Blanca Lopez, Westchester planning commissioner, seeks reconfirmation to MTA board, cites capital plan, fare-evasion and Omni rollout

Blanca Lopez, Westchester County planning commissioner and the county’s representative on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, told a joint hearing of the state finance, corporations and transportation committees on April 8 that she seeks reconfirmation to continue work on the MTA’s capital priorities, fare-collection upgrades and system resiliency.

Lopez, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s nominee and recommended by Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, said she has served on the MTA board since 2022 and has co-chaired the joint Metro-North/Long Island Rail Committee. "The decisions I make and the votes I cast are not taken lightly," she said, adding that she volunteers substantial time to board work.

Lopez told lawmakers her priorities for a new term include pushing for the implementation of the MTA’s 2025–2029 capital plan with a focus on rehabilitation and resiliency projects, accelerating the Omni contactless-fare rollout in Westchester County buses, strengthening the agency’s criminal-justice-advocate position for victims, and improving communications with riders and employees.

On the capital…