Transit

A new photo exhibit at the New York Transit Museum provides a unique look at the construction of the city's subway system, as well as its enduring impact. Opening Thursday, Streetscapes & Subways: Photographs by Pierre P. and Granville W. Pullis shows what it was like before and after the subway system was constructed, as well as the architectural and cultural changes occurring simultaneously above ground.
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50-year-old R-42 subway cars are finally being retired

The final run of the R42 trains on the A line near Hammels Wye in the Rockaways on February 12, 2020. Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

February 12, 2020

50-year-old R-42 subway cars are finally being retired

By Michelle Cohen

The NYC subway rolls a little further into the 21st century today: The MTA is finally retiring its Nixon-era R-42 trains. The silver half-century-old R-42s, first rolled out in 1969 (the same year "Sesame Street" debuted), will make their last run today along the A line before being permanently retired, having already been mostly replaced by the R-160 fleet (h/t NYPost). The new R-179s cars will eventually replace them (h/t Gothamist). The R-42 cars were scheduled to disappear in December, but the R-179s were pulled from the system due to problems with their door-locking mechanisms.
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Why are the tracks of the Times Square-Grand Central shuttle curved?

The Times Square shuttle platform, Photo by Helvetica Fanatic on Wikimedia

February 6, 2020

Why are the tracks of the Times Square-Grand Central shuttle curved?

At the platform of the Times Square-Grand Central shuttle, a train track is hidden in plain sight. At both ends of the two-station line, tracks are numbered 1, 3 and 4, with no Track 2 to be found. As the New York Times explained, Track 2 once ran in its appropriate spot, between Tracks 1 and 3, but was taken out of operation nearly 100 years ago. After an attempt to expand the original 1904 line turned to major confusion for commuters, transit officials covered Track 2 with wooden flooring to make it easier for New Yorkers to walk to the new tracks.
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After 55 years, the Verrazzano Bridge gets a second ‘Z’

Photos: Patrick Cashin/Metropolitan Transportation Authority

February 6, 2020

After 55 years, the Verrazzano Bridge gets a second ‘Z’

On Tuesday crews from MTA Bridges and Tunnels began addressing a 55-year-old spelling mistake by replacing the first of 19 signs on agency property to feature the correct spelling of Verrazzano with two Z's instead of just one. The bridge was named after Giovanni de Verrazzano—the first European explorer to sail into New York Harbor—but a longstanding dispute over the name's proper spelling led to the bridge being inaugurated as the Verrazano-Narrows bridge in 1964. In 2018, Governor Cuomo signed legislation to add a second Z into the name.
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Transit

MTA looks to ride-share services to help late-shift workers in the outer boroughs

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

February 5, 2020

MTA looks to ride-share services to help late-shift workers in the outer boroughs

Subway service in New York City runs 24 hours a day, but late-night commutes for outer-borough residents—who often have to make multiple connections—can get inconvenient quickly. To ease the burden on those commuters, the MTA is looking to make an unlikely partnership with ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft. The agency announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Tuesday from transportation companies that could shuttle riders to the subway during late-night hours. Whoever is selected will participate in the "Late-Shift" pilot program beginning later this year.
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Transit

The Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) from the south end of the Brooklyn Promenade. Photo by Joe Mabel via Wikimedia

January 31, 2020

BQE panel releases anticipated report, says the highway will be unsafe for drivers in five years

The Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) from the south end of the Brooklyn Promenade. Photo by Joe Mabel via Wikimedia The 16-person panel that convened last April to assess reconstruction options for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway’s 1.5-mile triple cantilever stretch has released its report. Their recommendations call for repair work to begin immediately and outline “aggressive traffic reduction strategies” like eliminating one lane in each direction (six lanes would become four) and imposing weight limits on vehicles. The panel also rejected the controversial proposal to build a temporary highway at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade during the reconstruction and said the Promenade should remain open.
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After Andy Byford resigns as transit chief, New Yorkers lament the loss of ‘Train Daddy’

NYCT President Andy Byford spent New Year’s Eve 2019 going around the system thanking Transit employees and our partners in the NYPD. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit via Flickr

January 24, 2020

After Andy Byford resigns as transit chief, New Yorkers lament the loss of ‘Train Daddy’

Two years into his tenure as New York City Transit chief, Andy Byford resigned on Thursday, Politico first reported. The British native came to NYC in January 2018—in the aftermath of the transit system's so-called "Summer of Hell"—after running the Toronto Transit Commission for five years. Byford inherited a state of emergency but hit the ground running as soon as he arrived. He's been credited with boosting the subway's on-time rate from only 58 percent to 80 percent, securing funding to upgrade signal systems, and putting an emphasis on accessibility. Praised by riders and transit advocates, Byford earned the nickname "Train Daddy" which exploded on Twitter following the news of his resignation. Ahead, we've rounded up some of our favorite social media reactions to the news.
Hear what New Yorkers have to say

MTA considers restoring passenger service to freight line between Bay Ridge and Ridgewood

The Bay Ridge Branch crossing Ralph Avenue in Canarsie, photo by Jim Henderson / Wiki Commons

