MTA

Many New Yorkers are having to start heading back to the office, and part of that anxiety is how they get there. For some, that means switching from the subway to the bus in search of more social distance. In fact, the New York Times recently reported that in April and May, bus ridership in NYC was higher than that of the subway for the first time in more than 50 years. And for those making the switch, it just got a lot simpler to feel at ease. The MYmta app now includes real-time data for the number of passengers on an arriving bus.
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The F train will shut down on nights and weekends for the next 8 months

Photo by Patrick Cashin courtesy of MTA via Flickr

July 21, 2020

The F train will shut down on nights and weekends for the next 8 months

After one year of service disruptions, the much-talked-about L train "slowdown" wrapped up in April. The MTA has now turned its attention to the F train's Rutgers Tube, which is the last of 11 subway tunnels to be rebuilt after suffering damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Using the same tactics as were employed for the L train, the Rutgers Tube will only be shut down on nights and weekends, affecting F train service from August 2020 through March 2021.
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Transit

Check out the PPE vending machines that just arrived in NYC subway stations

All photos: Marc Herman / MTA NYC Transit on Flickr

July 1, 2020

Check out the PPE vending machines that just arrived in NYC subway stations

As of yesterday, the MTA rolled out 12 PPE vending machines in 10 busy subway stations. The machines, which offer reusable face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes, were installed as part of the MTA's larger effort to keep subways sanitized and safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Check 'em out

Crown Heights subway stations to be renamed in honor of Civil Rights icon Medgar Evers

Photo of Franklin Avenue Station © 6sqft

June 25, 2020

Crown Heights subway stations to be renamed in honor of Civil Rights icon Medgar Evers

Two subway stations in Brooklyn will be renamed after Medgar Evers College and the Civil Rights activist for whom the historic black college is named. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced that Franklin Avenue and President Street stations in Crown Heights will formally be renamed this fall, with MTA maps and signage updated this summer. The new stations--Franklin Avenue-Medgar Evers College and President Street-Medgar Evers College--aim to honor the contributions of the institution ahead of its 50th anniversary.
More here

800,000 commuters rode the subway on NYC’s first day of reopening

Day one at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave Station; Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 10, 2020

800,000 commuters rode the subway on NYC’s first day of reopening

On Monday, the first day of New York City's phase one reopening, more than 800,000 straphangers rode the subway. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, June 8 became the highest ridership day since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The agency said ridership was up during afternoon peak hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with Manhattan seeing a 20 percent increase in ridership from the week prior. However, this is still just 15 percent of regular ridership compared to last year.
Details here

Transit

NYC makes 14th Street busway permanent, adds five more car-free routes

14th Street Busway; Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 8, 2020

NYC makes 14th Street busway permanent, adds five more car-free routes

The busway on 14th Street in Manhattan will be made permanent, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. The car-free strip of the street, which runs between 3rd and 9th Avenues, launched as part of a pilot program last October. The mayor called the busway, which has proven popular with riders, a "success by every measure." De Blasio also announced the phased-in addition of five new busways and 16.5 miles of bus lanes, which are meant to alleviate crowding for commuters as the city begins the reopening process.
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Transit

MTA calls on NYC to add 60 miles of bus lanes as city reopens

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 5, 2020

MTA calls on NYC to add 60 miles of bus lanes as city reopens

With up to 400,000 New Yorkers expected to return to the workforce under the city's phase one reopening on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants to add 60 miles of dedicated bus lanes to alleviate crowding. In a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, Sarah Feinberg, interim president of NYC Transit, wrote a "robust bus system will be crucial" for the city's rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.
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MTA says de Blasio’s subway plan would only serve 8 percent of riders

Photo: Patrick Cashin / MTA New York City Transit

June 4, 2020

MTA says de Blasio’s subway plan would only serve 8 percent of riders

As the city prepares to enter phase one of reopening on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority released this week its plan to return to "regular" service, which no longer means 24-hour service. Subways and buses will run more frequently starting next week, but the subway system will still shut down between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. for nightly disinfection. Mayor Bill de Blasio this week also released a plan for transit that calls for capacity limits and blocking off every other seat. But the MTA called the mayor's idea "utterly unworkable" and said his proposed capacity limits would allow the agency to serve just 8 percent of riders.
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As NYC prepares to reopen, questions about public transit remain

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 29, 2020

As NYC prepares to reopen, questions about public transit remain

New York City will likely begin the reopening process early next month, with as many as 400,000 employees expected to return to work during this first phase, Mayor Bill de Blasio said this week. While the mayor on Thursday released guidelines for phase one businesses to safely reopen without a resurgence of the coronavirus, no plan has been issued from City Hall on how employees returning to the workforce will commute there safely.
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With Long Island and Hudson Valley cleared to reopen, MTA boosts train service

