Former MTA Chairman E. Virgil Conway dies

Former Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman E. Virgil Conway died Oct. 21. He was 85.

After working as an attorney and a banker, Conway began his career with the MTA board as a representative for Westchester County, N.Y., MTA officials said in a press release.

In 1995, he was asked to become the agency's chairman. He continued to serve in that role until March 2001. He was the seventh chairman of the MTA, agency officials said.

"Virgil was a hugely influential and effective chairman, and many of the successes and accomplishments the MTA celebrates today are the result of his hard work and his heartfelt service to the region," said MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Prendergast. "He remains a beloved member of the MTA family, and he will be sorely missed."

Conway spearheaded the preparation and funding for the 2000-2004 Capital Program, which at the time was the most ambitious and far-reaching program in the agency's history, MTA officials said.

That effort led to the launching of several projects to expand the transit system, including the Second Avenue Subway, East Side Access, and the recently opened 7 Line extension to Manhattan's far West Side.

Conway also oversaw the rollout of the MTA's MetroCard and facilitated fare discounts.