UTU News Digest - Monday, May 3, 1999

UTU Daily News Digest

Information of interest to operating railroad and transportation employees

Monday, May 3, 1999

CALIFORNIA: MTA unveils $2.5 billion budget for Y2K

LOS ANGELES – On Friday, MTA CEO Julian Burke unveiled a proposed $2,536 billion balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2000 that meets the region's transportation needs by beefing up Metro Bus service, completing the subway and operating new Metro Rail service to Hollywood and North Hollywood, and funding a vast array of street and highway improvements.

"This will be a watershed year for the MTA," Burke said. "There will be a quantum improvement in both Metro Bus and Metro Rail service, and the many street and highway projects funded by MTA next year will ensure mobility for transit users and motorists, alike. We will begin to realize many of the goals we set out to achieve to the benefit of our customers, taxpayers and other stakeholders."

Burke said he is proposing that more than $900 million, by far the largest slice of his spending plan, be earmarked for bus operations and to buy new buses and fund bus-related facilities next year. Burke noted that 437 new buses are scheduled for delivery in the coming fiscal year. These will enable MTA to retire aging buses and improve fleet reliability while also expanding service on the street. Toward that end, MTA will be hiring 310 more operators and mechanics.

The MTA next year will deploy an additional 115 buses bringing its peak hour fleet to 2,009 buses. Total Metro Bus revenue service will increase by 281,000 hours in the next fiscal year, 4 percent more than is currently budgeted.

Complementing the Metro Bus system, Metro Rail ridership will surge next year following the June 12, 1999 opening of the Metro Red Line subway to Hollywood and the extension of service to North Hollywood next spring. Currently, there are an estimated 100,000 Metro Rail boardings on an average weekday. Ridership is expected to double in the Year 2000.

"This will be a tremendous boon for the transit dependent commuters, tourists and others who can take advantage of quick and easy rail access to major job centers, schools, hospitals, cultural, sports, and entertainment venues throughout Los Angeles County," Burke said.

The budget also includes planning monies to study rail and other alternatives to serve the Eastside, Mid-City and San Fernando Valley corridors.

The second largest slice of the budget -- $747 million -- will be earmarked for regional transportation programs including construction of freeway carpool lanes and sound walls, street and freeway gap closures, grade separations at railroad crossings, street widening, traffic light coordination, and funding for the Metro Freeway Service Patrol to help stranded motorists.

This fund also includes subsidies for 16 sub-regional bus operators in the county, Metrolink, ADA accessibility programs, funding for bikeways and pedestrian improvements, smart shuttles that fill the gaps between regular Metro Bus service in suburban areas, and rideshare incentives.

With an eye to the future, MTA next year also will be revising its 20-year Long-Range Transportation Plan that will closely examine future regional transportation programs that will be necessary to ensure mobility not only for the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County but another 3 million estimated to move here in the next two decades.

Rail construction accounts for $292 million in the MTA FY 2000 budget.

While subway construction is completed, MTA is addressing the county's future regional transportation needs on a variety of fronts including plans for an innovative Rapid Bus demonstration program and by studying various transportation alternatives in the Eastside, Mid-City and San Fernando Valley corridors as well as other parts of the county.

In spite of an accelerated bus procurement effort and other capital programs, MTA's total debt will only increase next year by $74 million from $3.748 billion to $3.822 billion, payable over 30 years. Debt service in Fiscal year 2000 is $307 million, 12 percent of the proposed budget.

The proposed budget is for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 1999 and continues through June 30, 2000. It is $118 million more than MTA's current fiscal year budget. Much of that difference is due to planned expansion of Metro Bus and Metro Rail service next year and for street and highway projects.

Burke is proposing a fare hike that would take effect in November if approved by the MTA Board of Directors following a public hearing. It would hike bus and rail cash fares a dime to $1.45. Transfer, express stamps and off-peak fares would stay the same but discount tokens would be raised a nickel to 95 cents.

A Metro weekly pass would go up a dollar to $12. Semi-monthly passes would go up two dollars to $23. A regular monthly pass would be raised three dollars to $45. K-12 student passes would be raised two dollars to $22, and a college monthly pass would be raised two dollars to $32 under Burke's proposal. Seniors and disabled persons would pay a dime more in cash fares to 55 cents and a dollar more for a monthly pass to $13.

This would be the first time MTA has raised fares since February 1995, and it is permitted under the federal court Consent Decree for improving Metro Bus service.

