This Week: MTA Reinvention Commission Hearings

The big happening this week is a series of public hearings held by MTA Reinvention Commission, which will inform the agency’s next five-year capital plan and address other long-term issues facing the region’s transit system — if Governor Cuomo adopts its recommendations.

The commission will host public hearings at its Midtown headquarters today from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Members of the public interested in speaking are asked to register in advance. The hearings will be webcast, and comments are being accepted online.

Before each public hearing, the commission will hear from transit experts. Today’s expert panel, beginning at 1 p.m., features NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, New York State DOT Commissioner Joan McDonald, Riders Alliance Executive Director John Raskin, and Joshua Schank of the ENO Center for Transportation, among others. Expert panels run on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and  on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Here are other events happening this week:

  • Wednesday: New York State DOT is hosting the second of two public meetings on the Kosciuszko Bridge replacement project. Last week’s meeting was in Brooklyn; this week’s is in Sunnyside. The new bridge will be wider and include a bike-pedestrian path over Newtown Creek. 6 p.m.
  • Also Wednesday: Join Transportation Alternatives for a Vision Zero workshop in Jackson Heights and Corona to brainstorm ideas for improving street safety in Queens. 7 p.m.
  • Saturday: TA activists are putting on a scavenger hunt along Queens Boulevard. Be on the look-out for local photo-ops, the best and worst street behavior, and tasty treats along the way. 11 a.m.
  • Also Saturday: TA is kicking off a campaign to improve bike access across the Harlem River with the first of three “street scans.” Join local residents and campaign partners to craft recommendations from cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists. 2 p.m.

Keep an eye on the calendar for updated listings. Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.

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