January 23, 2020

MTA considers restoring passenger service to freight line between Bay Ridge and Ridgewood

Since the 1990s, the Regional Plan Association has been advocating for the restoration of passenger service to a rail line known as the Bay Ridge Branch that runs from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Astoria, Queens and is now used as a freight line. The MTA has announced that it will begin a feasibility study to "evaluate the potential for subway, commuter rail, light rail or bus service" along the line, which the agency notes would create the potential for reverse commuting and connect to 19 subway lines and the LIRR. In October, the RPA's Kate Slevin explained to NY1, "We don't have unlimited resources here in New York City, as we know, so the fact that we already have tracks there, that are underutilized, really means a lot."
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MTA unveils first look at new open-gangway subway cars

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

January 22, 2020

MTA unveils first look at new open-gangway subway cars

Straphangers will soon be able to move freely between some subway cars. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday released photos of the city's newest subway fleet which features an "open-gangway" design, or accordion-like walls located at the ends of cars. The R211 car design is meant to increase capacity by allowing for better movement and "customer flow." Expected to be partially delivered later this year, the new subway cars are part of a nearly $4 billion contract awarded to Kawasaki Industries in 2018.
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Transit

MTA announces $750M plan to overhaul 42nd Street subway stations

Renderings courtesy of Metropolitan Transportation Authority

January 21, 2020

MTA announces $750M plan to overhaul 42nd Street subway stations

The MTA has unveiled a new plan to integrate all the planned work along the 42nd Street corridor—at the Grand Central, Bryant Park, and Times Square stations—into one project. In doing so, the agency expects the newly bundled 42nd Street Connection project will both cut costs and speed up the schedule. The plan encompasses several rehabilitation projects along one of the city’s busiest transportation corridors, including the redesign and rebuild of the 42nd Street shuttle.
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L train service will be interrupted over the course of three upcoming weekends

The rehabilitation of the Canarsie Tunnel is on track to wrap up months ahead of schedule and restore full L train service by April—roughly one year after the revised “slowdown” started—but service will get a little worse before it gets better. As the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) prepares to finish their work, partial L outages will impact service during three weekends in January, February, and March.
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MTA blames subway door problems on faulty locking mechanism

A R179 A train at Broad Channel; Photo by Mtattrain on Wikimedia

January 10, 2020

MTA blames subway door problems on faulty locking mechanism

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority pulled nearly 300 new subway cars from service this week because of problems with the door's locking mechanism, officials revealed Thursday. The entire fleet was decommissioned after two recent incidents were reported of doors opening while the trains were still moving. During a press conference on Thursday, Andy Byford, the president of NYC Transit, said the MTA plans to hold manufacturer Bombardier "fully accountable" and hire a third-party review to investigate the inspections before the cars are cleared to return to service.
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BQX streetcar plan rears its head, as city announces public meetings and updated timeline

Rendering via NYCEDC

January 10, 2020

BQX streetcar plan rears its head, as city announces public meetings and updated timeline

The city is once again inching forward with its plan to bring a streetcar to run between Brooklyn and Queens, a problem-plagued $2.7 billion proposal first presented five years ago. The New York City Economic Development Corporation on Thursday launched a new website for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) with information about public community meetings planned for February and March. According to the website, the city expects a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on the project to conclude in the spring of 2021, with the final statement ready by that fall. But questions about the logistics of constructing the streetcar's 11-mile route and its growing price tag.
It's back

Transit

60 more subway stations will get MTA’s tap-to-pay system this month

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit / Flickr

January 8, 2020

60 more subway stations will get MTA’s tap-to-pay system this month

By the close of 2019, the MTA had installed its OMNY tap-to-pay fare system at 64 subway stations across Manhattan and Brooklyn and all Staten Island busses. Some of the busiest spots that already have the contactless payment system include all 16 stations on the 4, 5, and 6 lines between Grand Central-42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, as well as Penn Station-34th Street. According to a new press release, OMNY will now expand to 60 more stations by the end of January--including Herald Square, Bryant Park, World Trade Center, and Jay Street-MetroTech--bringing the total to 124 stations.
See all the new stations

After holiday street closures, some city leaders say Rockefeller Center should remain car-free

Photo by Javier Guiterrez Acedo on Flickr

January 7, 2020

After holiday street closures, some city leaders say Rockefeller Center should remain car-free

By Michelle Cohen

After having been closed to car and truck traffic during the busiest times of day since November 29th, West 49th and West 50th streets between Fifth and Sixth avenues–the two streets on either side of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree–may become permanently car-free if some city officials have their way. Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that he believes the vehicle-free streets were safer for the estimated 750,000 pedestrians who were expected to traverse the plaza each day during the crowded holiday season, the Wall Street Journal reports.
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Cuomo revives plan to overhaul Penn Station and create new Empire Station Complex

Rendering of new entrance on 8th Avenue to Penn Station via Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office

January 6, 2020

Cuomo revives plan to overhaul Penn Station and create new Empire Station Complex

