Transit

Sale of Brooklyn Navy Yard air rights could fund the BQX streetcar

April 25, 2017

Sale of Brooklyn Navy Yard air rights could fund the BQX streetcar

By Devin Gannon

Although Mayor de Blasio’s proposed BQX project, which would connect the Brooklyn and Queens waterfronts via streetcar, received praise from many, finding money to fund it may be tougher than expected. Earlier this month, a leaked memo obtained by the Daily News laid out a tough assessment of the construction logistics and financial problems facing the project. And while the mayor admitted last week that his plan for the BQX to be self-funded through tax revenue from higher real estate values may not pan out, an article in Crain’s laid out an idea for the city to sell air rights in the Brooklyn Navy Yard neighborhood to raise money for the project.
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NYC will get 70 new subway cars before the end of the year

April 25, 2017

NYC will get 70 new subway cars before the end of the year

By Michelle Cohen

The long-anticipated–and long-delayed–batch of about 70 shiny new subway cars will roll into stations before the end of the year according to the MTA as reported by AM New York. The new cars will replace the system's oldest–and most breakdown-prone–cars on the J, Z and C lines. Another 230 more are scheduled to hit the MTA rails over the course of 2018. Steve Plochochi, the MTA’s vice president of procurement and material, called the cars' arrival "long-awaited good news,” and outlined MTA plans for a “major design change” in subway cars for future models.
What about those future models

Transit

Before hitting the Harbor, NYC Ferry captains train with a boat simulator

April 24, 2017

Before hitting the Harbor, NYC Ferry captains train with a boat simulator

By Devin Gannon

With the launch of the much-anticipated NYC Ferry quickly approaching, crews responsible for manning the boats continue to train in preparation. As amNY shares in a new video, before captains can operate the ferries, they must first master a digital simulation at SUNY Maritime in the Bronx. In a small room shaped like a ferry wheelhouse with wraparound screens that provide a 360-degree view of the New York Harbor, captains in training must steer past digital boat traffic and landmarks like the Statue of Liberty. Overseen by staff members from Hornblower Cruises, the simulator tests an applicant's decision-making skills, navigational abilities, and understanding of Coast Guard Regulations.
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Transit

Work to begin this spring on Penn Station-Moynihan Train Hall complex

April 21, 2017

Work to begin this spring on Penn Station-Moynihan Train Hall complex

By Devin Gannon

This spring, the 650,000 commuters who travel through Penn Station daily may finally start to witness Governor Cuomo’s $1.6 billion plan to revamp what he called the “overcrowded, decrepit and claustrophobic” station into a more spacious and high-tech transit hub. As the Daily News reports, the first phase of the overall Moynihan Station Development Project will begin soon, extending Penn Station’s West End Concourse to reduce congestion. The second phase will transform the James A. Farley Post Office into the new Moynihan Train Hall, which will hold more than 112,000 square feet of retail and 588,000 square feet of office space, in addition to new ticketing and waiting areas for Amtrak and Long Island Railroad passengers.
More details right this way

For one week only, get an up-close view of Staten Island’s proposed aerial gondola

April 21, 2017

For one week only, get an up-close view of Staten Island’s proposed aerial gondola

By Devin Gannon

While the city continues to develop ways to quicken commutes between Manhattan and the outer boroughs (like the soon-to-be-launched NYC Ferry), the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) has taken matters into their own hands and created an idea for an aerial gondola. Similar to the East River Skyway proposal, which would transport passengers across the East River to ease the inconvenience of the impending L train shutdown, the gondola would take commuters in the sky from the borough to Bayonne, NJ where they'd connect to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and ultimately the PATH. As WYNC learned, starting this week and for seven days only, the gondola will be touring Staten Island on the back of a flatbed truck to boost support from officials to fund the project.
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50 years ago, computer expert Peter Samson started the ‘subway challenge’

Peter Samson, standing in the center, and his teammates during the failed 1966 run. From the New York Herald-Tribune, via the Queens Borough Public Library

April 20, 2017

50 years ago, computer expert Peter Samson started the ‘subway challenge’

By Devin Gannon

In May of 1940, electric railroad enthusiast Herman Rinke became the first person to tour the entire New York City subway system on a single token, putting in 25 some hours underground all for fun. After reading about Rinke’s journey, Peter Samson, a computer software engineer who later invented the world’s first video game Spacewar, decided to take a stab at making his own record. As the Times recounts, he formed the Amateur New York Subway Riding Committee (ANYSRC) to develop rules for the challenge. After one failed attempt in 1966, Samson, with the help of 15 volunteers and a computer program that tracked the fastest route, completed the trip in 25 hours, 50 minutes and 30 seconds on April 21, 1967. Since then, the subway challenge has taken off for puzzle and transit lovers worldwide.
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Mayor de Blasio christens New York’s first Citywide Ferry with a ride into Brooklyn Bridge Park

