NYCT slates first town hall meeting on subway modernization plan

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) tomorrow will host its first public meeting on the $40 billion "Fast Forward" plan to modernize its subway and bus systems.

The agency expects to host a series of similar town hall-style meetings across the city. Tomorrow's meeting will take place at York College in Queens.

The Fast Forward plan would include the installation of communications-based train control on several subway lines, along with refurbishment of power systems, shops, yards, cars and other infrastructure.

"The Fast Forward plan is a massive undertaking that requires buy-in from all stakeholders – our customers, our colleagues, advocates, the business community and elected officials at every level of government," said NYCT President Andy Byford in a press release. "The future success of New York City depends upon the success of this comprehensive plan to modernize our transit system, and we'll be out there in every borough making the case."

NYCT aims to issue biannual reports to track the progress of the plan, which also calls for fast-tracking work to make the subway system fully accessible. Currently, less than a quarter of the agency's 472 subway stations are accessible to riders with disabilities.

In a YouTube video released last week, Byford disclosed the approximate cost of the plan. He also acknowledged that NYCT faces challenges in balancing its operating budget in the short term.