MTA head Janno Lieber crashes news conference on congestion pricing, says Mayor Eric Adams hasn't kept promise on bus lanes
NEW YORK -- With transit officials frantically trying to start congestion pricing, the head of the MTA unexpectedly slammed Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday for reneging on as promise to build more bus lanes.
He said better bus service is critical to the success of the controversial tolling plan.
It was one of those things you just didn't see coming -- MTA CEO Janno Lieber suddenly showing up out of the blue at the tail end of a press conference by state lawmakers promising money for better bus service.
Lieber liked the lawmakers' ideas, but went after the mayor for slow-walking a promise to be the "bus mayor."
"Bus speeds have gone down literally by 30-plus percent in a few years. Buses are moving like 7 mph in the Central Business District. This is not a viable transportation option for people. They can walk faster," Lieber said.
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Lieber has been reluctant to attack the mayor in the past, but with congestion pricing having trouble getting out of the starting gate, he let his frustration with hizzoner hang out, tartly pointing out that the Adams has not fulfilled a promise to build more bus lanes.
"I love 'bus mayor' Eric Adams. I want him back," Lieber said.
MTA officials told CBS New York that in August of 2022 the mayor promised to build 150 miles of bus lanes. He has fallen far short, building just 26 miles of bus lanes in his first two years in office.
"The mayor has less than two years left in his first term to do another 124 miles to keep the promise," said an MTA official.
"So, can you tell us what you want Mayor Adams to do to again become, again, the bus mayor?" CBS New York's Marcia Kramer asked.
"I want more bus lanes. I want to work with the city to take advantage of the fact that we have cameras on buses now. I want to take advantage of the fact that we can ticket cars that are double-parked in bus stops," Lieber said.
Lieber showed up on Central Park West, where license plate readers have been installed to charge drivers $15 when they enter the Central Business District below 60th Street. It happened just after state lawmakers finished outlining a proposal to provide more money in the state budget for buses.
"The one thing we've learned from seeing the other cities around the world that have done this is if you want to do it right, if you want to get people out of their cars, you got to give them a viable alternative," Sen. Michael Gianaris said.
That includes better bus service. The lawmakers want to add $90 million to the state budget for buses -- $45 million to increase bus frequency and $45 million to triple the number of free buses, from one bus route in each borough to three.
"This is a sales pitch to our colleagues, many of whom are getting cold feet on the issue of congestion pricing," Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal said.
A spokesman for the mayor didn't address the issue of the number of bus lanes he has built, but insisted Adams has improved the commutes of nearly 700,000 riders. He also took credit for supporting the five free bus routes that began last fall and said the mayor would work to "build on this record of success."