Transit

Ride vintage subway trains in NYC every Sunday this holiday season

Photo by Marc Hermann, Courtesy of the New York Transit Museum

November 28, 2022

Ride vintage subway trains in NYC every Sunday this holiday season

By Aaron Ginsburg

Holiday Nostalgia Rides, the New York Transit Museum's beloved tradition, has returned to the city for the first time in two years. Every Sunday between Thanksgiving and Christmas, New Yorkers will be able to ride vintage subway trains that will depart from Chambers Street and 137th Street-City College stations and make express stops on the local 1 line track. The Holiday Nostalgia Train will feature the Train of Many Colors, a selection of different vintage subway cars from the 1960s representing different eras of the subway system's history.
Travel back in time this holiday

NYC unveils plan for car-free streets in Midtown to reduce holiday crowds

Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash

November 23, 2022

NYC unveils plan for car-free streets in Midtown to reduce holiday crowds

By Devin Gannon

Some streets in Midtown Manhattan will be closed to cars during the holiday season to provide New Yorkers and visitors a safe way to enjoy the festivities, Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday. Under the plan, the city will open 11 blocks to pedestrians, including a strip of Fifth Avenue from 49th Street to 57th Street, the first time in 50 years the iconic thoroughfare will close to traffic. Starting next week, certain streets around Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall will only be open to pedestrians during the busiest hours.
Get the details

Fifth Avenue will partially close to all traffic on select days in December

The decorated holiday window at Saks Fifth Avenue in 2016; Photo by Phil Roeder on Flickr

November 21, 2022

Fifth Avenue will partially close to all traffic on select days in December

By Aaron Ginsburg

Fifth Avenue will be closed to cars in celebration of the holiday season next month. As first reported by Time Out, the "Fifth Avenue for All" initiative will take place on three Sundays next month, December 4, 11, and 18, from noon to 6 p.m., allowing pedestrians to safely stroll along Fifth Avenue from 49th Street to 57th Street.
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NYC taxi fares to increase by 23% by end of the year

Photo by Taton Moïse on Unsplash

November 17, 2022

NYC taxi fares to increase by 23% by end of the year

By Devin Gannon

The cost of an average metered New York City taxi ride will increase by nearly 23 percent by the end of the year. The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) voted this week to approve fare hikes for yellow cabs, the first increase in roughly a decade. The average passenger metered fare will increase from $15.97 to $19.62 per ride, which will lead to drivers seeing a 33 percent jump in gross revenue, according to the TLC.
Get the details

NYC is considering making Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza car-free

Photo courtesy of Jordan Rathkopf/ Prospect Park Alliance

November 11, 2022

NYC is considering making Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza car-free

By Aaron Ginsburg

Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza may become the city's next car-free space. As first reported by Gothamist, the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) is considering connecting the Prospect Heights plaza to the Open Streets program on Vanderbilt and Underhill Avenues. The plaza, anchored by its ornate Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch and the official entrance to Prospect Park, has long been the target of safe street activists due to its vehicle traffic and poor sidewalk conditions.
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MTA celebrates Dolly Parton’s new album with limited-edition MetroCard

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 9, 2022

MTA celebrates Dolly Parton’s new album with limited-edition MetroCard

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released a limited-edition Dolly Parton MetroCard in celebration of the legendary country singer's new greatest hits album. In partnership with Legacy Recordings and Dolly Records, the MTA has loaded MetroCard vending machines with 50,000 limited edition cards at four high-traffic stations in Manhattan.
How to score one

Transit

MTA to reopen some subway station bathrooms early next year

Image via WikiCommons

October 25, 2022

MTA to reopen some subway station bathrooms early next year

By Aaron Ginsburg

Straphangers in need of relief will be happy to hear that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will begin reopening subway station restrooms in early 2023, as Streetsblog first reported on Monday. Thanks to the hiring of 800 new cleaners in recent months, public bathrooms at eight subway stations will reopen starting in January, with the transit agency gradually opening restrooms at additional stations. The subway system's 133 public restrooms across 69 stations have been closed since March 2020 because of the pandemic.
More here

Nearly 100 NYC streets will go car-free for safe trick-or-treating this Halloween

Photo courtesy of Marco on Flickr

October 24, 2022

Nearly 100 NYC streets will go car-free for safe trick-or-treating this Halloween

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time, dozens of New York City's "Open Streets" will expand operating hours on Halloween to make trick-or-treating safer for young New Yorkers. As part of the Department of Transportation's "Trick-or-Streets," nearly 100 streets, plazas, and other commercial corridors across the city will be closed to cars on October 31 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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José Andrés will open a restaurant lounge at LaGuardia Airport

