Council Meeting and UPWP Adoption
On February 25, 2021, the principals of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) adopted the State Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The February 25th public meeting featured NYMTC Co-Chairs New York State Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez and Rockland County Executive Ed Day as well as other member agency principals. Under the provisions of New York State Executive Order 202.92, this meeting was held virtually via webinar.
This year’s UPWP totals approximately $43 Million to support transportation projects, programs, and studies throughout the NYMTC region, as well as federally required planning reports and analyses undertaken by NYMTC staff and its member agencies including the Regional Transportation Plan and the Transportation Improvement Program.
Commissioner Dominguez and County Executive Day opened the meeting by acknowledging the courage, determination, and sacrifice of public transportation’s front-line workers, as well as the agility and flexibility of the NYMTC member agencies in facing the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was followed by Commissioner Dominguez leading an engaged NYMTC principals’ roundtable discussion on the impacts of the pandemic. County Executives from the Lower Hudson Valley and Long Island, the New York City Director of City Planning and Commissioner of Transportation, and the Chief Development Officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority discussed the challenges faced during the past year, as well as the many accomplishments of their staffs. The principals identified future priorities and stressed the regional nature of transportation planning and the importance of NYMTC as a forum for collaboration.