"In the last 11 years we've only raised Metro fares once," Burke explained. "A modest fare increase is necessary at this time to help defray the cost of expanding service and to maintain a balanced budget. We held off raising fares last year because I felt service first had to get better. It has and we will continue that positive course next year."

MTA funding comes from the farebox, local, state and federal governments and other sources such as lease rentals, investment income, and advertising revenue.

The MTA Board will hold a public hearing on the FY 2000 draft budget at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 20, in the third floor Board room at MTA headquarters at Gateway Plaza next to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The MTA Board will consider adopting the budget at a special Board meeting May 24.

Copies of the draft budget can be reviewed during weekday business hours starting May 5 at the MTA library on the 15th floor at MTA headquarters or screened on the Internet at www.MTA.net.

NEW YORK: Pataki not yet committed to new East Side subway

NEW YORK -- New York State Gov. George Pataki has not yet "committed" to an ambitious plan to build a new subway line on Manhattan's East Side, the state budget director said last week.

The Republican governor has supported other major transit improvements, including a billion-dollar link that would bring Long Island Railroad commuters directly into Grand Central Terminal in midtown. But the state transportation agency that controls such projects faces considerable pressure to pay for all the improvements that have been planned or proposed.

"I don't think he (Pataki) has committed to that," Robert King, state budget director, told reporters after addressing a luncheon sponsored by the Municipal Forum of New York, a trade group.

"I don't think the governor is prepared to make a decision on that," King said, adding that Pataki was planning to meet with Manhattan Borough President Virginia Fields, who has pressed for the new Second Avenue line because the East Side's Lexington Avenue IRT is overcrowded.

New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's administration has called on the state to build the new East Side line, a project whose cost has been estimated at as much as $5 billion.

Congestion on the Lexington Avenue subway is expected to worsen in the next decade after LIRR commuters begin taking advantage of the link to Grand Central. At present, the Lexington Avenue IRT is the only subway that runs north and south from the station.

Among the factors Pataki will have to consider is the huge cost of building a new subway line and how that fits into the long-term transportation plan, King added.

ILLINOIS: Chicago, suburbs seek $7 billion for transit

CHICAGO -- Worried that the state will again fail to provide adequate transportation funding, city and suburban officials last week stood near a crumbling Metra railroad bridge in Morton Grove to dramatize their demand for at least $7 billion in state money for roads and mass transit.

The comments come days before Gov. Ryan is scheduled to release a report from his funding task force.

Early reports say the panel will recommend a $12 billion, five-year program divided equally among mass transit, roads and schools/quality-of-life programs. Only $6.2 billion would come from the state, with $4.2 billion for roads and transit.

The task force plan apparently envisions the receipt of about $3 billion in federal aid, with another $2.7 billion provided by local communities.

But $4 billion in state aid is nowhere near the amount needed to keep pace with the level of infrastructure deterioration, coalition members said.

"The Band-Aid approach to transit infrastructure funding ... is just not good enough,'' said Mary Sue Barrett of the Metropolitan Planning Council.

With her were representatives of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Business Leaders for Transportation, north suburban elected officials and commerce groups from Rolling Meadows and Northbrook.

They believe roads alone need $4 billion and mass transit at least $3 billion as the state's share -- whether from bond proceeds, Illinois' fat general revenue fund or a combination of both.

Transit officials said that even $3 billion won't allow them to make all urgently needed repairs. The CTA needs $2.2 billion in state funds over five years to keep its system from rusting to a stop, said spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney.

Metra officials said the commuter rail service needs more than $2 billion, in part to replace 80 deteriorating bridges at least 100 years old. Pace has to replace hundreds of buses for which parts are no longer available.

If the state Legislature fails again to fully fund the repairs, transit services will continue to shrink and more industries will relocate out of state to areas where workers can more easily get to jobs, said Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce CEO Gerald Roper.

PENNSYLVANIA: Governor lauds new jobs at Amtrak Call Center

PHILADELPHIA -- Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge last week helped cut the ribbon to officially dedicate Amtrak's new Reservation Sales Call Center in Northeast Philadelphia. Gov. Ridge also announced that Amtrak plans to create 100 new jobs here while retaining its 475 existing jobs.

"Two years ago, Amtrak demonstrated its commitment to Pennsylvania by selecting this site after considering more than 40 other potential locations in other states," Gov. Ridge said.

