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MTA to add spikes and paddles at most NYC subway stations to curb fare evasion

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

December 17, 2025

MTA to add spikes and paddles at most NYC subway stations to curb fare evasion

By Aaron Ginsburg

Almost every New York City subway turnstile will soon feature protective fins, sleeves, and spikes to prevent fare evasion, the MTA said Monday. NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow told the MTA board that the agency plans to spend $7.3 million to install the technology at 129 additional stations by January, adding to the 327 of the city’s 472 subway stations that already have it. According to Crichlow, stations equipped with the technology, designed to make it harder to hop or slip around a turnstile, have seen fare evasion drop by up to 60 percent.
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Here are NYC’s most dangerous intersections

Looking from Avenue H, Nostrand Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia

December 10, 2025

Here are NYC’s most dangerous intersections

By Aaron Ginsburg

There are nearly 120 intersections across New York City where five or more New Yorkers have been killed or seriously injured over the last three years, new data shows. The map, released on Tuesday by Transportation Alternatives, highlights these high-risk intersections across the five boroughs, where nearly three million pedestrians live within a half-mile of at least one. Street safety advocates are calling on the City Council to pass a bill requiring universal daylighting at every intersection—a measure introduced more than a year ago but not yet brought to a vote.
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New Washington Heights pedestrian plaza opens with mural honoring Dominican community

All photos courtesy of NYC DOT on Flickr

December 4, 2025

New Washington Heights pedestrian plaza opens with mural honoring Dominican community

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new pedestrian plaza and mural in Washington Heights opened this week, setting a city record for the most temporary public art installations on city land. On Thursday, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez celebrated the opening of a new pedestrian plaza on Audubon Avenue between 165th and 166th Streets, adding 10,890 square feet of car-free space, and unveiled “De Lo Mio,” a vibrant asphalt mural honoring Dominican culture by artist Talisa Almonte. The artwork marks a record 151 temporary public art pieces installed across DOT property.
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NYC selects vendor for 500 secure bike storage hubs

Credit: Tranzito

December 2, 2025

NYC selects vendor for 500 secure bike storage hubs

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has selected a vendor to install secure bike storage hubs at 500 locations across the five boroughs. The Department of Transportation on Monday announced that it chose Tranzito to create and operate a citywide network of secure bike parking structures, offering cyclists who lack in-home storage a safe place to keep their bicycles. The selection follows a 2024 request for proposals, and the city expects to award a five-year operating contract, with officials set to reveal additional designs and locations at a later date.
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Say ‘farewell’ to the MetroCard at New York Transit Museum exhibit

Credit: Lucas Klappas on Flickr

December 2, 2025

Say ‘farewell’ to the MetroCard at New York Transit Museum exhibit

By Aaron Ginsburg

Before the MetroCard is retired this month, the New York Transit Museum is saying goodbye to the iconic transit payment method with a special exhibit. Opening on December 17, "FAREwell, MetroCard" explores the MetroCard’s history, from its creation and adoption to the technology behind it, and highlights how it has become a cultural artifact for millions of New Yorkers. The exhibition also offers insight into what was, at the time, a cutting-edge technology that eliminated the need for tokens, ahead of December 31, when the MTA will stop selling MetroCards as the system continues its transition to OMNY.
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NYC is selling limited batches of its most popular authentic street signs

Credit: DOT

November 26, 2025

NYC is selling limited batches of its most popular authentic street signs

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is selling limited batches of its four best-selling street signs from its monthly "sign drops," giving New Yorkers a chance to bring a piece of the city home for the holidays. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced that starting Tuesday, the agency will release four of its most popular street signs, the first on Tuesday, followed by drops on Wednesday, November 26, November 28, and December 1. Two signs released so far—“Leaving Brooklyn Fuhgeddaboutit” and “Gay Street”—are already sold out, while “Welcome to Queens” and “Cornelia Street” will be available on CityStore on November 28 and December 1, respectively.
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Transit

Holiday nostalgia rides on vintage NYC subway cars are back this December

Holiday Nostalgia Train at 2nd Avenue station. Photo courtesy of New York Transit Museum.

November 21, 2025

Holiday nostalgia rides on vintage NYC subway cars are back this December

By Aaron Ginsburg

Step back in time and embark on a festive journey aboard an old-school New York City subway car this holiday season. The New York Transit Museum's beloved Holiday Nostalgia Rides, which include eight cars from the 1930s that ran along lettered lines through the late 1970s, will run every Sunday in December from 2nd Avenue on the uptown F platform and 96th Street on the downtown Q platform.
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Council kills bill banning horse-drawn carriages in NYC

Credit: Igor Wang on Unsplash

November 17, 2025

Council kills bill banning horse-drawn carriages in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

A City Council bill to phase out New York City’s horse-drawn carriage industry has stalled after a committee voted against advancing it to a full Council vote. On Friday, the Council’s Committee on Health voted 1–4, with two abstentions, to block Ryder’s Law, sponsored by Council Member Robert Holden. The bill would end the city’s carriage horse industry by 2026 and help drivers transition to other jobs. Opponents, siding with the Transport Workers Union International (TWU), which represents carriage drivers, called the bill “ill-conceived and silly.”
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PATH to get major service boost, but fare will reach $4 by 2029

