Noah Kazis

Public-private partnerships, or P3s, have been repeatedly held up as a way for New York and other states to replace crumbling infrastructure despite enormous budget deficits. The Port Authority recent announced that it will use a P3 to finance the new Goethals Bridge, an important development that's sure to be closely watched by the state's transportation officials.

The MTA is still staring down a $10 billion hole in its capital plan, and the consequences of that deficit continue to roll closer. Unless money is found by the end of the year, transit expansions like the Second Avenue Subway will slow down and important maintenance will be left undone. But despite the approaching deadline, no one in Albany seems willing to step up and even begin to tackle the issue.

With a new administration at the state DOT, now is a critical moment for the fight to tear down the under-used Sheridan Expressway and turn the area into new housing, jobs, and public space. Tonight, bring your questions and ideas to a town hall hosted by the South Bronx River Watershed Alliance.

Though New York is the least car-dependent state in the country, the state DOT isn't known for championing for the state's millions of non-drivers. In some corners of the large and decentralized agency, however, progressive ideas have taken root and new programs are being developed. At yesterday's Rudin Center conference on livability, two DOT officials embraced the state's extremely ambitious climate plan and outlined a course to expand the state's much-praised GreenLITES certification system. The challenge for new DOT commissioner Joan McDonald will be to embrace the good thinking already coming from within the department and turn it into statewide policy.

Reactions to Governor Cuomo's proposed budget are beginning to come in. The cuts to transit, which are being pegged at $100 million, are being portrayed as painful, though perhaps not devastating.

With Governor Cuomo's first executive budget set to be released, tomorrow is an important day for transit riders. We'll find out whether the new governor will continue Albany's practice of stealing dedicated transit funds to plug budget holes elsewhere, try again to reduce the state's meager contribution to student MetroCards to nothing, or decide instead to balance the state's enormous deficit without putting that burden on the still-struggling MTA.

Andrew Cuomo continues to leave the door open for cuts or changes to the NYC region's payroll mobility tax, which raises $1.34 billion annually for the MTA. Here's what he had to say about the tax after an event in Poughkeepsie yesterday (at minute 5:00 of the above video):

Joan McDonald will serve as the next commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, Governor Cuomo announced this morning (after the General Contractors Association spilled the beans in its own press release praising the pick).

A coalition of environmental groups has lined up behind a smart growth agenda for New York State. Released by 12 organizations, the new memo lays out how Governor Cuomo and the state legislature can help New York use scarce public dollars more efficiently and sustainably when it comes to development.

The fate of the payroll mobility tax, which brings in $1.34 billion a year to the MTA, just grew a little shakier. The four members of the State Senate's new Independent Democratic Conference, who split off from the minority Democrats last week, have come out with their agenda and included in it is a call to "reform" the tax and even consider eliminating it. Any cut to the mobility tax would spell disaster for transit riders.