Photo courtesy of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

October 19, 2022

José Andrés will open a restaurant lounge at LaGuardia Airport

By Devin Gannon

To continue its transformation from third-world country to state-of-the-art airport, LaGuardia Airport is adding another dining experience sure to be welcomed by foodies. José Andrés will open a restaurant lounge at the Queens airport as part of a partnership with Capital One, Eater New York reported on Wednesday. Since 2016, the airport has been undergoing an $8 billion overhaul, which has included new terminals, improved passenger space, public art, and a slew of new dining options.
Details this way

Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith to create floor-to-ceiling mosaics at new Grand Central Madison terminal

Yayoi Kusama, 2020 Photo by Yusuke Miyazaki © YAYOI KUSAA Courtesy Ota Fine Arts, Victoria Miro, David Zwirner

October 17, 2022

Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith to create floor-to-ceiling mosaics at new Grand Central Madison terminal

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has tapped two contemporary artists to create permanent artwork for the long-awaited 700,000-square-foot Long Island Rail Road terminal opening at Grand Central this year. MTA Arts & Design, the agency responsible for commissioning public art in subway stations, announced artists Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith will design site-specific floor-to-ceiling mosaics for the new terminal, dubbed Grand Central Madison.
Get the details

Popular Articles

Two-way bike lane opens on Downtown Brooklyn’s chaotic Schermerhorn Street

Photo © NYC DOT

October 13, 2022

Two-way bike lane opens on Downtown Brooklyn’s chaotic Schermerhorn Street

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of Brooklyn's busiest and most dangerous streets became safer this week. The city's Department of Transportation on Wednesday unveiled the Schermerhorn Street redesign, which includes a two-way protected bike lane, one-way vehicle traffic, and new pedestrian space. The street is an essential east-west route that connects cyclists to and from the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.
Find out more

New York Mets take over the NYC subway for playoff run

All photos courtesy of New York Mets

October 6, 2022

New York Mets take over the NYC subway for playoff run

By Devin Gannon

To pump up New Yorkers ahead of the New York Mets' first playoff run in six years, the baseball team is taking over the subway system with a new ad campaign. The baseball team's iconic blue and orange colors and images of current and former players will be seen across the 7 train, the Times Square-Grand Central shuttle, and in the subway stations at Hudson Yards and Grand Central starting this week.
More here

MTA partners with Katz’s Deli and Alidoro on new subway-themed sandwich

Photo courtesy of Jessie Mislavsky/MTA on Flickr

September 30, 2022

MTA partners with Katz’s Deli and Alidoro on new subway-themed sandwich

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has partnered with legendary New York City sandwich shops Katz's Deli and Alidoro to create a limited-edition sandwich in celebration of the subway's 118th anniversary. The sandwich is being sold at four Alidoro locations in Manhattan from September 29 through October 31.
Find out more

MTA selects design team for Penn Station renovation

Photo by Danazar on Wikimedia

September 22, 2022

MTA selects design team for Penn Station renovation

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has selected a group of architects and engineers for the $7 billion redesign of Penn Station, with the agency's board voting to approve the contract on Wednesday. The agency tapped FXCollaborative Architects and WSP USA to bring their Penn Station Master Plan to life, with further assistance from London-based John McAslan + Partners as collaborative architects. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, work will begin "in the coming months."
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Only 48 percent of straphangers satisfied with the subway, according to latest MTA survey

Central Park North at 110th Street was rated the worst subway station by commuters; Photo by Adam Moss on Flickr

September 21, 2022

Only 48 percent of straphangers satisfied with the subway, according to latest MTA survey

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday announced the results of its spring 2022 customer satisfaction survey for New York City transit. According to the survey, just 48 percent of respondents were satisfied with the subway system, with safety and security as the top issues for disatisfied riders. When looking at specific subway lines, straphangers rated the D as the worst and the L train as the best.
Did your station make the list?

Transit

MTA to install security cameras in every subway car

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 20, 2022

MTA to install security cameras in every subway car

By Aaron Ginsburg

Two security cameras will be installed in every subway car in New York City, under a new initiative announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA on Tuesday. The $5.5 million project, paid in part by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, includes the installation of nearly 13,000 cameras on 6,355 train cars by 2025. The enhanced security measure is an expansion of a pilot program that launched this summer following a mass shooting on the subway in Brooklyn in April. There are surveillance cameras in the more than 470 subway stations across the city, but none in cars before the program.
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Travel back in time on vintage NYC subway trains this month

