Transit

NYC Council bill would create ‘low-traffic neighborhoods’ across the city

Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr

September 24, 2026

NYC Council bill would create ‘low-traffic neighborhoods’ across the city

By Aaron Ginsburg

Some New York City Council members want to transform several areas into “low-traffic neighborhoods” by redesigning streets to divert through-traffic away from residential blocks. The bill, set to be introduced on Thursday by Council Member Shaun Abreu, chair of the council’s Transportation Committee, would require the city to install at least two types of “traffic-calming devices” in each neighborhood, such as speed bumps, medians, or barriers at intersections, as first reported by Gothamist. The measures are intended to slow traffic and discourage drivers from cutting through residential streets while maintaining access for emergency vehicles and delivery trucks.
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New subway photo exhibition reveals the behind-the-scenes work that keeps NYC moving

Photo captured at the MTA’s 207th Street Overhaul Shop; Client: New York Times. © Christopher Payne. Commissioned by MTA Arts & Design for the exhibition “In Service: MTA Photographs by Christopher Payne.”

September 23, 2026

New subway photo exhibition reveals the behind-the-scenes work that keeps NYC moving

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new photography series in the New York City subway system seeks to illuminate the workers and infrastructure that keep New Yorkers moving behind the scenes. Unveiled Tuesday by MTA Arts & Design, "In Service: MTA Photographs by Christopher Payne" features images shot at 13 MTA facilities and manufacturing plants across four states, revealing the work and coordination required to keep the city's transit system running. The series of 50 photographs is displayed on 52 decommissioned advertising lightboxes at five major transit hubs, marking the first time the agency has presented a single photographer's work across its entire network.
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Mamdani unveils revamped Vision Zero plan with 100+ policy goals

Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr

September 15, 2026

Mamdani unveils revamped Vision Zero plan with 100+ policy goals

By Aaron Ginsburg

Vision Zero is getting an overhaul. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday released "Vision Zero Reimagined," a plan that builds on the original initiative's goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries and introduces 100 policy goals for the next decade. The safety commitments are organized around eight “big-picture goals,” including pedestrian-only zones, safety redesigns for nearly 200 untreated Vision Zero priority corridors citywide, and stronger enforcement against reckless drivers.
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New Interborough Express renderings show modern stations for proposed rail line between Brooklyn and Queens

September 10, 2026

New Interborough Express renderings show modern stations for proposed rail line between Brooklyn and Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA this week released new renderings of the proposed rail line between Brooklyn and Queens, as the design process moves "ahead of schedule." The images of the Interborough Express reveal modern outdoor train stations for the light rail, which will include 18 fully accessible stations between Bay Ridge and Jackson Heights. Following the design and engineering phase, the agency plans to release a draft environmental impact statement later this year. The MTA also launched a revamped website for the project.
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After street redesign, 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo is complete

Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr

September 2, 2026

After street redesign, 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo is complete

By Aaron Ginsburg

A stretch of street in Downtown Brooklyn so notorious for safety issues that it has earned the nickname “Crashland” could soon shed its moniker following a redesign. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Tuesday announced the completion of work on a continuous protected bike lane on Ashland Place between Lafayette Street and Hanson Place, filling in the final gap in a 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo. While work began in 2022, construction was halted under former Mayor Eric Adams and left unfinished for three years.
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116th Street overhaul will add new bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian space

Credit: NYC DOT

September 1, 2026

116th Street overhaul will add new bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian space

By Aaron Ginsburg

New bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian safety upgrades are coming to Manhattan's busy 116th Street. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Monday announced that work has begun on a major revamp of the Harlem corridor, adding 2.5 miles of offset and curbside bus lanes and other street upgrades. The project aims to improve commutes for more than 65,000 daily bus riders, who contend with speeds of less than four miles per hour in certain sections.
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LIRR will run year-round direct trips from Penn Station to Montauk

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 26, 2026

LIRR will run year-round direct trips from Penn Station to Montauk

By Aaron Ginsburg

Direct journeys to Montauk on the Long Island Rail Road will no longer be seasonal, with transit officials making the service permanently year-round. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced service changes and infrastructure upgrades to the LIRR's Montauk Branch, including the addition of a year-round weekday 5:13 p.m. train from Penn Station to the coastal hamlet, providing a one-seat journey to the eastern end of Long Island. Set to begin next month, the added service comes as the Montauk Branch has experienced continued growth, with ridership increasing 6.4 percent compared to the same period last year.
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NYC announces $4B plan to fix city-owned portion of BQE

Credit: Mary and Andrew on Flickr

August 24, 2026

NYC announces $4B plan to fix city-owned portion of BQE

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City will move forward with repairs to the decrepit, city-owned section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway following decades of delays. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Monday announced plans to fix the aging corridor between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street by installing temporary bypass structures that will allow the DOT to repair the structure while ensuring minimal disruption to traffic flow. The move marks the first major action to rehabilitate the 70-year-old triple-cantilevered portion of the BQE, where each year of inaction adds an estimated $160 million to the cost of rehabilitation.
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MTA unlikely to meet 2040 goal for 100% zero-emission bus fleet, audit finds

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 20, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

The new tunnel. All images courtesy of Amtrak

August 18, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Popular Articles

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

Credit: Spencer Liao on Unsplash

August 17, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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City begins construction on first busway in the Bronx

Photo courtesy of DOT

August 14, 2026

City begins construction on first busway in the Bronx

By Devin Gannon

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

All photos courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 11, 2026

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

By Michelle Cohen

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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Transit

MTA to retrofit every NYC bus with area for open strollers

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 7, 2026

MTA to retrofit every NYC bus with area for open strollers

By Devin Gannon

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

Photo by Thomas Loizeau on Unsplash

August 6, 2026

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

By Devin Gannon

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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MTA is auctioning off MetroCard vending machines

By Tdorante10 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Via Wikimedia

August 5, 2026

MTA is auctioning off MetroCard vending machines

By Devin Gannon

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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Vending machines to replace vacant newsstands at 26 NYC subway stations

Credit: CC Vending II

July 30, 2026

Vending machines to replace vacant newsstands at 26 NYC subway stations

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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MTA completes Park Avenue Viaduct replacement 60 months early

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 28, 2026

MTA completes Park Avenue Viaduct replacement 60 months early

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Image via WikiCommons

July 24, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Brooklyn’s oldest underground subway station is now accessible

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 23, 2026

Brooklyn’s oldest underground subway station is now accessible

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Marine Air Terminal in 1974. Image via WikiCommons

July 22, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Transit

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

Work underway on new center-running bus lanes along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 16, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Photo by Sal Media on Unsplash

July 8, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

New Yorkers on the Avenue B Open Street. Credit: Street Lab

July 1, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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MTA and Amtrak at odds over Penn Station redesign

All images courtesy of PAU

June 25, 2026

MTA and Amtrak at odds over Penn Station redesign

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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