Credit: LunchboxLarry on Flickr

November 14, 2025

PATH to get major service boost, but fare will reach $4 by 2029

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time in 25 years, all PATH lines will operate seven days a week, one of the largest service increases in its history. To help pay for the system improvements, fares are expected to rise to $4 by 2029. On Thursday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released its proposed $45 billion 2026–2035 Capital Plan, which outlines major service upgrades between Manhattan and New Jersey. Improvements include eliminating transfers between Hoboken and the World Trade Center by mid-2026 and increasing weekend service. To fund the plan, the agency is proposing a 33 percent fare increase from the current $3 base fare, rising in 25-cent increments starting next summer and reaching $4 in 2029.
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NYC Ferry unveils new routes, including connection between Brooklyn and Staten Island

Credit: PunkToad on Flickr

November 11, 2025

NYC Ferry unveils new routes, including connection between Brooklyn and Staten Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

Next month, New York City ferry riders will be able to take new direct routes between the Bronx and the Rockaways, and Staten Island and Brooklyn. On Monday, the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced that the new service will launch on December 8, addressing long-standing gaps in the ferry network after years of advocacy from Brooklyn and Staten Island officials for direct service between the two boroughs. Another new route will link Throgs Neck to the Rockaways, offering a two-hour trip from the Bronx to the beach.
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Holiday open streets will return to Fifth Avenue for just one Sunday

Credit: Fifth Avenue Association

November 10, 2025

Holiday open streets will return to Fifth Avenue for just one Sunday

By Aaron Ginsburg

A large stretch of Fifth Avenue will once again be closed to vehicles for the holidays—but just for one day. The Fifth Avenue Association announced that Holiday Open Streets will return on Sunday, December 14, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., turning the iconic corridor between 47th and 57th Streets into a pedestrian-centric, holiday-themed promenade. The event, held across three Sundays in 2022 and 2023, was reduced to a single day in 2024, and will remain so in 2025 due to “logistical challenges” tied to increased security at Trump Tower, according to Gothamist.
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JFK, LaGuardia, Newark airports affected by FAA cuts

LaGuardia Terminal B. Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

November 7, 2025

JFK, LaGuardia, Newark airports affected by FAA cuts

By Aaron Ginsburg

Flights at New York City and New Jersey’s major airports will be reduced starting Friday due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. This week, President Donald Trump's administration announced plans to cut air traffic at 40 of the country's busiest airports, including New York City's John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, as well as at Newark Liberty and Teterboro airports in New Jersey, by 10 percent. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive, airlines will be required to cut scheduled flights by 4 percent starting Friday, increasing to 6 percent by Tuesday, 8 percent by Thursday, and the full 10 percent by Friday, November 14.
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MTA boosts weekday service on A and L subway lines

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 4, 2025

MTA boosts weekday service on A and L subway lines

By Aaron Ginsburg

A and L line riders should see shorter wait times as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority boosted weekday service on Monday. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the upgraded service, providing more frequent trains and shorter waits for the more than 100,000 weekday riders of both lines.
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MTA to spend $1.5B on new fleet of modern subway cars

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 3, 2025

MTA to spend $1.5B on new fleet of modern subway cars

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will buy nearly 400 new subway cars as part of its ongoing effort to modernize New York City’s fleet and signal system. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced that the MTA Board approved a $1.5 billion contract for 378 R268 subway cars for the system’s "B" Division, featuring signals compatible with the agency’s transition to Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology. Funded through the MTA’s 2025–2029 Capital Plan, the new trains are expected to begin arriving in fall 2028.
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NYC to install seating at nearly 9K bus stops over the next decade

Credit: NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

October 31, 2025

NYC to install seating at nearly 9K bus stops over the next decade

By Aaron Ginsburg

More New Yorkers will soon have a place to sit while waiting for the bus, as the city expands seating at nearly 9,000 bus stops. On Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced a $40 million investment to install benches at roughly 8,750 bus stops across the city that currently lack seating. Starting in November, the city will add benches at about 875 stops per year for the next decade, offering seating at a vastly larger number of bus stops citywide.
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MTA completes five-year Grand Central-42nd Street station upgrades

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

October 29, 2025

MTA completes five-year Grand Central-42nd Street station upgrades

By Aaron Ginsburg

After five years of work, the MTA has completed its long-awaited rehabilitation of three subway stations beneath 42nd Street in Midtown. The MTA on Tuesday announced the completion of the Grand Central–42nd Street Circulation Improvement Project, an effort that upgraded the Times Square, Bryant Park, and Grand Central subway stations to improve accessibility and ease congestion for roughly 400,000 daily riders. Enhancements include new and widened staircases, additional escalators, and a 20 percent expansion of mezzanine floor space.
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Metro-North Bronx expansion delayed by three years

