Local officials urge Cuomo to rescind LIRR fare discounts during Penn Station track work

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams along with more than 20 of Brooklyn’s elected officials have penned a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, urging him to rescind his plan to grant Long Island Rail Road riders a 25 percent fare reduction and consider using the recaptured funds toward desperately needed repairs to the subway’s ailing signals instead.

A few weeks ago, Cuomo announced that beginning July 10, all passengers traveling on the LIRR to Hunterspoint Avenue and Atlantic Terminal during Amtrak’s 10 weeks of repair work, known as the “summer of hell,” will receive a 25-percent fare reduction on average, until repair work is completed. However, with Cuomo recently declaring a state of emergency following the derailment of an A train at 125th Street as the latest in a myriad of transit issues, local officials are calling for a more direct plan for overhauling the subway system.

“Though we commend your announcement that you will issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency for the MTA, allowing the organization to speed up procurement and repairs to the system, it is imperative that the $1 billion in additionally proposed funds come with identifiable funding sources that meet the system’s critical needs,” writes Adams.

The letter also suggests that Cuomo consider shutting done entire subway lines overnight to fast-track repair work. “Drastic times call for drastic measures, but it is imperative that our transit system is brought up to a 21st century standard on which all New Yorkers can depend,” Adams declares.

• Cuomo declares a ‘state of emergency’ for NYC subway [Curbed]
• LIRR fares will be discounted during Penn Station track work [Curbed]
• NYC’s subway derailment in Harlem was caused by ‘human error’: MTA [Curbed]
• MTA WTF: A visual timeline of the subway’s epic 2017 meltdown [Curbed]