April 17, 2017

Mayor de Blasio christens New York’s first Citywide Ferry with a ride into Brooklyn Bridge Park

By Devin Gannon

To celebrate the ahead-of-schedule launch of the Citywide Ferry service, Mayor de Blasio rode the first ferry (named "Lunchbox" by second graders from Bay Ridge) this morning into Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1 as part of an official dedication ceremony. Beginning May 1st, all New Yorkers can join in the revelry when the new Rockaway Route and the existing East River Route kick off. Service to South Brooklyn starts in June, and the Astoria route will be launched sometime in August. In all, there will be 21 stops added throughout the city as part of the expanded service. On top of today's festivities, the city also released the official new ferry schedules.
See the NYC Ferry routes

Emergency ferry route between N.J. and Midtown will become permanent this fall

April 13, 2017

Emergency ferry route between N.J. and Midtown will become permanent this fall

By Michelle Cohen

Following the recent Penn Station train derailment and subsequent delays during the busy weekday commute, NY Waterway launched an extra ferry route running from Hoboken to Midtown Manhattan. Now, NJ.com reports, that ferry service will become permanent starting in September of this year. The new ferry will run between between West 39th Street and Hoboken terminal according to NY Waterway president and founder Arthur Imperatore Sr.
Find out more about the new commuting option

Transit

Optimism remains for Hudson River tunnel project despite threat of Trump cuts

April 12, 2017

Optimism remains for Hudson River tunnel project despite threat of Trump cuts

By Michelle Cohen

As 6sqft reported recently, President Trump may include two major New York transportation projects in his proposed budget cuts, including the Gateway Program that would build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River and a program which extends the Second Avenue subway in Manhattan to East Harlem. The Gateway Program, which would add a much-needed second rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River and upgrade aging rail infrastructure in New York and New Jersey, has been relying on the federal government for half of its estimated $24 billion cost. WNYC reports that even if the funding is pulled, the agency may look to funding from a public-private partnership.
Find out what the options are

Contest winners suggest a car-free 14th Street with shuttles and bike lanes during L train shutdown

April 11, 2017

Contest winners suggest a car-free 14th Street with shuttles and bike lanes during L train shutdown

By Michelle Cohen

Advocacy group Transportation Alternatives has been trying to stay focused on grounded solutions–literally, as opposed to the tunnel and skyway ideas that are also being discussed–to mitigate the anticipated possible chaos when the dreaded 15-month L train shutdown hits. The organization is aiming for the ear of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the MTA which control street design and bus expansion, respectively. The group recently held an "L-ternative" contest seeking pedestrian-centered proposals for main transit corridors along the L line, such as 14th street, Gothamist reports. The winning proposal, called 14TH ST.OPS, imagines a (car) traffic-free 14th Street with a six-stop shuttle bus using dedicated lanes, plus protected bike lanes.
Check out the winning post-L-Train vision

Popular Articles

A design proposal envisions a cantilevered transit hub on Roosevelt Island

April 11, 2017

A design proposal envisions a cantilevered transit hub on Roosevelt Island

By Devin Gannon

Roosevelt Island, the mile-long neighborhood that lies in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, will be a stop on the NYC Ferry route that connects Astoria to Wall Street beginning in August. While this will ease access to other parts of the city for residents of the island, French architect Victor Ostojic has another idea. As Curbed reported, Ostojic published a conceptual proposal of a cantilevered glass-covered ferry terminal on the western side of the island. Located parallel to Manhattan’s East 63rd Street, the terminal would include ground-floor retail, a food court, office space and a luxury hotel on top.
See renderings of the transit hub

Hyperloop One plan would take travelers from NYC to D.C. in 20 minutes

April 10, 2017

Hyperloop One plan would take travelers from NYC to D.C. in 20 minutes

By Devin Gannon

Future New Yorkers may travel between cities faster than ever before. Hyperloop One--the California-based tech company whose transportation concept was first proposed by Elon Musk-- revealed its plan for a high-speed tube that could take passengers from NYC to D.C. in just 20 minutes, reports NBC New York (by comparison, Amtrak’s Acela Express currently takes a little more than three hours). Travelers would board magnetically levitating pods that move by electric propulsion and travel at more than 700 miles per hour. This would connect 80 percent of the country, making a cross-country trip just about five hours long. According to the company, nearly 83 million people would benefit from this hyperloop between our nation’s capital and the Big Apple.
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The Urban Lens: Sid Kaplan shares historic photos of the Third Avenue El coming down

