Transit

August 20, 2026

MTA unlikely to meet 2040 goal for 100% zero-emission bus fleet, audit finds

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is falling behind on its plan to replace New York City’s public bus fleet with zero-emission vehicles by 2040, according to the state comptroller. In the audit published on Wednesday, New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli found that the MTA’s reliance on single manufacturers with limited production capacity has led to delays, while the cost of producing electric buses has risen substantially. The MTA's four-stage plan called for the next 485 of 500 buses to be delivered by the end of 2024, but only one had been delivered by June 2025. The agency has since reduced its next order from 1,000 to 500 buses.
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August 18, 2026

Amtrak completes first phase of East River tunnel project amid LIRR disruptions

A 15-month rehabilitation of one of two East River tunnels is complete. Amtrak on Monday announced the completion of phase one of the project, which began last year to repair two of the four tunnels damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 that carry trains in and out of Penn Station and are also used by the LIRR and NJ Transit. The agency shut down one tunnel at a time despite MTA calls for a rush-hour service approach, which officials said curtailed LIRR service by forcing too many trains to share the remaining tunnels.
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August 17, 2026

Congestion pricing has had little impact on NYC air quality, city report finds

While congestion pricing has delivered on its initial promise of curbing traffic in Manhattan’s busiest areas, the program's expected benefits for air quality and pollution have so far fallen short, according to a new report. Released Friday by the New York City Health Department, the report found that air quality in Manhattan’s central business district, where drivers are charged $9 to enter below 60th Street during certain times, remained stable or improved only marginally after the toll program took effect in January 2025. Meanwhile, on major highways outside the toll zone, where opponents had feared changing traffic patterns would lead to increased air pollution, pollution levels remained stable.
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August 14, 2026

City begins construction on first busway in the Bronx

Starting next month, 39,000 bus riders in the Bronx will have a faster daily commute. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) this week officially started construction on the Tremont Avenue Busway, a mile-long, car-free lane designated for the Bx36 bus from Third Avenue to Southern Boulevard. The busway, the eighth to be installed in the city, aims to speed up commutes by 60 percent for the bus route, which currently travels at less than five miles per hour.
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August 11, 2026

New York will test new thermal tech that cools down NYC subway platforms

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and state officials this week announced plans to cool New York City subway platforms that turn into saunas during the summer. The mayor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority are teaming up to study thermal energy networks (TENs) at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall and Chamber Street complex, among the city's hottest subway platforms. The technology, the first in the nation installed in a transit system, involves capturing, storing, and recycling the excess heat to surrounding buildings in the winter. The TENs study will be part of a thorough renovation of the Chambers Street station, one of the city's oldest.
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August 7, 2026

MTA to retrofit every NYC bus with area for open strollers

Traveling around New York City with small children will soon get a little easier. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday announced that every bus will have an open stroller area, a designated space for parents and caregivers to hold a stroller without having to fold it up, which was previously required to ride. The agency said about 75 percent of its 5,800 buses have been retrofitted with the open stroller area, with the rest to be installed by the end of the year.
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August 6, 2026

How New York City plans to crack down on illegal e-bikes and scooters

More than a dozen new bills will be introduced in the New York City Council this fall that aim to curb illegal electric bikes and scooters, one week after a 17-year-old riding an illegal motorized bike was hit and killed by an SUV. Speaker Julie Menin and several other council members announced plans to hold a hearing on September 30 on e-bike and e-scooter safety. Menin also released a list of 17 bills to be considered next month, including legislation that bans class 3 bikes traveling at 25 miles per hour, requires more rider data from third-party delivery apps, increases enforcement, and creates a task force to study street design, among others.
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August 5, 2026

MTA is auctioning off MetroCard vending machines

The sturdy steel vending machines with giant buttons and colorful hardware that spit out MetroCards to commuting New Yorkers for 30 years are now a thing of the past, with the ubiquitous rollout of OMNY. But some transit enthusiasts can relive the glory days of the devices: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday said it is auctioning off a limited number of MetroCard Vending Machines and MetroCard Express Machines. Note that the winning bidder must pick up the machines, which weigh over 1,000 pounds, themselves.
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July 30, 2026