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is boosting service on the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North as two more New York regions are officially cleared to start reopening. The Hudson Vallery region and Long Island have met the state's metrics to begin reopening phase one businesses, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week. Starting Wednesday, the MTA will increase capacity by 26 percent on Metro-North with 18 additional trains during peak service, as well as add 105 Long Island Railroad cars to meet restored demand for service.
Details this way

Policy

MTA launches UV light pilot program to kill COVID-19 on NYC subways and buses

Demonstration of UV disinfection technology at Corona Maintenace Facility; Photo Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 20, 2020

MTA launches UV light pilot program to kill COVID-19 on NYC subways and buses

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will use ultraviolet light to remove the coronavirus from its subway and bus system, officials announced on Tuesday. For phase one of the $1 million pilot program, the agency will deploy 230 UV light lamps next week on some trains, buses, and MTA facilities. The devices will be used in cars during overnight station closures and at maintenance yards in Corona, Coney Island, Jamaica, and Pelham. If the first phase of the pilot proves successful, the program will expand to Long Island Railroad and Metro-North trains.
See it here

MTA adds social distancing markers, considers reservation system for subway and bus

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 18, 2020

MTA adds social distancing markers, considers reservation system for subway and bus

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last week launched a pilot program to keep commuters socially distanced on subway platforms. The transit authority installed markers on the floors of a few stations on the Upper East Side that encourage straphangers to remain six feet from others to stop the spread of the coronavirus. In addition to new signage, mask requirements, and a vigorous disinfection plan that involves an overnight shutdown of service, the MTA is also considering creating a reservation system for seats on the city's subways and buses to limit crowds.
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NYC subway shuts down for first time in history; see the COVID-19 disinfection plan in action

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

May 6, 2020

NYC subway shuts down for first time in history; see the COVID-19 disinfection plan in action

For the first time in its 115-year history, the New York City subway system shut down overnight on Wednesday. The closure, which will occur daily from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., is part of a new plan to disinfect every car and station to stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect essential workers. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is increasing bus service to serve essential workers, adding 344 buses to the current 235 that run during that early morning time frame. For-hire car service will also be offered to employees who are unable to use the bus for their commutes.
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In response to COVID homeless crisis, MTA bans wheeled carts and enacts one-hour subway limit

Photo by Joey via Flickr cc

April 30, 2020

In response to COVID homeless crisis, MTA bans wheeled carts and enacts one-hour subway limit

When the Daily News shared a photo of a homeless New Yorker on a subway car earlier this week, it drew much attention all the way up to Governor Cuomo. Yesterday, the governor called on the MTA to create a plan to solve the issue. In response, the MTA released a plan today that deals with three main points-- no person is permitted to remain in a station for more than an hour; during a public health emergency, no person can remain on a train or the platform after an announcement that the train is being taken out of service; and wheeled carts greater than 30 inches in length or width are banned.
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NYC subways will shut down from 1am-5am for nightly cleanings

Photo by Marc A. Hermann/MTA New York City Transit via MTA/Flickr

April 30, 2020

NYC subways will shut down from 1am-5am for nightly cleanings

After Governor Cuomo asked the MTA to step up its subway disinfecting schedule from every 72 to 24 hours, the agency came back with what it's calling the "Essential Connector Program." This initiative will stop service from 1:00am to 5:00am every night during the pandemic, starting Wednesday, May 6. New York City is one of the few cities in the entire world (and the only one in the U.S.) that has a public transit system that runs 24/7, but the governor has said that it is the city and state's responsibility to disinfect more frequently in order to keep our essential workers safe and ensure that they feel comfortable riding the subway.
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April 2, 2020

Deal reached to redevelop MTA’s former Midtown East headquarters, making way for new tower

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City reached an agreement to redevelop the agency's former headquarters in Midtown as part of a revenue-generating plan, officials announced on Thursday. The redevelopment of the site at 341-347 Madison Avenue is expected to create more than $1 billion for the cash-strapped agency's capital program. The deal, delayed due to a prior dispute between city and state officials, comes nearly a decade after the MTA first announced plans to sell or lease its three-building complex.
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MTA cuts subway service by 25 percent in response to coronavirus

Photo by Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

March 25, 2020

MTA cuts subway service by 25 percent in response to coronavirus

In response to a "never-before-seen ridership low" during the coronavirus outbreak, three subway lines will not run during the week and some express trains will run local, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday. The reduced schedule is part of the agency's "NY Essential Service Plan" to provide service to first responders and essential workers as it deals with the devastating financial consequences of a nearly 90 percent drop in ridership across subway and buses, the Long Island Railroad, and Metro-North.
More details here

