Transit

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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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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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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Transit

Hochul criticizes Trump for withholding $34M in counterterrorism funds

Credit: Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

October 10, 2025

Hochul criticizes Trump for withholding $34M in counterterrorism funds

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday criticized the Trump administration for withholding $34 million in transit security funding for New York City’s subway and regional rail systems. According to a press release, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had been slated to receive the funds through the federal Transit Security Grant Program, established after 9/11 to support critical counterterrorism and transit security operations. But the agency was notified last week that it would be the only one among 21 applicants nationwide to be denied funding.
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Works begins on Newark Airport’s new $3.5B AirTrain

Rendering courtesy of Tutor Perini/O&G

October 7, 2025

Works begins on Newark Airport’s new $3.5B AirTrain

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work has begun on revitalizing Newark Liberty Airport's aging AirTrain—one part of the larger plan to rebuild the international airport. On Tuesday, Port Authority Chair Kevin O’Toole announced the groundbreaking for the new AirTrain, kicking off a long-awaited refresh of the 1990s-era system that will speed up and improve travel to the airport via public transit. The $3.5 billion project is part of the EWR Vision Plan, a long-term effort to rebuild the airport, including a new Terminal B, upgrades to Terminal C, fixes to the airport’s complex roadway network, and replacement of the AirTrain.
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NYC announces nearly 140 car-free Halloween events

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Halloween open streets program returns for another record-breaking season, with nearly 140 participating locations over two weeks. On Monday, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the "Trick-or-Streets" program, which will close streets, plazas, and other corridors across the five boroughs to vehicles, opening the spaces for spooky (and safe) festivities from October 17 through 31.
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NYC subway and bus fare to increase to $3

Photo by Felicity Tai from Pexels

October 1, 2025

NYC subway and bus fare to increase to $3

By Aaron Ginsburg

It will officially cost you 10 more cents to ride New York City subways and buses starting in January. On Tuesday, the MTA Board voted 11-0, with two abstentions, to approve fare hikes raising the base fare from $2.90 to $3. Reduced fares will go up from $1.45 to $1.50 and express bus fares from $7 to $7.25. The agency did scale back increases to its 7-day fare-capping program from $36 to $35 in response to rider feedback.
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F and M trains will swap routes between Manhattan and Queens

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 30, 2025

F and M trains will swap routes between Manhattan and Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

Subway riders traveling between Manhattan and Queens should prepare for changes to their commute come December, when the MTA swaps the F and M lines to ease notorious delays at Queens Plaza. Starting December 8, the F and M lines will trade East River tunnels, separating express and local service and eliminating a bottleneck at Queens Plaza that delays up to 20 percent of rush-hour E, M, and R trains, the agency announced on Monday. The changes will apply on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., improving trips for the 1.2 million riders who use the lines each day.
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MTA looking into cooling subway stations with geothermal technology

181st Street Station. Photo by Famartin via Wikimedia

September 29, 2025

MTA looking into cooling subway stations with geothermal technology

By Aaron Ginsburg

The MTA is exploring a new way to cool sweltering subway stations: geothermal technology. According to a request for information (RFI) published last week, the agency is considering a system that would use the Earth’s subsurface to transfer heat out of stations and store it elsewhere, to keep platforms between 82 and 85 degrees on hot days. As first reported by The City, the MTA is targeting the 1 line’s 168th Street and 181st Street stations, which rank among the system’s hottest because of their depth.
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MTA revises proposed fare hikes, following public feedback

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 29, 2025

MTA revises proposed fare hikes, following public feedback

By Aaron Ginsburg

The MTA is scaling back part of its planned fare hikes in response to feedback from riders, transit advocates, and elected officials. On Saturday, the agency announced that after a six-week public outreach period that collected nearly 1,400 comments, the fare cap for seven days of unlimited travel on subways and buses will go up by $1, to $35, instead of the originally planned $36. After 12 trips in any seven-day period, customers get unlimited free rides the rest of the week. The cost of a single ride, however, is still expected to increase from $2.90 to $3.
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15 mph e-bike speed limit to take effect in October

Credit: Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

September 24, 2025

15 mph e-bike speed limit to take effect in October

By Aaron Ginsburg

A 15-mile-per-hour speed limit on e-bikes and e-scooters will take effect in October, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday. Starting October 24, the new rule lowers the speed limit for vehicles from 25 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour, a pledge Adams made in June. It remains unclear how the limit will be enforced and what the possible fines would be for speeding.
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New ‘super-express’ Metro-North trips travel between NYC and Poughkeepsie in under 90 minutes

Image via WikiCommons

September 23, 2025

New ‘super-express’ Metro-North trips travel between NYC and Poughkeepsie in under 90 minutes

By Aaron Ginsburg

Metro-North is launching faster "super-express" trains on the Hudson Line next month, zipping passengers between New York City and Poughkeepsie in under 90 minutes. Starting October 6, the service will offer the fastest trip ever between New York City and Poughkeepsie, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday. Originally slated for 2026 and first unveiled in her 2025 State of the State address, the early launch comes after work was completed ahead of schedule.
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Adams backs horse-drawn carriage ban, calls for electric alternatives