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is returning to one of his favorite infrastructure proposals: the overhaul of Penn Station. During an event on Monday hosted by the Association for a Better New York, the governor announced plans to build the Empire Station Complex, a station that would link a modernized Penn Station, the soon-to-be-open Moynihan Train Hall, and a new terminal one block south of the existing site. The plan, first introduced by the governor in 2016, would add eight new tracks and increase train capacity by 40 percent at the station, which currently serves more than 650,000 passengers each day.
See the updated plan

The Queens bus network is getting redrawn for the first time in a century

Photo by Tdorante10 via Wikimedia Commons

January 2, 2020

The Queens bus network is getting redrawn for the first time in a century

On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced a sweeping draft plan that will completely redesign the Queens Bus Network for the first time in a century. The agency took a "blank slate" approach to completely redraw the routes, which were mostly adapted from old trolley lines from the turn of the 20th century. The plan focused on creating faster North-South connections between Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx and increasing service speed by expanding the average bus stop from 850 feet to 1,400 feet.
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How to get around NYC this New Year’s Eve

Image by Anthony Quintano via Flickr

December 30, 2019

How to get around NYC this New Year’s Eve

Tomorrow roughly one million people will brave the cold and uncomfortable conditions to witness a quintessential New York celebration: New Year’s Eve in Times Square. The event is free and open to the public but NYPD will begin restricting traffic in the area as early as 4 a.m. and the viewing areas will start filling up around 11 a.m. so planning ahead is crucial. Here’s what you need to know.
All the NYE details here

Cuomo vetoes bill to legalize e-bikes despite overwhelming support

Photo by Peter Burka on Flickr

December 27, 2019

Cuomo vetoes bill to legalize e-bikes despite overwhelming support

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have legalized electric bikes and scooters, despite overwhelming support from lawmakers and advocacy groups. Approved by Albany in June, the bill legalized e-bikes and e-scooters, capping their speeds at 25 and 20 miles per hour, respectively, for riders aged 16 years and older. But Cuomo said the bill, sponsored by Assembly Member Nily Rozic and State Sen. Jessica Ramos, left out safety measures he had sought.
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Cuomo revives proposal for high-speed rail in New York

High-speed rail in London; Photo by Paul IJsendoorn on Pexels

December 27, 2019

Cuomo revives proposal for high-speed rail in New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday revived a decades-long proposal to bring high-speed rail to New York. As part of his 2020 State of the State agenda, the governor said he will convene a group of experts to "reexamine and rethink strategies" to connect New York City with cities across New York. Despite being called a priority of New York leaders for decades, including former Gov. Mario Cuomo in the 1990s, the high-speed rail proposal has failed to materialize due to exorbitant costs and logistical issues.
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Half-price MetroCards to be available to all eligible low-income New Yorkers next month

Photo by Asael Peña on Unsplash

December 23, 2019

Half-price MetroCards to be available to all eligible low-income New Yorkers next month

Next month, more New Yorkers will be able to buy discounted MetroCards. The city will launch open enrollment for its Fair Fares program on Jan. 27, allowing all eligible individuals at or below the Federal Poverty line to purchase half-price MetroCards, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson announced Friday. Currently, the program, which began early this year, only applies to some residents of the city's public housing, CUNY students, veteran students, or New Yorkers receiving city benefits like SNAP.
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168th Street and Astoria Boulevard subway stations finally reopen

MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford at the 168 St Station on Monday, December 23, 2019, along with Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Assemblymember Al Taylor. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

December 23, 2019

168th Street and Astoria Boulevard subway stations finally reopen

After a year, the 168th Street 1 train station has finally reopened, marking the first complete elevator replacement at this stop in more than 100 years. In addition, last week, the MTA announced that the Astoria Boulevard N, W station has reopened after nine months and the completion of the first phase of its station modernization.
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These are the 68 subway stations the MTA will make fully accessible

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

December 20, 2019

These are the 68 subway stations the MTA will make fully accessible

Less than 25 percent of the NYC subway's 472 stations are accessible, but the MTA has pledged to increase that percentage to roughly 40 under it's proposed $51.5 billion 2020-2024 Capital Plan. Back in September, the agency revealed the first 48 stations it would make fully ADA accessible, and now they have announced 20 more (the final two will be announced at a later date), all of which will receive a $5.2 billion investment. Through the upgrades, the MTA's goal is to ensure that no rider is more than two stops from an accessible station.
See the full list of stations

December 19, 2019

See BIG and WXY’s vision for a pedestrian-friendly Downtown Brooklyn

A plan to improve the streets and public space of Downtown Brooklyn was unveiled on Thursday, as officials look to accommodate the area's booming population. Created in collaboration with the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Bjarke Ingels Group, and WXY architecture + urban design, the "Public Realm Action Plan" calls for fewer cars, more bike lanes, a bus-only lane, and more parks and plazas. As first reported by CityLab, the proposal takes ideas from already-implemented street redesigns, like the new 14th Street busway.
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Transit

MTA approves $17B budget that includes controversial addition of 500 more subway cops

Photo by rhythmicdiaspora via Flickr cc

December 19, 2019

MTA approves $17B budget that includes controversial addition of 500 more subway cops