Vending machines to replace vacant newsstands at 26 NYC subway stations

New vending machines will be installed at over two dozen New York City subway stations as a modern alternative to traditional newsstands that have dwindled over the years. CC Vending will open automated, cashless retail spaces that will sell drinks, snacks, and everyday essentials as part of a partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Coca-Cola. The initial rollout will bring 60 machines to 26 high-traffic stations, with the first now operating at the Second Avenue-East Houston, 23rd Street-Broadway, and 116th Street-Lexington Avenue stations.
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July 28, 2026

MTA completes Park Avenue Viaduct replacement 60 months early

Work on the Park Avenue Viaduct, a critical Metro-North corridor in Upper Manhattan, has been completed 60 months ahead of schedule and $195 million under budget. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the completion of the project, which replaced 196 bridge structures and more than 12,600 feet of railroad infrastructure over 28 weekends. The $765 million project aims to strengthen the reliability of the corridor, which carries 98 percent of Metro-North service and all trains traveling to and from Grand Central Terminal.
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July 24, 2026

1, 2, and 3 subway riders to face five weekends of service disruptions

New York City subway riders on the 1, 2, and 3 subway lines are in for commute headaches over the next five weekends. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced that switch replacement work will suspend 1 trains south of 14th Street, 2 trains south of 34th Street, and all 3 train service from Friday nights through 5 a.m. Mondays through August 24. The service disruptions begin Friday, July 24, at around 9:30 p.m.
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July 23, 2026

Brooklyn’s oldest underground subway station is now accessible

One of New York City's oldest subway stations is now ADA-accessible. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority completed a $106 million renovation of Downtown Brooklyn's Borough Hall station, which now has three new elevators that make all of its platforms fully accessible and flood-mitigation measures that prevent water from running down stairs and grates during heavy rain. The project also repaired a section of the station's ceiling that collapsed in 2018 and hit a woman.
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July 22, 2026

JetBlue wins auction to bring flights back to LaGuardia’s historic Marine Air Terminal

JetBlue could soon bring passenger service back to LaGuardia Airport's historic Marine Air Terminal after winning an auction for gates previously operated by the bankrupt Spirit Airlines. On Monday, JetBlue's $58.5 million bid secured 22 arrival and departure slots at the landmarked Art Deco terminal, vacant since Spirit moved out in May amid bankruptcy proceedings, as first reported by CNBC. The transaction would increase the carrier's slot allocation at LaGuardia from 31 combined daily arrival and departure rights to 53. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, followed by a final sale order expected no later than Aug. 5.
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July 16, 2026

NYC moves forward with first busway in the Bronx, Central Brooklyn bus upgrades

New York City is advancing four major public transit projects in the Bronx and Brooklyn that are expected to cut commutes by up to six minutes for nearly 200,000 daily riders. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced that the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) will begin construction of the long-delayed Tremont Avenue busway later this year and launch community engagement for improvements along Flatbush, Utica, and Church avenues in Brooklyn, three of the borough’s busiest bus corridors. The projects build on last week's unveiling of the "Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service" plan, which aims to speed up service on 50 bus routes across the five boroughs.
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July 8, 2026

New York unveils plan to speed up NYC buses across 50 priority corridors

Riders on 50 bus routes across New York City could see their commutes cut by up to six minutes under a new proposal aimed at boosting bus speeds. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the MTA on Wednesday released "Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service," a plan outlining service upgrades that transit officials say will improve speed, reliability, and the rider experience citywide. Through a combination of service changes, traffic enforcement upgrades, and road redesigns, officials say the plan could reduce travel times by 20 percent across at least 50 bus corridors.
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July 1, 2026

NYC begins work on Avenue B Open Street redesign, adding pedestrian space, bike connections

Work has begun on the redesign of the East Village’s popular Avenue B Open Street, bringing expanded pedestrian space, new cycling connections, and safety upgrades. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Monday announced the start of construction on the project, which will upgrade the corridor from East 4th Street to East 12th Street. The redesign includes intersection improvements, new loading zones, and one-way traffic reversals aimed at reducing vehicle volumes along Avenue B and improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
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June 25, 2026

MTA and Amtrak at odds over Penn Station redesign

After being removed from the Penn Station reconstruction project by the federal government, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has rejected an offer from Amtrak to rejoin the effort. Andy Byford, senior adviser at Amtrak, sent a letter to MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber on Monday formally inviting the MTA to return as a “fully involved” partner after the agency was taken off the project last year and its original reconstruction plan was scrapped. Lieber declined to sign an agreement to join, questioning whether President Donald Trump and Amtrak would follow through on the development.
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June 22, 2026

