Transit is a lifeline for working-class boroughs like the Bronx.
The vast majority of New Yorkers, especially residents of the 78th Assembly District – whom I have the pleasure of representing in the State Assembly – rely on the subways and buses that serve our Belmont, Fordham and Kingsbridge neighborhoods.
We are also served by Metro-North’s Harlem and Hudson lines, which serve 15 – soon to be 19 – stations in the Bronx, in addition to the suburban stops they make. From there, it’s a quick ride to 125th Street or Grand Central Terminal, which now offers a connection to the LIRR. But if you want to use Metro-North to travel in New York City you’ll pay a steep premium.
If I were to take the MTA from the Botanical Garden in our district to get some Greek food in Astoria, Metro-North would be 25 minutes quicker, but more than three times as expensive as the subway and bus – $19.80 for two one-way CityTickets and bus fare, versus $5.80 on the subway and bus alone, which includes a transfer. So even if it takes twice as long for me to take a bus and/or a subway versus Metro-North, it’s three times more affordable.
That’s wrong. Bronxites shouldn’t pay a premium to save time on Metro-North or the LIRR, but that’s exactly what’s happening, in large part because city Metro-North riders pay on a per-ride basis. The MTA has a weekly deal for suburban Metro-North riders, why not city riders?
I am sponsoring legislation with Senator Comrie to do just that, creating a weekly CityTicket with transfers to subways and buses to give Bronxites an affordable option to take whatever trip is best for them.
In collaboration with dozens of advocates and elected officials, we’re fighting to put time and money back in your pocket.
The MTA has done this before. Until 2023, the authority offered a combined LIRR-subway/bus pass between Southeast Queens and Atlantic Terminal called Atlantic Ticket. Philadelphia’s SEPTA transit system, far less resourced than the MTA, has gone further than a weekly CityTicket – adding most regional rail stations to its weekly bus and subway pass at no additional cost in 2023.
There are vast swaths of the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn underserved or unserved by the subway that are served by the 39 Metro-North and LIRR stations within New York City.
The status quo makes transit between some of our cities farthest-flung areas needlessly unaffordable. It’s illogical and breeds inequity.
We can unlock our railroad infrastructure to better serve more hard-working New Yorkers without spending a dime on new tracks or stations. All that’s required is the vision to enact smart MTA fare policies like a weekly CityTicket and the “Rider-First Fare Agenda” proposed by PCAC. Its supporters, ranging from the Business Council to the League of Conservation Voters, are a testament to how common-sense this policy is.
The 24/7 availability of CityTicket was a major step towards expanding Bronxites’ access to Metro-North, but more work is needed. With the MTA set to raise fares later this year, it’s crucial that the Legislature works with Governor Hochul and the MTA to deliver targeted affordability that makes transit more equitable and accessible. A weekly CityTicket is a sensible, fiscally prudent way to accomplish that.
In the midst of dual housing and affordability crises, now is the time to implement a weekly CityTicket – creating a more equitable city.
Assemblymember George Alvarez represents District 78 in the Bronx and is a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee.