April 7, 2017

The Urban Lens: Sid Kaplan shares historic photos of the Third Avenue El coming down

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. This week’s installment comes courtesy of a new exhibit at the Transit Museum, "Deconstruction of the Third Avenue El: Photographs by Sid Kaplan." Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. After the city consolidated its underground subway lines in 1942 (they were previously owned by private companies), fewer New Yorkers were riding the elevated lines. This decreased ridership, along with the fact that the Els ate up valuable street-level real estate and created dangerous dark spaces, led to the city taking down the Second Avenue Elevated line in 1942. In 1955, the Third Avenue Elevated came down as well, catching the eye of a then 17-year-old Sid Kaplan, whose photos of the dismantling are currently on display at the Transit Museum’s Grand Central Gallery Annex. The museum tells us, "From his perch on the roof of an apartment building, or leaning out the window of an office, his images capture a unique perspective of the removal of a hulking steel structure, the hard-working people who dismantled it, and the ever-changing landscape of New York City."
More on the El history, Sid's work, and all the amazing photos

Rockaway Ferry to take off in May, one month ahead of schedule

April 6, 2017

Rockaway Ferry to take off in May, one month ahead of schedule

By Devin Gannon

Mayor de Blasio announced today that the Citywide Ferry Service, now officially named “NYC Ferry,” will be launching two routes on the first day of May: the new Rockaway Route and the existing East River Route. As DNA Info learned, the Rockaway route takes passengers from the new dock on Beach 108th Street to the Brooklyn Terminal, and then Wall Street’s Pier 11. Expect service on the South Brooklyn Route with stops in Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park to begin on June 1. The Astoria Route will be launched sometime in August and the Lower East Side and Soundview Routes have a launch date set in 2018.
Find out more here

Fate of Gateway Project and Second Avenue Subway unknown under Trump’s infrastructure plan

April 6, 2017

Fate of Gateway Project and Second Avenue Subway unknown under Trump’s infrastructure plan

By Devin Gannon

Earlier this year, President Trump, a lifelong New Yorker, hired two NY-based developers to head an infrastructure commission, which oversees spending on his proposed $1 trillion plan to improve the country’s bridges and roads. Despite this clear connection to the Big Apple, the president refuses to say whether he will include two major transportation projects for the city, both of which his proposed budget defunds, as the New York Times reported. As of now, Trump has proposed eliminating a program that would build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River and a program which extends the Second Avenue subway in Manhattan to East Harlem.
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City Council proposes half-priced MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers

April 5, 2017

City Council proposes half-priced MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers

By Devin Gannon

Although the recent subway and bus fare hike affects all New Yorkers, low-income residents are being especially hard hit by the jump in cost. As a way to ease this financial burden, the City Council has proposed a $50 million pilot program as part of the “Fair Fares” initiative which will provide half-fare MetroCards to New Yorkers living at or below the federal poverty line. As the Daily News learned, transit advocates say nearly 800,000 residents would be eligible for the discount under the full plan.
Find out more here

Laguardia Airport expansion could replace jail at Rikers Island, report suggests

April 5, 2017

Laguardia Airport expansion could replace jail at Rikers Island, report suggests

By Michelle Cohen

On Friday 6sqft reported Mayor Bill De Blasio's announcement that the Rikers Island jail complex will be closed, following a report by the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform. “New York City has always been better than Rikers Island,” said the mayor when he announced the decision. The report also included ideas for the future of a post-jail Rikers. One such idea suggests that the island be used for the expansion of nearby LaGuardia Airport, raising the possibility of a new runway and additional terminal space, according to USA Today. “The Island is uniquely positioned to accommodate an expanded LaGuardia Airport that would reduce delays and could serve as many as 12 million more passengers annually,” the report states.
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This graphic color codes major transit lines in North America

April 4, 2017

This graphic color codes major transit lines in North America

By Devin Gannon

Like New York, Boston's subway system is organized with a different color for each route. Unlike NYC, however, there's no corresponding numbers, so the lines along the T are actually referred to by their respective hues. Which is why Boston resident Ari Ofsevit, a transportation engineering and urban planning graduate student at MIT, found it odd that the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority didn't use the same colors on their Twitter alerts as were found on their maps and signs. As Next City reported, this inspired him to create a graphic comparing the various colors of 13 major transit lines across the U.S. and Canada.
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April 4, 2017

