Heads up, New Yorkers! A more modernized subway riding experience is heading our way.
It’s been a busy month on the transit front, and not all of the headlines have sparked joy. Between fare increases and new charges for delayed ticket activation, riders have had plenty of reasons to feel frustrated. Still, there’s some good news worth paying attention to—updates aimed at improving the everyday subway experience are finally rolling out.
Today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the advancement of $1.75 billion in critical transit projects for the MTA, funded by revenue generated through congestion pricing.
The MTA Board has approved a design-build contract to upgrade subway signals on the A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens—one of the most significant improvements to service reliability and overall system performance in decades. In addition, the Board greenlit accessibility upgrades at five subway stations, including the busy 42 St-Bryant Park complex, which serves 111,000 daily riders on the 7, B, D, F, and M lines.
Governor Hochul said:
We’ve already shown what we can do when we support transit — ridership continues to climb and subway performance is at record highs. When these projects are completed, hundreds of thousands of riders will benefit from even more reliable and accessible service thanks to these significant investments.
So what do these advancements entail? Quite a few upgrades that will contribute to a more modernized system.
The MTA is bringing the Fulton Street Line in Brooklyn and the Liberty Avenue Line in Queens into the 21st century with Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), replacing century-old signals from 1936.
The project also includes switch upgrades, improved tunnel lighting, and new cabling to support cellular service, making commutes faster, safer, and more reliable for more than 600,000 daily riders on the A and C lines. Past CBTC installations on the 7, L, and Queens Boulevard lines have already boosted on-time performance and increased train speeds by up to 10%.
These upgrades are making subway signals smarter, faster, and 33% cheaper per mile. Congestion pricing funds are backing improvements on the 6th Avenue Line (B, D, F, M), while the 2025–29 Capital Plan adds CBTC to eight lines over 75+ miles. Coupled with new CBTC-ready R211 trains on the A and C lines, riders can look forward to more reliable service, fewer delays, faster trains, and shorter waits.
With faster trains, smoother rides, and a subway system ready for the future, New Yorkers can look forward to saying goodbye to delays and hello to more time for the things that matter—whether it’s a morning coffee, a stroll through the city, or just enjoying the ride. All aboard to a brighter, speedier commute! To learn more about these upgrades, see the official press release.