legislators revolt
🚫 Congestion pricing delayed again, while City Hall aides publicly bash it
🔥 Lithium-ion battery fires trigger new laws, a massive Bronx blaze, and calls for a buyback program
🍽️ Outdoor dining may go seasonal, with new price tags for sidewalk real estate
🛻 BQE expansion talk returns—but it’s dividing Brooklyn
🧠 Remote work becomes permanent for many NYC workers under a new union deal
🧯 Train derailments, casino bids, autonomous shuttles, and “subway surfing” make for one wild ride
And if you thought NYC’s rat problem was the scariest thing underground… wait until you see what’s popping up in Prospect Park.
📍Buckle up. We’ve got policy proposals, political plot twists, and just enough chaos to keep CRE pros on their toes.
🛠️ March 2023 Transportation Report Summary
BOMA-NY Codes & Regs – Transportation Subcommittee
Glenn Waldorf, Bell Environmental Services
🚉 Major Transit Developments & MTA Challenges
Grand Central Madison: Open But Stumbling
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The newly opened Grand Central Madison terminal is facing serious operational kinks despite full launch.
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Only 29% of riders are using it; the rest continue to use Penn Station.
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Commute times worsened for some by up to an hour per day, due to transfer bottlenecks and outdated switches.
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A 2012 MTA simulation predicted this meltdown but infrastructure upgrades (like switch replacements) are still delayed until 2027.
MTA Funding Standoff
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Governor Hochul’s plan to raise payroll taxes to support the MTA faces pushback from NYC and suburban lawmakers.
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Mayor Adams opposes NYC’s proposed $500M/year contribution, calling it unfair.
🚗 Congestion Pricing Controversy
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Federal review delays push implementation to Q2 2024.
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Top advisers to Mayor Adams are vocally opposed, undermining city unity on the plan.
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The program remains politically vulnerable despite being central to long-term MTA funding.
🚇 Subway Safety, Staffing & Costs
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Subway crime is down 21.5% year-over-year, credited to NYPD surge from Oct 2022.
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A plan to reduce service on low-ridership days (e.g., Mondays and Fridays) was blocked by a labor arbitrator.
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Major fare evasion (up 35%) has led to slower bus service, with MTA reinstating front-door boarding only.
🏟️ MSG & Penn Station Redevelopment
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Madison Square Garden’s push for a permanent operating permit is facing backlash over use of facial recognition and community concerns.
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Stakeholders now advocate a bond sale to revive Penn Station redevelopment plans.
🧯 Lithium-Ion Battery Fires & Legislation
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NYC Council passed a battery safety package, including:
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Ban on unregulated batteries
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FDNY education campaign
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Proposals for a buyback program
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Fires continue: incidents on airplanes and in residential buildings, including a major Bronx blaze with 7 injuries.
🍽️ Outdoor Dining Rules Shift
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Council proposes limiting outdoor roadway dining to April–October.
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Sidewalk dining allowed year-round, but restaurants may have to pay tens of thousands for public space use.
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Comparisons to Paris show a 65% drop in participation when outdoor dining was restricted seasonally.
👨💼 Remote Work Policy
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Mayor Adams approved a union deal allowing remote work options for NYC employees, a major reversal from his earlier “back-to-office” stance.
🛣️ Highways & NJ Infrastructure
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The BQE expansion (6-lane revival) is unofficially backed by City Hall but strongly opposed by local Brooklyn reps.
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NJ Turnpike expansion near Holland Tunnel moving forward, while NJ Transit keeps fares flat (6th year in a row) using Turnpike funds.
🚴 Micromobility, EVs & Environmental Concerns
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NJ sets 2035 as the new deadline for all vehicle sales to be electric.
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Battery EVs may increase tire particulate pollution due to added weight and torque—raising long-term air quality concerns.
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Subway surfing is on the rise (449 incidents in 5 months); MTA calls for social media crackdown.
🚁 Transit Tech & Urban Mobility
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Blade is testing electric air taxis for NYC by 2025.
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Port Authority tests autonomous shuttle platoons at JFK; plans to extend to Lincoln Tunnel bus lanes.
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NYC’s new Public Realm Czar will oversee street de-cluttering and outdoor dining rollout.
🎰 Casinos, Complaints & Quirks
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New casino bids in Midtown East (with a Ferris wheel) and the Bronx (near Trump Golf Links); both pitched as MTA funding sources.
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A JetBlue–Spirit merger blocked by the DOJ.
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DOT misspells “Jackie” on the Jackie Robinson Parkway.
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Congressman Dan Goldman reportedly racked up 84 traffic tickets in 6 years.
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NYC Council reboots “Citizens on Patrol” to report traffic violations, but removes the 25% reward payout.
