Speed up your ETA: The Case for New York’s Excelsior Transportation Authority

Abstract

Excelsior: Latin for ever upwards. The New York City region’s transportation network moves millions daily across one of the most economically vibrant geographies on the planet. Yet for decades, New York’s transportation network has fallen behind those of its global peers. To reinvigorate it, this thesis builds a case for agency consolidation. Today, transportation in the New York City region is spread across municipalities with distinct government entities providing services and infrastructure. The division between agencies that operate roads versus rails, ferries versus subways, and commuter trains versus city buses leads to a lack of planning coordination and a disjointed passenger experience. This thesis argues that the New York system should be consolidated into a single governing entity: the Excelsior Transportation Authority (ETA). This research first examines the corporate legacy of individual enterprises that developed segments of the transportation network within a competitive market. Today’s fractured agencies bear the markings of this disjointed system. To model what a New York system might be, this thesis explores global transportation systems in London, Vancouver, and Hong Kong. Drawing on the strengths of each, a consolidated Excelsior Transportation Authority agency should be integrated both vertically (different modes of transportation) and horizontally (across a vast region). It should feature strong executive control and dedicated funding sources with the goal of ultimate profitability through a public-private ownership structure. Ultimately, this thesis presents an original case for a new agency to provide a transportation network that makes New Yorkers and visitors feel as if they are moving ever upwards.