Photo courtesy of Ron Yee

September 9, 2022

Travel back in time on vintage NYC subway trains this month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a rare opportunity to ride on some of New York City's oldest subway trains spanning over a century of the city's transportation history. The New York Transit Museum's Parade of Trains returns this month, offering transit buffs a chance to travel on four historic trains from the museum's collection of vintage fleets. The rides will run continuously from Brooklyn's Brighton Beach B and Q express train platforms from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 17 and September 18. Admission is free with subway fare.
See more here

Work begins on JFK Airport’s new $9.5B international terminal

All renderings courtesy of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

September 8, 2022

Work begins on JFK Airport’s new $9.5B international terminal

By Devin Gannon

Construction officially kicked off on Thursday on John F. Kennedy International Airport's new 2.4 million-square-foot terminal, set to be the largest at the Queens airport. In December, Gov. Kathy Hochul first unveiled plans for the state-of-the-art Terminal One, which is estimated to cost $9.5 billion, up from the projected cost of $7.4 billion in 2019.
Get the details

New York lifts mask mandate on public transit

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

September 7, 2022

New York lifts mask mandate on public transit

By Aaron Ginsburg

Masks are no longer required on public transportation in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday. During a press conference in Harlem, the governor said masks are now optional for riders traveling on New York City's subways and buses, as well as MetroNorth and Long Island Rail Road. The state's mandate has been in place since April 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Details this way

MTA to replace all MetroCard vending machines with OMNY by end of next year

Photo by Arun D on Flickr

September 6, 2022

MTA to replace all MetroCard vending machines with OMNY by end of next year

By Aaron Ginsburg

After 23 years of service, the New York City subway system's iconic MetroCard vending machines will be replaced. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will start swapping out the classic machines for OMNY ("One Metro New York") vending machines during the first half of 2023 after finalizing hardware and software testing, as NY1 reported. The entire MetroCard system is expected to be replaced by the end of 2023.
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NYC is looking for volunteer artists to paint its garbage trucks

Image courtesy of James O’Connor/DSNY on Flickr

August 31, 2022

NYC is looking for volunteer artists to paint its garbage trucks

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is looking for volunteer artists to paint murals on their garbage collection vehicles as part of "Trucks of Art," the department's new zero-waste challenge. Artwork that encourages New Yorkers to use litter baskets or that honors DSNY workers will have a higher chance of being selected. The department is accepting applications until September 18, and the trucks are expected to hit the road by October.
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NYC receives $7M federal grant to expand greenway network in underserved communities

Image courtesy of Elvert Barnes on Flickr

August 23, 2022

NYC receives $7M federal grant to expand greenway network in underserved communities

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City received a $7.25 million federal grant that will be put towards the expansion of the city's greenway network, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday. The expansion aims to improve the greenway network's reach in historically underserved, lower-income neighborhoods that lack access to public transportation and jobs by filling in "critical gaps" in the network, improving cyclist and pedestrian safety, and enhancing green transportation alternatives and waterfront access.
Find out more

MTA’s new app combines LIRR, Metro-North ticket purchasing and trip planning

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 19, 2022

MTA’s new app combines LIRR, Metro-North ticket purchasing and trip planning

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transporation Authority on Wednesday launched an enhanced version of its TrainTime app that combines ticket purchases for the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad and includes a seat availability tracker, real-time train movement, and in-app customer support. The app allows users to log in using their Apple ID, Google account, or through text message, and purchase tickets using Apple Pay.
Learn more

Transit

Manhattan officials renew push for new Hell’s Kitchen subway station

Photo by Jenna Day on Unsplash

August 11, 2022

Manhattan officials renew push for new Hell’s Kitchen subway station

By Aaron Ginsburg

The plan to extend the 7 train to the far west side of Manhattan announced more than a decade ago included building a subway station in Hell's Kitchen. But because of budget cuts, the station was never built. New York City officials this week renewed calls for a subway station at 10th Avenue and 41st Street, claiming the neighborhood's growing population needs better access to public transportation. The 7 line currently runs straight from Times Square to Hudson Yards, without stopping in Hell's Kitchen.
Learn more

Transit

Manhattan congestion pricing toll could cost up to $23 for drivers

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 10, 2022

Manhattan congestion pricing toll could cost up to $23 for drivers

By Aaron Ginsburg

MTA officials on Wednesday released the highly-anticipated environmental assessment of the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program, known as congestion pricing. The analysis says that the program could cut traffic congestion in Manhattan's busiest areas by nearly 20 percent while raising $1 billion a year to fund mass transit improvements. Under the proposal, the plan could cost drivers who enter the borough south of 60th Street anywhere between $5 and $23, depending on the time of day and type of vehicle.
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