No MTA Fare Hikes Thanks To $1T Infrastructure Bill, Hochul Says

New York City NY

15 November, 2021

1:16 PM

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NEW YORK CITY — A $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill will save New Yorkers at subway turnstiles and on buses. "We anticipate that there will be no fare hikes for the MTA," Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday. Hochul also said planned service cuts will be "off the table" through 2024. She made the announcement shortly before she jetted off to Washington, D.C., to watch President Joe Biden sign the infrastructure package into law. The bill isn't just a boon for New York City's roads, bridges and transit infrastructure, Hochul said. She said the windfall will affect New Yorkers' lives and pocketbooks. "This is an investment not just in infrastructure — 'infrastructure' is a term that a lot of people can't quite get their arms around — this is an investment for New York State families," she said, referring to water quality, potholes, broadband access and other quality of life issues. The MTA affects millions of city dwellers' quality of life — and lately its leaders have been eyeing potential fare hikes and service cuts to help cover funding gaps, particularly after ridership cratered during the coronavirus pandemic. MTA board members already forestalled potential fare hikes for 2021. Hochul made clear that commuters won't have to contend with any service cuts previously planned for 2023 and 2024.