New McGuinness Boulevard mural highlights safety upgrades

A new temporary public art installation on McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint seeks to draw attention to the safety improvements being implemented as part of the corridor's redesign. Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn last week announced the completion of artist Kevin Cincotta's mural at Father Studzinski Square, which transforms 1,600 square feet of asphalt and 80 linear feet of concrete bike barriers into a public artwork. The boulevard is currently undergoing a major redesign that includes parking-protected bike lanes along the notoriously dangerous corridor between Meeker Avenue and the Pulaski Bridge.
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June 19, 2026

63-block dedicated bus lane proposed for 6th Avenue

The city wants to add 63 blocks of offset bus lanes along Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Friday unveiled a proposal for a dedicated bus lane that runs from Watts Street in Soho to 58th Street in Midtown, along with a wider bike lane from 36th Street to 59th Street. As first reported by amNY, the city presented the plan to Manhattan Community Board 4 this week and will release a final proposal incorporating feedback before installation.
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June 19, 2026

NYC Council to hold hearing on Ryder’s Law after fatal Central Park horse-drawn carriage accident

The City Council will hold a hearing next month on Ryder’s Law, a bill that would phase out horse-drawn carriage rides, after a teenager was thrown from a carriage in Central Park and died this week. Speaker Julie Menin on Wednesday announced a July hearing on the legislation, which would phase out the city's horse-drawn carriage industry. A Council subcommittee nixed a previous version of the law in November despite support from former Mayor Eric Adams. In addition to the death of the 18-year-old tourist on Wednesday, there have been seven additional horse-related incidents over the last 13 months, including last week when a carriage horse had a medical emergency and died, according to the New York Times.
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June 18, 2026

Knicks-themed Penn Station subway entrance will stay orange and blue through next season

A subway entrance at 34th Street and 8th Avenue that was transformed during the New York Knicks' playoff run will stay painted orange and blue through at least next season. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA this week announced the spirited entrance will be preserved through the 2026-2027 season in celebration of the team's first NBA championship in five decades. Transformed by the MTA earlier this month, the Knicks-themed station, which included turning the lamp globes into basketballs, became a viral sensation and a destination for fans and those attending games at Madison Square Garden.
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June 16, 2026

Protected bike lane coming to Adams Street near Brooklyn Bridge to curb illegal parking

A planned protected bike lane linking Downtown Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Bridge aims to close a gap in the borough's cycling network while curbing a hotspot for illegal parking. Detailed by the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) earlier this month in a presentation to Brooklyn Community Board 2, the project would install a two-way protected bike lane along Adams Street and Boerum Place, extending existing protections that currently end at Adams and Johnson Streets and creating a continuous connection to the Brooklyn Bridge. The redesign would also deter illegal parking in the existing painted bike lane, where cyclists are regularly forced into traffic to get around vehicles.
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June 9, 2026

Work to bring Second Avenue Subway to East Harlem begins

New York officials on Monday broke ground on phase two of the Second Avenue Subway, which will bring the Q train to 125th Street. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that excavation has begun at East 119th Street and Second Avenue, where next year a tunnel-boring machine will begin mining the new subway tunnels from 120th Street and Second Avenue to 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard. The groundbreaking marks a major milestone for a project first proposed nearly a century ago that has faced multiple failed attempts to bring subway service to East Harlem.
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June 4, 2026

NYC to expand traffic sensor network to study how New Yorkers use streets

New York City will expand its use of cutting-edge sensor technology to track road usage and inform safer, more data-driven street design. Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Tuesday announced that the agency will install privacy-protected sensors, first piloted in 2023, at about 80 additional locations across the five boroughs, bringing the total to 100. The devices count pedestrians, cyclists, buses, and vehicles to analyze how New Yorkers use city streets, offering insight into pedestrian crossings, where bike access may need improvement, and how cars move through specific areas.
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June 2, 2026

Mamdani restarts plan for 34th Street busway that Trump halted

Plans to turn Manhattan's 34th Street into a dedicated busway are back on. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Tuesday announced that work will restart on the busway, which will cover just over a mile of the corridor from Third to Ninth Avenues. Plans for the busway, which aims to increase speeds for buses that currently move as slowly as 3 miles per hour, were first announced by former Mayor Eric Adams last May, but were halted a few months later after threats from President Trump's administration.
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