Readers Write: Schumer wrong on funding of East Side Access

The Island Now

Sen. Charles Schumer is incorrect when saying funding under his proposed $1 trillion infrastructure program could also pay for completion of the Long Island Rail Road East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal.   

The original Full Funding Grant Agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration and Metropolitan Transportation Authority for East Side Access was approved in December 2006 at a total cost of $6.3 billion. 

The $2.63 billion federal share of funding under the FTA Full Funding Grant to MTA remains unchanged (virtually all of which has already been spent) with the MTA as local sponsor legally required to cover billions and growing cost overruns.  

Ten years later in August 2016 the FTA amended Full Funding Grant Agreement was signed off by both FTA and the MTA. After years of negotiations, the MTA and FTA finally came to an agreement which would reflect the true current cost and schedule. Both the cost went up and first revenue day of service slipped once again.

Taxpayers may end up paying $12 billion in direct costs for this project.  The original completion date of 2011 will slip to December 2023. 

The last construction contract for MTA Long Island Rail Road East Side Access to Grant Central Terminal was awarded in 2016. 

The MTA previously programmed local funding within the 2015 – 2019 Five Year Capital Plan to pay for all remaining work. 

Any additional unforeseen future cost overruns would have to be paid for out of the next MTA 2020 – 2024 Five Year Capital Plan.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

(Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office)  

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