Ride the express train

Gov. Cuomo signed the state budget into law on Friday, delivering to the beleaguered subways the full $836 million — spilt 50-50 between the state and city — that MTA Chair Joe Lhota says is needed to get the trains back on track. Due to months of refusal by Mayor de Blasio to chip in, much time has been wasted while the subway suffering continues.

Now, no excuses. Now that we taxpayers and farepayers have ponied up the cash sought, from pockets left, right, front and back, Cuomo and his crewmates have to deliver a better ride — and soon.

When Cuomo sat with The News’ Editorial board this month, we asked him when straphangers could expect to start feeling real improvements underground. “In a matter of months,” he answered. Can you be more specific, we asked? He couldn’t. Lhota and new Transit Authority boss Andy Byford can, and must. Byford’s blueprint for a fix is due next month. It must have measurable goals pegged to hard dates — on a short timeframe.

It’s been going on a year since the festering underground crisis forced Cuomo to recognize that that the state does have the dominant role in running the subways. He then brought back Lhota, who said that he needed a big infusion of cash for the immediate fix, called the Subway Action Plan.

With every penny now in hand, answers must come fast and furious.

When will riders start to feel the improvements stemming from the 33 separate items on the action plan repair list, from signals and tracks to cars and stations?

When exactly will the trend lines bend, so that delays and breakdowns, which have gone up for every line over the last decade, come meaningfully back down to earth?

The TA says that major delays are down. But a major delay involves 50 or more trains. If 49 trains, with 1,000 passengers each, are delayed, that’s still thousands of headaches.

Byford wants to install new signals across the whole system, called communications-based train control, in 10 to 15 years instead of 50 years. Fine, but we can’t wait years for better service.

The platforms have countdown clocks. The rescue plan should too.