FORDHAM, The Bronx(PIX11) \u2014 Much like the wheels on the bus, the Mayor and the MTA continue to go round and round on his plan for free buses, while pledging to make buses faster in the meantime.<\/p>\n
Friday, Mamdani announced he is putting the city back in the business of redesigning roads in an effort to make buses run faster.\u00a0 Fordham Road is first up, with the NYC DOT implementing a planned redesign that was scrapped three years ago due to the concerns of local businesses.<\/p>\n
The city will also restart three Brooklyn-based road redesign projects based on safety, and is promising many more road redesigns with the goal of making the city\u2019s buses run roughly 20% faster.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city has just not used its tools to make buses run fast; it has intentionally blocked plans that would put time back in the hands of working-class New Yorkers,\u201d Mamdani said.<\/p>\n
Joining the Mayor inside a crowded bus to make the announcement was MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.\u00a0 Despite the close quarters of the press conference, the two remain clearly far apart on the issue of free buses.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat people want from government is you don\u2019t have to agree on every single issue to move forward on something where you do agree,\u201d Lieber said, downplaying the difference. \u201cI would say today is an example of where we do agree.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lieber has steadily raised concerns about cost and safety issues associated with free buses.\u00a0 There has been some suggestion of a free bus pilot program during the World Cup this summer, but neither the Mayor nor the MTA confirmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to continue dialogue on a lot of other issues,\u201d Lieber said.<\/p>\n
Mamdani conceded the main hurdle to free buses was finding the money to replace any lost revenue the MTA might experience in the process\u2013 estimated to be $600-$700 million.<\/p>\n
Governor Kathy Hochul has also continued to throw cold water on the idea of free buses.\u00a0 She pointed out this week, giving the city more than $1 billion dollars to move forward with the Mayor\u2019s universal childcare initiative, and the city\u2019s current shaky finances.<\/p>\n
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