Amidst massive ridership declines, MTA seeks $4B+ in federal aid

Photo credit: Billie Grace Ward via Flickr

March 18, 2020

Amidst massive ridership declines, MTA seeks $4B+ in federal aid

Facing a 60 percent decline in subway ridership and a 90 percent decline on commuter rails, the already-cash-strapped MTA is seeking more than $4 billion in federal aid, according to a letter the agency sent yesterday to the New York Congressional Delegation. "Assuming ridership trends this week continue for six months," they wrote, the anticipated revenue losses to the MTA are $3.7 billion, along with $300 million in annualized COVID-19 expenses.
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Amid coronavirus fears, subway ridership falls 20% while Citi Bike sees a 70% increase

Photo credit: Billie Grace Ward via Flickr

March 13, 2020

Amid coronavirus fears, subway ridership falls 20% while Citi Bike sees a 70% increase

By Alexandra Alexa

In the face of growing coronavirus concerns, many New Yorkers are avoiding public transportation and heeding advice to walk or bike whenever possible. As the Daily News reported, ridership on Wednesday was down nearly 20 percent on subways and 15 percent on buses compared to March 2019. A similar comparison on Thursday morning showed Metro-North ridership was down by 48 percent and Long Island Rail Road ridership down 31 percent. According to the New York Times, the number of cyclists crossing the East River bridges has doubled since the beginning of March and Citi Bike has seen a 70 percent increase in trips so far this month.
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All renderings by the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU)

March 5, 2020

Renderings released for massive Sunnyside Yard project that will bring 12,000 affordable apartments

According to the master plan for the 180-acre Sunnyside Yard development in Queens, the former storage and maintenance hub for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, New Jersey Transit, and Long Island Rail Road will include 12,000 affordable apartments, making it the largest affordable housing development to be built in NYC since the middle-income Co-op City in the Bronx was completed in 1973 (h/t Wall Street Journal). The plan by the New York City Economic Development Corp. (EDC) outlines a $14.4 billion deck over the train yard on which the complex would be built. Half the housing in the development would be rental apartments for low-income families earning less than 50 percent of the area median income, with the other half set aside for affordable homeownership programs through Mitchell-Lama. The Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) was identified to lead the planning process, and they have just released renderings and maps of the massive development.
See them all here

How the NYC subway is preparing for coronavirus

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit, Flickr cc

March 3, 2020

How the NYC subway is preparing for coronavirus

After issuing their first response last Thursday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) issued an update today on the precautions the agency is taking in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), joining a coordinated effort by New York City and state to remain ahead of an epidemic whose impact could depend on how well communities and authorities respond to it. Now that there's been a confirmed case in Manhattan, as well as one in Westchester, the agency has taken additional measures to inform and protect its employees–and the eight million people who ride its subways, commuter trains and buses daily. The MTA will make sure that none of its trains, cars, or buses go more than 72 hours without undergoing sanitization.
More on how New York City is preparing for coronavirus below

F train service changes coming next year as work on the city’s last Sandy-damaged tunnel begins

Photo by Patrick Cashin courtesy of MTA via Flick

February 27, 2020

F train service changes coming next year as work on the city’s last Sandy-damaged tunnel begins

By Alexandra Alexa

With L train repairs finally winding down in the Canarsie Tube, the MTA will soon shift its attention to the Rutgers Tube, the last of nine subway tunnels to be renovated after Superstorm Sandy took its toll on the structure nearly eight years ago. As THE CITY reported, the repairs will impact the F line this time around but won't be anywhere near as disruptive as the L train shutdown-turned-partial-slowdown.
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Transit

Images courtesy of MTA/Flickr

February 25, 2020

MTA moves ahead with plans to buy up to 949 new subway cars with open gangway design

In an effort that has long been in the works, the MTA is making strides in the modernization of New York City's antiquated subway system. Following the recent retirement of its Nixon-era R-42 trains on the J and Z lines, the agency announced today that it is in shopping mode for as many as 949 new subway cars with an open gangway configuration–shown in prototype renderings–for use on the Lexington Avenue line. The move comes as the agency prepares for a major resignaling project on the 4, 5, 6 lines and plans to retire its 30-year old R62 and R62A fleets.
More new NYC Subways, this way

Transit

50-year-old R-42 subway cars are finally being retired

The final run of the R42 trains on the A line near Hammels Wye in the Rockaways on February 12, 2020. Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

February 12, 2020

50-year-old R-42 subway cars are finally being retired