Pols to MTA: Go buck off!

ALBANY — State leaders are set to slam the brakes on the cashstrapped MTA’s push to fill a $14 billion hole in its $32 billion capital plan, the Daily News has learned.

Several lawmakers say the political will is not there to address the issue before the legislative session ends this month.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been looking for help from the state, federal and city governments as well as the private sector.

The agency says failure to fully fund the 2015-19 capital plan could imperil such projects as the next phase of the Second Ave. subway, improvements to rails, switches and stations, and the purchase of new subway and commuter trains.

MTA officials vowed to continue to press for the needed funding.

“This is the highest priority for the MTA, and we’re going to continue pushing it with everyone we can,” agency spokesman Adam Lisberg said.

MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast and other agency officials have been meeting regularly with Gov. Cuomo’s office and members of the Legislature to try to come up with a plan to fill the $14 billion gap. But they’ve been unable to get the issue placed on the front burner of the end-of-session agenda.

Prendergast has argued that subway ridership is at historic levels — with up to 6 million straphangers a day — leading to crowded trains and platforms and delays. The ridership numbers are expected to continue to rise.

The MTA chief has sought more money from the state and city than they have been willing to give.

The state agreed to provide another $1 billion in additional MTA funds in the budget enacted April 1, but the MTA has said it’s not enough.

Mayor de Blasio has proposed that the city contribute $657 million over five years — the figure the MTA had originally sought, but now says isn’t satisfactory.