N.Y. governor unveils plan to modernize subway system

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently laid out his vision to transform and modernize New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) through renovations and technology upgrades in 30 subway stations throughout its system.

The technology improvements will include fast mobile payments for ticketing, as well as expanded Wi-Fi hotspots and USB ports in buses, subway trains and train stations so that users can charge their cell phones or other devices.

“The MTA is committed to meeting Governor Cuomo’s challenge head-on, eliminating every possible inefficiency to deliver these improvements faster, better and at a lower cost,” Thomas Prendergast, MTA's chairman and CEO, said. “We’ll accomplish this by incorporating the governor’s suggestions to use alternative delivery methods such as design-build, leveraging private-sector expertise through public-private partnerships and streamlining our procurement processes to ensure the entire MTA is focused on delivering improvements to the people who rely on us every day.”

“The MTA is absolutely vital to the daily functioning of New York City, but for too long, it has failed to meet the region’s growing size and strength,” Cuomo said. “This is about doing more than just repair and maintain – this is thinking bigger and better and building the 21st century transit system New Yorkers deserve. We are modernizing the MTA like never before and improving it for years to come.”