The MTA has already begun working to repair and replace the concrete and steel elements of the Train Shed that have deteriorated, but acceleration of the effort is needed. With this Capital Plan, the MTA will address additional structural deficiencies, and replace significant portions of Train Shed’s roof to reduce water infiltration and the corrosion that comes from it. In the Park Avenue Tunnel, the MTA will upgrade fire-life-safety components and make priority structural repairs.

$9 Billion for Repairing Critical Structures

To prevent further deterioration on its elevated railroad structures, the MTA will paint and/or waterproof more than 45 bridges and viaducts to protect them from corrosion. The MTA will rehabilitate major segments of the LIRR’s Atlantic Ave Tunnel. The work will include repairing or replacing deteriorated concrete and steel structures, improving drainage, and improving lighting, safety and security systems.

On subways, the MTA will double the pace of its efforts to repair tunnels and paint more than 20 miles of elevated structures—more than any recent capital program. Its painting methods will double the lifespan of paint on steel structures, from 15 years between costly paint jobs, to 30 years.

The MTA will undertake cable dehumidification of the Bronx Whitestone and Throgs Neck bridges and will equip the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and the Queens Midtown Tunnel with modern fire suppression technology to improve driver safety and emergency access.

$2.75 Billion for Interborough Express Project

The Interborough Express (IBX) will transform a lightly used freight railway into a light-rail line serving almost one million nearby residents and connecting 17 subway lines, more than 50 bus routes and the Long Island Rail Road. The IBX line would provide direct, fast transit service for dozens of communities from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Jackson Heights, Queens and neighborhoods in between, while preserving the existing freight service along the corridor.

The 2025-2029 Capital Plan includes an allocation of $2.75 billion for IBX, approximately half of the overall projected cost. The MTA states that the funding allocation represents a substantial down payment as it pursues federal financing and funding that will enable it to start construction.

$7.8 Billion for Station Improvements

The MTA will repair or replace deteriorating elements at more than 150 subway stations, and fully renovate 10 stations with many elements in poor condition. It will add new safety features like platform fencing at 100 stations, and accessibility features like elevators or ramps at more than 60 subway stations. The MTA will also add or improve flood-protection equipment in the most critical locations.

These include $7.1 billion to make stations accessible, $1.1 billion to install modern fare gates; $1.4 billion to grow its zero-emissions bus fleet; $700 million to defend the subway from stormwater flooding; and $800 million for the protection of the Hudson Line.

In the plan, the MTA will rehabilitate shoreline structures, address erosion hot spots, stabilize upland slopes, and upgrade drainage in the most vulnerable and highest-ridership segments of the Hudson Line. These investments will be guided by a comprehensive engineering blueprint to adapt the Hudson Line to chronic climate risks, according to the MTA. In conjunction with this adaptation work, the MTA will also address critical infrastructure needs on the Hudson Line—infrastructure that has reached the end of its useful life and requires state-of-good-repair investment.

The MTA Board approved the proposed 2025-2029 Capital Plan on Sept. 25, 2024 by a 10-0 vote, and is currently holding public hearings on the plan—the most recent on Nov. 13 in downtown Brooklyn. The MTA will continue to host Open Houses in its operating region through the end of 2024.