Cyclists pack MTA Headquarters 5th Floor Boardroom

New Haven Independent reporter and Elm City Cycling advocate Melinda Tuhus joined organizer Jason Stockmann and a crew of New Haven cyclists riding the rails from New Haven to Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday March 26th to attend Metro-North's Annual President's Forum at MTA Headquarters, where they were met by cyclists from New York City.

New Haven cyclists also included Zack Beatty, Paul Hammer and Victorya McEvoy (pictured below with helmet.)

photo by Steven Faust


The New York showing included New York Cycle Club member Ellen Jaffe, New York Cycle Club and Five Borough Bicycle Club member Mike Piedell, FIve Borough Bicycle Club At-Large Board Member, retired Federal Transit Administration administrator Steven F. Faust, AICP and Transportation Alternatives Board Secretary Kenneth Coughlin and cyclist Christine Summer.

photo by Steven Faust


The cycling contingent unexpectedly held court at this year's meeting that turned out to be a send off to outgoing President Peter Cannito whose contract, according to an unnamed source, was not renewed.

Mr. Cannito was resistant to cyclists pleas, but toward the end of the meeting he suggested that cyclists could meet with Metro-North and Connecticut DOT officials. Due to the greater than anticipated turnout, the meeting ran over by ten minutes.

At the end of the meeting two officials were named to meet with cyclists: Robert MacLagger, Senior Director, Operations Planning & Analysis at Metro-North Railroad and Gene Colonese, C-DOT rail administrator, a former Metro-North scheduling official. C-DOT rail is based in New Haven.

After the meeting one Metro-North employee queried another: "Did you attend that meeting?" When he replied, yes, she responded, "Amazing."