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Citi Bike looks at major five-borough expansion

Image by Nick Harris flickr CC

May 18, 2017

Citi Bike looks at major five-borough expansion

Image by Nick Harris flickr CC 6sqft recently reported that so many people are hopping on Citi Bikes that even bus ridership has been affected. But there are parts of New York City–Staten Island and the Bronx for example–don't have that option because the familiar blue bikes haven't made it into their neighborhoods–yet. Citi Bike parent company, Motivate, has approached City Hall with a plan that would add 6,000 bikes to the system–4,000 of them in areas that currently have no docks–without spending tax revenue, the New York Daily News reports.
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Grand Central Terminal Lobby via Wikipedia

May 18, 2017

Amtrak may relocate to Grand Central as Penn Station undergoes repairs

By Devin Gannon

With major infrastructure repairs taking place at Penn Station this summer, state officials have suggested rerouting some Amtrak trains to Grand Central Terminal to ease train congestion. While no plans have been finalized, and it’s still unclear how long the switch would take to begin, crews are already training for the new path down Park Avenue into Grand Central, as Politico NY reports. Swapping stations, however, could cause temporary problems at the 42nd Street transit hub, which currently serves 750,000 passengers per day on four commuter lines via Metro-North.
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MTA announces six-point plan to combat subway delays and improve service

Photo via Dan Phiffer’s Flickr

May 16, 2017

MTA announces six-point plan to combat subway delays and improve service

By Devin Gannon

After a week full of delays and malfunctions, the MTA has announced a six-point plan to address the subway’s chronic service problems. The agency’s plan will increase testing of tracks and signals, place more emergency personnel and police officers in stations and add more cars into service at a faster rate. The first phase of the MTA’s plan focuses on the A, C and E lines from 125th Street to Fulton Street in Manhattan, and at the 149th Street-Grand Concourse and 3rd Avenue-138th Street in the Bronx. Bottlenecks frequently occur at these sites, which cause delays that spread throughout the entire system.
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To ease Penn Station woes, a new plan calls for a transit hub in Sunnyside, Queens

Via ReThink Studio

May 15, 2017

To ease Penn Station woes, a new plan calls for a transit hub in Sunnyside, Queens

By Devin Gannon

With its constant delays and malfunctions, Penn Station is becoming a worse and worse nightmare for countless commuters and visitors. Last year, Governor Cuomo revealed a plan to redevelop the train hub, one of the busiest in the country, by building a new train hall with restaurants and shops, but while the artful renovation will make Penn Station more attractive, it will do little to address the passenger congestion problem, according to think tank, ReThink Studio (h/t Crain’s). In response, the group came up with an idea called ReThinkNYC that would create a new transit hub in Sunnyside, Queens, to connect commuter lines with the subway system. Instead of making Penn Station the final stop for NJ Transit and LIRR commuters, trains would pass through instead of stopping and turning around.
All the details ahead

MTA releases ‘Baby on Board’ buttons for pregnant subway riders

Photo via MTA

May 15, 2017

MTA releases ‘Baby on Board’ buttons for pregnant subway riders

By Michelle Cohen

In the "ideas from abroad" column, the Metropolitan Transit Authority will begin offering pregnant riders a better shot at getting a seat on packed subway cars by way of a big yellow and blue button that reads "Baby on Board" and bears the MTA logo in an attempt to encourage passengers to offer up their seats, the NYTimes reports. Reportedly the idea began in London, where the underground has had a similar program in place for pregnant riders since 2005. Kate Middleton, now Duchess of Cambridge, got some public attention when she wore one on the Tube in 2013. Officials said about 130,000 buttons are distributed on the London transit system every year.
Worse than manspreading

City may bring back ‘Barnes Dance’ crossing systems to high-crash intersections

A Barnes Dance crossing in Chicago, via Kevin Zolkiewicz/Flickr

May 11, 2017

City may bring back ‘Barnes Dance’ crossing systems to high-crash intersections

By Dana Schulz

At many intersections throughout the city, pedestrians who have the walk signal still have to contend with vehicles turning left or right. But at some of Manhattan's busiest crossings, the city may bring back the "Barnes Dance" system, which stops traffic in all directions, allowing pedestrians to cross to any corner, including diagonally. As Gothamist reports, yesterday the City Council unanimously passed legislation that requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study about implementing these systems at 25 of the most high-crash intersections.
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Transit

New research shows that people are choosing Citi Bikes over the bus

Photo via Peter Burka on Flickr

May 9, 2017

New research shows that people are choosing Citi Bikes over the bus

By Michelle Cohen

A new before-and-after study shows that in New York City thousands of potential bus rides are likely happening by bike instead, reports CityLab. Recent research published in a new journal article on bike sharing stations along city bus routes, by Kayleigh Campbell and Candace Brakewood, an assistant professor of civil engineering at the City College of New York, revealed that for every thousand Citi Bike docks situated along Brooklyn and Manhattan bus routes, bus trips dropped by 2.42 percent. The study includes trips made between May 2012 and July 2014 and controls for a wide variety of factors in order to show the impact of bike sharing on bus ridership.
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May 2, 2017

