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MTA Chairman Lieber said that with Democrats taking control of Congress, New York has better prospects for federal funds in transportation construction, and he hopes to continue existing subsidies and promote new projects such as the Cross-District Express Line and the Second Avenue Extension.
Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA ) President Janno Lieber said,democratic party After gaining control of Congress in the midterm elections, he is more confident in obtaining federal funding for New York’s mass transit construction. In addition to making sure existing projects get funding, he also hopes to connect Brooklyn and Brooklyn.queens To secure funding for new projects such as cross-regional express lines.
In an interview with WNYC, Lieber pointed out that Washington’s “anti-urban” approach over the past few years must end. He said Congress now has a mandate from voters to end policies that target cities. “For the MTA, it is not only whether it can continue existing projects, but also whether it can promote the next batch of large-scale transportation construction.”
He pinned his hopes on New York’s congressional delegation, including Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, who are expected to serve as House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader, respectively, as well as U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s leadership role on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee. Lieber said he hoped it would be used to improve New York’s chronic lack of federal resources.
Since President Trump took office in 2025, the federal government, state governments and the MTA have clashed several times over transportation policies, including trying to curb congestion tolls, threatening to withhold funding for the Second Avenue Subway Extension project, and taking over the reins of the Penn Station renovation.
Follow-on authorization of the federal surface transportation program is one funding source the MTA is concerned about. The MTA received approximately $256 million through former President Joe Biden’s infrastructure legislation. Libo hopes the new Congress will continue relevant funding to support barrier-free features and signage upgrades.
However, although the original long-term authorization covers fiscal year 2026, data from the American Public Transportation Association shows that Congress has passed a short-term extension until December 11 (Friday), and some pre-appropriations have not been extended, and the long-term financing arrangement still needs to be resolved.
Projects awaiting additional federal support include the Second Avenue Subway west along 125th Street and the extension of the Interborough Express (IBX), which is currently only half funded. The latter plans to use an existing freight rail corridor to connect Brooklyn’s Sunset Park and Queens, providing an additional rail option for cross-region commuting.
Official information from the MTA shows that the cross-regional express line is planned to be 14 miles long with 18 stations, and could be transferred to 17 subway lines. The journey from end to end is expected to take approximately 32 minutes. For residents along the route like Sunset Park, the new line is expected to reduce travel time between the two districts. The project is still in the environmental review and design phase.
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He believes Democratic Party control of Congress after the midterm elections could reverse Washington policies that have been biased against cities in recent years and give New York a better chance to win federal money for transportation construction.
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In addition to ensuring that existing projects continue to receive funding, he also wants to secure more federal funding for new projects such as the extension of the Second Avenue Subway to 125th Street and the Interborough Express Line IBX.
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The IBX is still in the environmental review and design phase. It is planned to be 14 miles long and have 18 stations. It could replace 17 subway lines and use freight rail corridors to connect Brooklyn and Queens.