Credit: Elvert Barnes on Flickr

September 18, 2025

Adams backs horse-drawn carriage ban, calls for electric alternatives

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams this week came out in support of a law banning horse-drawn carriages in Central Park and said the tourist attraction could be replaced with "electric alternatives." The issue of carriages resurfaced this summer after a horse collapsed and died in Hell's Kitchen, prompting outcry from animal advocates and the Central Park Conservancy to endorse prohibiting carriages for the first time. In a statement, Adams pushed for the City Council to pass Ryder's Law, which phases out horse-drawn carriages by 2026 and said his administration would explore a new program for electric carriages, "so New Yorkers and visitors can continue to enjoy the majesty of Central Park."
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Canal Street to get ‘super sidewalks’ and other pedestrian upgrades under proposed redesign

All photos courtesy of NYC DOT

September 18, 2025

Canal Street to get ‘super sidewalks’ and other pedestrian upgrades under proposed redesign

By Aaron Ginsburg

Canal Street will soon join the roster of major New York City corridors slated for major upgrades. The city's Department of Transportation plans to redesign the Lower Manhattan thoroughfare from West Street to Bowery with "super sidewalks," which widen the sidewalk across several blocks, a new protected bike lane, and more public space, according to the agency's design proposal. The agency first revealed the project to local stakeholders in August and expects to complete it by next summer.
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NYC subway saw 26.8 million riders last week, a new post-pandemic record

Credit: MTA / Trent Reeves on Flickr

September 17, 2025

NYC subway saw 26.8 million riders last week, a new post-pandemic record

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's subway system surpassed 26 million riders in a single week, setting a new post-pandemic record, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday. Between September 8 and 14, the system recorded 26.8 million riders, the highest weekly total since the pandemic. The subway also carried more than four million riders every weekday last week, another post-pandemic first.
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LIRR strike avoided for now after unions ask Trump to intervene

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 15, 2025

LIRR strike avoided for now after unions ask Trump to intervene

By Devin Gannon

A strike on the Long Island Rail Road has been avoided, at least temporarily. Unions representing thousands of railroad workers announced on Monday a request to the Trump administration to create an emergency board to help reach a deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority over wage increases. A strike, the first on the LIRR since 1994, was approved for this Thursday, but the request to form the panel, called a Presidential Emergency Board, delays the walkout by several months.
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MTA expands bus lane camera enforcement to four more routes

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 15, 2025

MTA expands bus lane camera enforcement to four more routes

By Aaron Ginsburg

Don't block the bus. Four more bus routes in Queens and the Bronx will now have automated camera enforcement, with a 60-day warning period for drivers improperly using busways or blocking stops starting on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced. After the warning period is up, the MTA will issue summonses ranging from $50 for a first offense to $250 for repeat violations.
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LIRR strike: Here’s what riders need to know

Image via WikiCommons

September 12, 2025

LIRR strike: Here’s what riders need to know

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly 300,000 Long Island Rail Road riders could face disrupted commutes as early as next Thursday, as unions threaten the agency’s first strike in nearly 30 years. Unions representing over 3,000 workers, or roughly half of the railroad’s workforce, could walk out on September 18 unless they receive higher raises than those already negotiated with the MTA, which says half of the workforce has already accepted the deal. Even a partial strike would halt all LIRR service, since striking employees include engineers, signalmen, and other essential staff.
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NYC subway delays fueled by aging cars and equipment, report says

Credit: Matthew LeJune on Unsplash

September 10, 2025

NYC subway delays fueled by aging cars and equipment, report says

By Aaron Ginsburg

Aging subway cars and equipment are causing increasing delays for New York City commuters, according to a report released Wednesday by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Of the 2.7 million scheduled subway trips in 2024, 486,614 arrived late, with infrastructure and equipment failures responsible for 31 percent of those delays—up from 24 percent in 2023. The report also found that over a quarter of subway cars are past their 40-year lifespan, and major service disruptions linked to car issues nearly tripled, from 27 to 77 in the first six months of 2025.
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17.6 million fewer vehicles have entered Manhattan since congestion pricing launched this year

Photo by Koon Chakhatrakan on Unsplash

September 10, 2025

17.6 million fewer vehicles have entered Manhattan since congestion pricing launched this year

By Aaron Ginsburg

Congestion pricing is (still) working. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA officials, 2.7 million fewer vehicles entered Manhattan below 61st Street in August, a 14 percent drop that matched June for the largest reduction recorded so far in 2025. The positive data comes about a month before a scheduled federal court hearing in October, where the Trump administration’s attempt to end the tolling system will be decided. Since the program began in January, the number of vehicles entering the zone is down 12 percent, with 87,000 fewer trips each day and 17.6 million fewer vehicles compared to last year.
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