"Today, I'm proud to say we're further strengthening our partnership with Amtrak through the creation of another 100 new jobs at this new facility and the retention of 475 existing jobs.

"Pennsylvania has a long, proud railroad heritage. Our rail system continues to play a significant role in the Commonwealth's economy, providing good-paying jobs for Pennsylvanians. Our partnership with Amtrak will help to ensure the rail industry's place in Pennsylvania's economy for years to come."

The new Amtrak Reservation Sales Call Center is one of three Amtrak operates nationally. In 1997, after considering sites in a number of other states, Amtrak selected the Philadelphia site for the new call center, relocating it from nearby Fort Washington, Montgomery County, and preserving 475 existing jobs in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

The Governor's Action Team -- economic development specialists who report directly to Ridge -- worked with Amtrak to secure the project, and the new and retained jobs, for Pennsylvania.

The Ridge Administration provided a $1.5 million economic package for the project, including an Opportunity Grant. A low-interest Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) loan also was provided to the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. to renovate the facility which it is leasing to Amtrak.

"I want to thank Gov. Ridge for partnering with Amtrak to locate this state-of-the-art call center in Philadelphia," said Amtrak Board Chairman and Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson. "The new center will make our reservation sales operations more modern and efficient, increase revenues for the corporation, provide our employees with a better place to work, and bring new jobs to Pennsylvania. That's what I call smart business and a win-win partnership for Amtrak and the Commonwealth."

Amtrak continues to make a significant and growing impact on Pennsylvania's economy. Amtrak currently has more than 3,200 employees living in Pennsylvania, the majority of whom work in Philadelphia.

In 1996, Gov. Ridge joined Amtrak officials in announcing plans to keep its Northeast Corridor headquarters in Philadelphia. Also in 1996, Amtrak announced the $235 million purchase of locomotives from General Electric, which were manufactured in Erie.

FLORIDA: 2 hurt as train derails in Broward

PMPANO BEACH -- A northbound freight train carrying automobiles derailed Sunday night in Pompano Beach, leaving two crew members hurt and as many as nine rail cars crumpled along the tracks.

The Florida East Coast train jumped the tracks shortly before 10 p.m. in the 600 block of North Dixie Highway. Police said the pileup was caused by a "frog'' – train lingo for something on the track that wasn't supposed to be there. Late Sunday, no one could say what that something was.

The engineer suffered an arm fracture and the conductor had head and neck injuries. Both were taken to North Broward Medical Center.

Some fuel was dumped, but it seemed to be contained in an unpaved area.

"It could be a number of days until Florida East Coast is able to remove the locomotives -- Dixie Highway will remain closed until they are gone,'' said Sandra King, Pompano Beach Police spokeswoman.

NEW JERSEY: Safety concern could derail light rail plan

TRENTON -- Federal regulators' concerns about safety could derail the proposed light rail line in South Jersey between Trenton and Camden.

The Federal Railroad Administration suggests that running passenger trains and freight trains on the single- track line could lead to serious accidents. Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein says the state hopes to work out an agreement with Conrail that would allow passenger trains to run during the day, with freight moving at night.

COLORADO: 2 finalists vie for DIA train route w/Mag-lev

DENVER -- Trains that use magnetic levitation are the two finalists for a visionary high-speed line between Denver International Airport and Eagle County Airport.

There's a fundamental difference in the plans: The train proposed by a Denver-based consortium is lifted by magnetic force but travels on flangeless wheels. The train from

MAGLEV 2000 of Florida Corp. floats about 6 inches above a fixed guideway, pulled along by a small electric current in the guideway.

Representatives of TransPort Ventures, the international consortium based in Denver, and the Florida firm presented their competing proposals Monday at a public meeting in Denver.

The companies also will finish making proposals today to the Colorado Intermountain Fixed Guideway Authority. The agency is planning the world's first high-speed recreational commuter line in the Interstate 70 corridor.

"There's a lot of talk this can't be done," said Jim Scherer of the Corridor Alliance for Rapid Transit, a citizens group working with CIFGA.

"What we're here to show is that it can be done, and the cost is not prohibitive."

The plan is for trains to travel 125 mph as often as every six minutes on the route. No such mountain train operates anywhere in the world.

CIFGA Executive Director Miller Hudson said the agency will choose between the two proposals by September. Construction may require voter approval in two elections to spend billions of dollars for construction.