The vitality of New York City?s economy is highly dependent on a modern, efficient mass transportation
system that connects the city?s current and future centers of employment to the regional labor pool. The
availability and adequacy of mass transit are major factors in business location decisions, driving demand
for commercial real estate and dictating patterns in job growth. Despite their critical importance to business
and economic development, major investment decisions on transportation projects are typically made without
meaningful consultation with the business community or a careful assessment of long-term contributions
of a given project to expansion of the city?s economy.