IDENTIFYING CAMPAIGNS TO MITIGATE CAPITAL COSTS IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Riders Alliance is a grassroots organization founded in 2012, dedicated to providing New Yorkers with a more affordable and reliable public transit system. It organizes subway and bus riders to support policy goals and campaigns that will improve train and bus services run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Riders Alliance engaged a Capstone team to explore winnable campaigns that lower the MTA’s construction costs, recruit more riders, and expand the MTA’s operating revenue. The team researched and analyzed the capital allocations and fiscal limitations of the MTA, as well as the political dynamics within the city and state. The team conducted a review of relevant literature and a sensitivity analysis of the MTA’s East Side Access and Second Avenue Subway expansion projects—which revealed that uncertainty costs and utility relocation are largely responsible for the MTA’s high construction costs—and held interviews with experts to better understand the MTA’s budget and construction as it relates to public transportation. The team’s final report helps the client identify initiatives and campaigns with the greatest potential impact for New Yorkers.