New York City’s subways and commuter rails are getting a $6 billion chunk of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has received the money as part of more than $14.5 billion in overall federal relief aid.
The aid, contained in COVID-19 relief bills during both the Trump and Biden administrations, has helped the MTA stave off threatened service cutbacks, layoffs and fare hikes.
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“The subway system has been saved from its Covid-catalyzed brink of death,” Schumer said.
Still, the MTA has projected it will have a $1.4 billion operating deficit by 2025, the residual effect of losing more than 90 percent of ridership on subways, trains and buses at the pandemic’s height. Subway ridership still lags pre-pandemic levels by about 40 percent.
The Democrat said he pushed to have the money disbursed in a lump sum rather than given out gradually in much smaller amounts, as is customary with federal aid.