Photo: Megan Armas / MTA on Flickr

October 28, 2025

Metro-North Bronx expansion delayed by three years

By Aaron Ginsburg

Metro-North's planned Bronx expansion, including four new stations and direct service to Penn Station, has been delayed by at least three years. According to the New York Times, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) this week said the project will likely not be completed until 2030, and blamed Amtrak for refusing to close its tracks to allow work to proceed on schedule. MTA officials proposed an alternative plan to open three of the four planned stations and deliver roughly half of the anticipated service by 2027, the year the agency originally slated the entire project for completion.
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Major public art program unveiled for JFK Airport’s $9.5B Terminal One

The world’s largest split-flap display in Terminal 1 will flicker through scenes of New York as passengers move through security. Credit: The New Terminal One at JFK/Arup

October 27, 2025

Major public art program unveiled for JFK Airport’s $9.5B Terminal One

By Aaron Ginsburg

JFK Airport's new $9.5 billion terminal wants to reflect New York’s identity as a capital of creativity and culture. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and New Terminal One announced on Monday the seven artists who will create large-scale, site-specific works anchoring Terminal One's cultural program, which celebrates the history, culture, and diversity of New York City and Queens. The installations, ranging from sculptures and mosaics to murals, will complement the broader arts initiative that also features filmmaking and immersive digital experiences.
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Hillside Avenue in Queens gets first bus lane upgrades in more than 50 years

Credit: NYC DOT

October 23, 2025

Hillside Avenue in Queens gets first bus lane upgrades in more than 50 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than 215,000 daily bus riders who travel on Hillside Avenue in Queens will now benefit from faster and safer commutes. On Thursday, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the completion of nearly eight miles of new and upgraded bus lanes along the corridor, one of the longest bus priority projects in the agency’s history. The project adds offset bus lanes from 139th Street to Springfield Boulevard, improving service for 22 routes that together carry more riders than the entire populations of Yonkers and Rochester.
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NYC wants to redesign Chinatown’s chaotic Chatham Square

October 22, 2025

NYC wants to redesign Chinatown’s chaotic Chatham Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has a plan to redesign Chinatown's notoriously chaotic Chatham Square as a safer and more welcoming pedestrian space. The Department of Transportation (DOT) on Tuesday released new renderings of the proposal, which would significantly expand pedestrian areas, simplify the complex intersection, and improve safety for both pedestrians and drivers. The plan also introduces more trees and greenery, including upgrades to Kimlau Square, the park at the center of Chatham Square.
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City halts 34th Street busway after threats from Trump

October 20, 2025

City halts 34th Street busway after threats from Trump

By Devin Gannon

New York City halted a plan to add a busway to Manhattan's 34th Street after the Trump administration threatened to withhold federal funding for other projects. Unveiled by the city's Department of Transportation in May, the project adds a dedicated bus lane for a 1.1-mile stretch of the busy corridor, from Third to Ninth Avenues, as a way to speed up notoriously slow bus service. Last week, Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster said the agency had several concerns with the busway, including the absence of a plan "to accommodate truckers" and "maintain access for emergency vehicles."
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Judge orders $34M in counterterrorism funds for NYC subway be restored

Credit: Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

October 17, 2025

Judge orders $34M in counterterrorism funds for NYC subway be restored

By Aaron Ginsburg

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to release nearly $34 million in counterterrorism and transit security funding for New York City’s subway and regional rail systems that it had been withholding. In the ruling, the judge described the withholding of funds as “arbitrary, capricious and a blatant violation of the law,” issuing a permanent injunction that requires the government to release the money to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to the New York Times. Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul and State Attorney General Letitia James sued to restore the funding, which the MTA was slated to receive from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
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Trump says Gateway project is ‘terminated,’ but DOT denies program is canceled

Credit: Gateway Development Commission

October 16, 2025

Trump says Gateway project is ‘terminated,’ but DOT denies program is canceled

By Aaron Ginsburg

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said his administration on Thursday had "terminated" funding for Gateway, a project that includes two new tunnels under the Hudson River and is considered the most urgent infrastructure project in the country. During a White House press conference, Trump said his administration had used the federal shutdown to kill federally funded projects, particularly in Democratic states, including the $16 billion tunnel program. But, as Politico reported, the Transportation Department has no current plans to end the program, and construction continues.
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Interborough Express enters environmental review process

Credit: MTA

October 16, 2025

Interborough Express enters environmental review process

By Aaron Ginsburg

The environmental assessment for the transformative Interborough Express (IBX) has officially begun, bringing the long-anticipated transit connection between Brooklyn and Queens one step closer to reality. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced the start of the review process under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), marking another major milestone for the project after it entered the preliminary engineering and design phase in August. The MTA will host two in-person public meetings to outline the project scope and review process on October 29 and November 6, followed by a virtual session on November 12.
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MTA unveils tribute to late Zabar’s owner at 79th Street subway station

Credit: MTA on Flickr

October 15, 2025

MTA unveils tribute to late Zabar’s owner at 79th Street subway station

By Aaron Ginsburg

The subway station at 79th Street now honors an Upper West Side icon. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled a tribute to Saul Zabar, the owner of the famed Zabar's deli, who passed away last week at the age of 97. The agency has put up vinyl posters of Zabar in his signature white coat along the 1 train platform. The deli recently collaborated with the MTA to celebrate the subway’s 120th anniversary and Zabar’s 90th birthday.
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