MTA Board officially approves 15-month shutdown of L train

By Devin Gannon

It’s official. The Metropolitan Transit Authority board voted to approve a 15-month shutdown of the L train on Monday, instead of the originally proposed 18 months. The Board also awarded a $477 million contract to Judlau Contracting and TC Electric, who will responsible for repairing the train’s Canarsie Tunnel, which suffered severe flooding damage after Hurricane Sandy (h/t WSJ). The planned shutdown is set to begin in April 2019 and cuts all L train service between Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan.
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East River bridges to get $392 million from city to fund repairs

March 30, 2017

East River bridges to get $392 million from city to fund repairs

By Michelle Cohen

In what will be the largest capital investment in the East River bridges since 2010, Mayor Bill de Blasio's 2017 Capital Commitment Plan has allocated $392 million for the project, reports DNAInfo. The Queensboro Bridge–the busiest of the East River crossings–will get $110 million, the biggest chunk of the project's funding according to a report from the city's Independent Budget Office (IBO). The bridge received only a "fair" grade in a recent DOT rating system (the Brooklyn Bridge got the lowest rating). The repairs will happen over the next three years.
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Transit

Starting Monday, three Brooklyn R train stations will shut down for six months

March 23, 2017

Starting Monday, three Brooklyn R train stations will shut down for six months

Last January, Governor Cuomo announced a massive undertaking to "modernize and fundamentally transform" the MTA and the subway by adding more countdown clocks, contactless payment by next year, Wi-Fi at all stations (mission accomplished, here), and other high-tech features. It also included news that 30 stations would be revamped, requiring them to shut down entirely for six to 12 months, instead of just on nights and weekends. As of Monday, as amNY tells us, the first three on this list-- the R train stations at 53rd Street in Sunset Park, Bay Ridge Avenue, and Prospect Avenue--will close for half a year for a combined $72 million renovation.
Get the full scoop

Transit

The least affordable U.S. city for public transit isn’t NYC (and more fun facts about the cost of commuting)

March 23, 2017

The least affordable U.S. city for public transit isn’t NYC (and more fun facts about the cost of commuting)

By Michelle Cohen

In light of NYC's recent subway fare hike that bumped the price of a monthly pass to $121, the data jocks at ValuePenguin took a look at public transportation systems throughout the U.S. and ranked them according to affordability, based on the cost of a pass as a percentage of income and the median income of the city's commuters. Among the findings: New York City's transit system isn't the most unaffordable; that honor goes to Los Angeles. Washington D.C. topped the most affordable list among large cities, followed by San Francisco and Boston.
Read on for more insight on the cost of a commute

Is it illegal to swipe someone through with your MetroCard?

March 21, 2017

Is it illegal to swipe someone through with your MetroCard?

By Devin Gannon

Swiping a fellow New Yorker through the subway turnstile with your MetroCard is practically a New York pastime. But is it actually legal? As DNAinfo reports, the NYPD and MTA say it's completely lawful to help another rider gain access to the subway, as long as you’re not charging them for the swipe. And for those looking for a free ride? Last year, the city changed their policy on “fare-begging,” which lowered the consequence for riders asking for a swipe from an arrest to a ticket or summons.
Find out more here

L train shutdown will be 15 months instead of 18 months

March 20, 2017

L train shutdown will be 15 months instead of 18 months

By Devin Gannon

Finally, there’s some good news for the nearly 225,000 daily L train riders commuting to Manhattan. This weekend the Metropolitan Transit Authority announced that the Canarsie tube, which carries the L train between Manhattan and Brooklyn, will be closed for 15 months instead of 18, three months ahead of schedule. As reported by the Daily News, the MTA plans to begin rehabilitating the tunnel in April of 2019.
Find out more here

Yellow is the best color to paint a taxi if you want to reduce accidents

March 15, 2017

Yellow is the best color to paint a taxi if you want to reduce accidents

By Devin Gannon

It’s difficult to imagine the hustle and bustle of New York City without its culturally-iconic yellow taxicabs. And while it’s obvious companies chose the color yellow to be more visible to ride-hailers, a study conducted in Singapore found that not only are yellow cars harder to miss, they get in fewer accidents (h/t Mental Floss).
What are the origins of the famous yellow cab

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