Expedites MTA capital project construction by establishing a process for utility relocation necessary for such construction

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic17

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Leroy Comrie says this is needed

Gas lines are always located underground. Many parts of New York City, especially Manhattan, also have underground electrical, steam, telephone and other telecommunications lines located under the streets and side- walks. Protection and relocation of these utility lines is often neces- sary whenever new elevator shafts are dug to provide disabled persons with access to the subway; when new subway stations, tunnels or entrances are constructed; when existing facilities are rehabilitated; or when other work involving excavation is performed in the City and other parts of MTA's service area. To progress its construction projects, MTA is dependent on support from the companies that own these utility lines, including Con Edison, National Grid, the Empire City Subway Company, and LIPA, as well as Verizon and other telecommuni- cations companies. This bill will expedite MTA construction projects by requiring that utility companies support the relocation of their utilities within reasonable timeframes set by MTA, after consultation with the utility company. MTA construction projects are often delayed by excessive times for review and approval of MTA plans and wait-time for the utility companies to perform work that they require to be performed by their own employees. MTA's upcoming mega-project to construct Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway will require large-scale relocation of electric, telecommuni- cation and gas lines as well as other utilities. In addition, the Penn Access project, the installation of new ADA elevators, and many other MTA construction projects will require significant utility relocations. Though MTA's contractors perform the bulk of the relocation work, delays occur when utility companies do not provide approvals or support construction activities in a timely way. Delays also occur when utility companies such as Con Edison must perform live connections on their own utilities when an MTA contractor's relocation work is complete. This bill will make the utility companies responsible for providing approvals and performing the work within reasonable timeframes determined by MTA, after consultation with the utility company. While this bill will place a new requirement on utility companies, it should be noted that for many years MTA public work projects requiring utility relocations have bene- fitted those companies. When MTA contractors relocate utility pipes and cables, they are replacing older, depreciated infrastructure - sometimes over 100 years old - with new and upgraded ( to current standards) infrastructure. This provides a significant benefit to utility compa- nies, which are normally responsible for replacement of their own aging infrastructure.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.