Nearly 80 percent of subway escalators and elevators don’t receive necessary maintenance

By Devin Gannon

The reason behind the incessant breakdown of the subway’s escalators and elevators? Nearly 80 percent of them do not receive the necessary maintenance by the MTA. After an 18-month audit, City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office found that in a random sample of 65 out of the city’s 407 total escalators and elevators, about 50 had not undergone any preventative maintenance service. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, only 20 percent of machines sampled by the comptroller’s office received the scheduled maintenance on time.
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May 1, 2017

NYC’s Citywide ferry service officially sets sail today!

By Devin Gannon

The much-anticipated NYC Ferry service begins today, lessening the commute to Manhattan for many outer borough residents. The first commuter ferry took off from the new Rockaway route at 5:30 a.m. Monday, picked up more passengers at Sunset Park and then arrived in Lower Manhattan in just about one hour. Newly renovated ferries will also launch today on the East River Route, which services Midtown and Financial District communities. On Sunday, Mayor de Blasio held a christening ceremony and took the first ferry ride from the Rockaways to Wall Street.
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NYC anticipated to become a major hub for self-driving cars

Image of Uber’s self-driving vehicle via Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

May 1, 2017

NYC anticipated to become a major hub for self-driving cars

By Devin Gannon

On top of plans to roll out flying taxis in NYC within five years, ride-hailing company Uber, in addition to many similar companies, hopes to make driverless cars next on their list of proposals. As reported by Crain’s, shared driverless vehicles could account for a quarter of all miles driven in the U.S. by 2030. Since the cars would be shared, driverless and electric, the low-cost would allow many people to give up their personal cars, especially in densely populated cities. New Yorkers own fewer vehicles than residents in any other U.S. city, making it the biggest market for ride-hail services as well as the perfect guinea pig for companies to test driverless vehicles.
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Port Authority Bus Terminal unlikely to be built anew; gets updated timeline

By Devin Gannon

After multiple feuds, budget concerns and delays, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey may have finally reached an agreement on a timeline to replace or renovate the bus terminal. As the Associated Press reports, the plan to replace the Port Authority Bus Terminal has shifted attention back to the existing midtown Manhattan, instead of relocating it one block west. Board members of the bi-state agency said a study of the original site will be finished by the end of July to determine the cost and schedule of renovation. Following that study, an environmental review is expected later this year, which could take about two years. Construction cannot begin until the review is completed.
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April 27, 2017

First fleet of electric buses will be rolled out in NYC this year

By Devin Gannon

In recognition of Earth Week, Governor Cuomo announced a new pilot program to bring electric buses to New York City this year. The MTA board has approved to lease the first five electric buses, and the lease for the next five will be presented later this year. The program will cost $4 million for three-year leases, which includes six depot charging stations. A charging station will be located at the Grand Avenue Depot in Maspeth, where buses will charge overnight. The first leg of the pilot will also include one "en-route" charging station at the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza in Brooklyn, which will serve as the hub for nine routes.
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April 26, 2017

City will spend $100M on a new esplanade to close the gap along Manhattan’s East River greenway

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that the city would develop the gap in the Manhattan waterfront greenway that runs between 41st and 61st Streets along the East River. The city has pledged to spend $100 million on closing the largest unfinished space in the 32-mile loop, including a new esplanade, with an additional $5 million to be spent on filling smaller gaps in East Harlem and Inwood. “The Hudson River Greenway has vastly improved quality of life on the West Side, and we want families in every corner in the borough to have that same access to bike, walk and play along the water,” said the mayor in a statement. “This is the first of many big investments we’ll make as we bring the full Greenway to reality.”
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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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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

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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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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Transit

Citi Bike looks at major five-borough expansion

Amtrak may relocate to Grand Central as Penn Station undergoes repairs

MTA announces six-point plan to combat subway delays and improve service

To ease Penn Station woes, a new plan calls for a transit hub in Sunnyside, Queens

MTA releases ‘Baby on Board’ buttons for pregnant subway riders

City may bring back ‘Barnes Dance’ crossing systems to high-crash intersections

New research shows that people are choosing Citi Bikes over the bus

Nearly 80 percent of subway escalators and elevators don’t receive necessary maintenance

NYC’s Citywide ferry service officially sets sail today!

NYC anticipated to become a major hub for self-driving cars

Port Authority Bus Terminal unlikely to be built anew; gets updated timeline

First fleet of electric buses will be rolled out in NYC this year

City will spend $100M on a new esplanade to close the gap along Manhattan’s East River greenway

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

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

Highest condo on the Brooklyn waterfront asks $7M

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A design proposal envisions a cantilevered transit hub on Roosevelt Island

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

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