Cuomo declares MTA 'state of emergency' as New York transit failures pile up

Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared on Thursday that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is in a "state of emergency," as issues continue to plague New Jersey Transit, Long Island Rail Road, and New York subway system.

The declaration comes after yet another morning of commuting woes. On Thursday, a power issue left hundreds of Long Island Rail Road commuters stranded outside Penn Station for two hours, NBC New York reported.

Cuomo is giving his newly appointed MTA chairman, Joseph Lhota, 60 days to assess capital needs for cars, tracks, and signals. Cuomo also said he will add $1 billion to the MTA capital plan.

Cuomo ultimately controls the funding of the state-operated MTA. He is responsible for appointing six out of 14 MTA board members, giving him a plurality of votes.

Amtrak is set to begin long-overdue rail repairs at Penn Station in just a few weeks. The LIRR and NJ Transit both run on tracks along the Northeast Corridor, which Amtrak owns. Heavy delays along the lines are expected once work begins.

Cuomo has taken heat from New York commuters who feel he has neglected existing transit options while setting aside funding for massive infrastructure projects, like a train to LaGuardia Airport.

There have been several issues plaguing the MTA as of late:

• A subway derailed on Tuesday, injuring 39 people and causing massive disruptions along seven train lines.
• Earlier this month, a power failure caused an F train to get stuck between stations for almost an hour. Passengers stuck in a subway car without air conditioning attempted to claw their way out.
• The number of subway delays has more than doubled, to 70,000 a month, from about 28,000 a month in 2012, The New York Times reported in February.
• Two New Jersey Transit trains derailed within a two-week time span this spring.
• A LIRR train derailed in January, injuring at least 37 people.