MTA's infrastructure is crumbling, despite the agency's incessant appetite for new cash.
The 110-year-old Grand Central train shed, vital for 200,000 daily riders, is in poor condition, with 95% of its support beams deemed “poor or marginal”, according to Gothamist.
Built to support horse-drawn carts, it now struggles with modern trucks and constant water leaks that corrode its steel columns.
The Gothamist report said that MTA plans to spend $1.7 billion on its renovation as part of a $65 billion five-year plan, which also includes repairing over 150 subway stations, elevated tracks, and outdated equipment.
Delaying repairs will worsen conditions and increase costs, warned MTA officials, who are asking state lawmakers for funding. Riders remain skeptical about the agency’s ability to deliver, preferring reliable service over cosmetic improvements. "We want strong service, not pretty stations," said Malcolm Green, a commuter from the Bronx.
Talking about the infrastructure near Grand Central Station, MTA construction chief Jamie Torres-Springer said: “The condition of this artery continues to deteriorate in very significant ways. The worst thing that can happen if you don’t deal with that is you have the potential for a collapse.”
Recall, MTA is once again at the 'cash grab' machine, even with NYC's most recent congestion tolls going into place.
The MTA approved a $1.27 billion order for 435 new subway cars, including 80 open-gangway models, and outlined plans to raise subway and bus fares to $3 per ride. Chairman Janno Lieber noted the fare increase, expected by late 2025, requires formal board approval next year.
Lieber said this week: “This is a good deal. We are way cheaper than other major world cities.” But the Post wrote days ago that critics slammed the fare hikes and new $9 Manhattan congestion toll that started Jan. 5, pointing to high spending.
The MTA’s plan includes 4% fare increases in 2025 and 2027, potentially raising fares to $3.14, with congestion tolls rising to $15 over time.
And we wrote just days ago how train delays caused by faulty infrastructure surged 46% last year compared to 2021, and major incidents delaying 50 or more trains hit their highest level since 2018, according to MTA data.
Another Gothamist investigation revealed the crumbling state of the system through tours of restricted transit facilities and interviews with over 100 riders from nearly every subway line.
MTA records reveal service breakdowns could surpass those of the 2017 "summer of hell," when subway reliability hit record lows. Officials blame decades of deferred maintenance, keeping outdated equipment in use. Experts warn similar failures are imminent, risking widespread system disruptions.
The MTA has long been criticized for underfunding its infrastructure, a problem worsened by reduced maintenance during the 1970s financial crisis and massive debt from state funding cuts in the 1990s.