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MAYOR BLOOMBERG URGES INDUSTRY ACTION ON PLANYC HOW YOU CAN HELP At a special New York Building Congress Construction Industry Forum on July 9, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg called on members of the design, construction and real estate industry to reach out immediately to their New York State Assembly members and demand immediate action on his PlaNYC initiatives, especially his congestion pricing proposal.
Mayor Bloomberg warned the more than 350 industry leaders and media in attendance that the State Legislature must act on the congestion pricing proposal by July 16 or forfeit up to $500 million in federal funds that would be used to implement a pilot program and support immediate transportation improvements in areas of the City that are underserved by mass transit. Citing the Building Congress recent Construction Outlook update, the Mayor noted that public and private sector construction is leading the way for a robust economy. “But ominously,” Mayor Bloomberg continued, “we lag in transportation construction. This is an area where we’re actually losing ground. More than half of subway stations need repairs; 40 percent of the subway system’s signals are obsolete. Commuter lines like the Long Island Rail Road are so clogged that they can’t put on the extra trains they need. Unless we act, these problems are only going to grow worse—hobbling New York in our race to stay competitive with other global cities. “Because of our great economy and quality of life, New York’s population—already at a record high—is expected to reach nine million people by the year 2030. That’s going to mean nearly one million more New Yorkers—up to three-quarters of a million new jobs in our City—and tremendous economic opportunity across our entire region. But the economic potential of this growth will only be realized if we act wisely now in funding and building $50 billion in construction projects that our region desperately needs. “By 2030,” Mayor Bloomberg added, “We expect that nearly every subway route – 23 of 26 – will be heavily congested. Our highways will be clogged as well.” “Second, it would provide commuters better mass transit options, both immediately and in the long-run, both throughout the City and across the region,” Mayor Bloomberg said, “In fact, it’s the only plan out there that can come up with funds needed to finish our critical regional transportation projects, like the Second Avenue Subway, East Side Access, the Lower Manhattan Rail Link, and others.” The Building Congress, which has joined with about 140 other organizations to support PlaNYC as part of the Campaign for New York’s Future, is highly supportive of the Mayor’s plan, which is a way to sustainably grow the City’s population and economy over the next three decades. In addition to transforming New York into the greenest urban center in America, PlaNYC would benefit the industry by easing congestion, creating more opportunities for sustainable development in each borough, promoting creation of new housing, encouraging energy efficiency and green construction, and providing billions of dollars for mass transit improvements and expansion. What you can do: |
