Our future depends on a commitment to rebuild our aging system
The system is more than a century old and critical infrastructure is at risk of failure.
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Behind the scenes…
411 power substations
704 stations
6,540 subway cars
5,840 buses
2,229 railroad cars
1,907 miles of track
We must rebuild our system for the next hundred years
In some ways, the MTA system has never been stronger. Subway service is performing at its highest level in a decade. LIRR and Metro-North are at greater than 95% on-time performance. Ridership is recovering post-pandemic, and customer satisfaction is increasing.
Keeping our system running requires a comprehensive approach to rebuilding it
See howReconstruct
Our transportation system has served the region for more than 100 years. It is an old system with out-of-date infrastructure, and much of it is now in desperate need of replacement.
Over the next 20 years, we will be celebrating the 200th birthday of the LIRR, the 125th birthday of the subway system, the 125th birthday of Metro-North's Grand Central Terminal, and 100th birthday of MTA Bridges and Tunnels.
Now we must reconstruct some of our foundational assets or risk catastrophic failures and disruptions across the system.
Explore the Metro-North Case StudyChallenges
The system—and the need—is vast.
The scale of our infrastructure is enormous—and a significant portion needs to be rebuilt over the next 20 years. That is especially true of the system's "hidden infrastructure," despite its essential role in safe and reliable service. This includes the power substations that provide electricity to the tracks, the shops and yards where railcars can be safely stored and maintained, and the tunnels and structures supporting the tracks that keep the trains running safely.
What we've done
Our 20-year plan
By making essential investments in our critical infrastructure, we can secure the foundation of our system and prepare it to deliver reliable, modern service for the coming generations of riders.
We have more to do. View the Appendices.
Renew
Since the first capital plan in 1982, we've made significant investments in the system—and it has made a difference. The graffiti-covered subway railcars are gone. Those trains could travel only 7,000 miles between failures; the railcars that replaced them (many of which are still in service) average 129,000 miles—and the newer ones can last more than 250,000 miles at their peak. Investment matters. And even more so, continuous investment matters; we have to continue replacing assets as they become outdated and beyond their useful life.
New York's future depends on keeping up with that investment. Aging assets demand increased maintenance attention, resulting in higher costs to keep them safe and operational and to avoid and more disruptive shutdowns for repairs. Today, we have assets across all categories that are in poor or marginal condition that we must address, including 21% of subway station components, 32% of Metro-North bridges, and 52% of LIRR substations.
We can't uphold our commitment to reliable service if critical components no longer function as intended.
Explore the B&T Case StudyChallenges
Every asset has its own lifecycle for replacement. Some assets may need replacing every 10 years, others every 20 years, and still others, every 100 years.
During their functional years, these assets fulfill their purpose. However, as they age, they become prone to age-related wear-and-tear or even outright failure. This moment is approaching for a significant percentage of the system over the next 20 years.
What we've done
We are constantly renewing the many complex components of our system.
Our 20-year plan
By keeping up with our replacement needs, we can avoid the cycle of deterioration, breakdowns, and emergency action—and reap the benefits of safe, consistently reliable, and convenient service.
We have more to do. View the Appendices.
Modernize
To reach our region's potential, we will need a transit system that can meet the needs of 21st century riders. We must modernize some of our outdated and deteriorating infrastructure to create a system that is more efficient, reliable, and easier to navigate. By making these foundational investments, we can prepare our network for its next century of service.
Challenges
Today we are using signal technology developed during the days when radio was considered cutting-edge, created decades before the invention of the internet. Some of our technology is so old that its components are no longer manufactured, forcing the MTA to painstakingly craft its own replacement parts. By modernizing the grossly outdated and wildly inefficient parts of our system, we can avoid breakdowns and support safer, more reliable service. Two particularly important systems we need to modernize are signals and communication technology.
What we've done
New York City Transit
CBTC installation
- Subway signal modernization has been fully completed on the L and 7 lines. Since the upgrades, they have become our highest performing lines, both consistently exceeding 90% on time performance.
- Modernization is also completed on portions of the E F M R (Queens Boulevard West) and currently underway on the Culver F G, 8 Avenue A C E, and Crosstown G lines.
- Plans are underway to award signal modernization projects on the Fulton A C, 6 Avenue B D F M, and 63 St F lines by the end of 2024.
Communication upgrades
- We have been making advances in rehabilitating and upgrading communication assets across our subway system. Our 2020-2024 Capital Program included a 97% increase in funding for communications infrastructure over the previous capital program.
- We are currently rolling out connection-oriented ethernet (COE) across the system. This will enable us to upgrade security and communications capabilities.
Our 20-year plan
We will embrace changes that improve service and reliability into the next century.
We have more to do. View the Appendices.