MTA

‘QueensLink’ proposal to extend M train picks up steam

Rendering courtesy of QueensLink

September 8, 2023

‘QueensLink’ proposal to extend M train picks up steam

By Aaron Ginsburg

A proposal to reactivate an abandoned railway and create the first north-to-south subway line in Queens is picking up steam. A coalition of New York City public officials and transit advocacy groups rallied in front of City Hall on Wednesday in favor of QueensLink, a plan to extend the M train from Rego Park to the Rockaways as a way to reduce travel time for borough residents who face some of the longest commutes in the country. While the plan has attracted more supporters in recent months, Mayor Eric Adams last year came out in favor of a competing plan to turn the defunct tracks into a public park.
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NYC transit system still widely inaccessible despite recent improvements

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

September 1, 2023

NYC transit system still widely inaccessible despite recent improvements

By Aaron Ginsburg

While the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has picked up the pace of making New York City's public transit system more accessible, the agency still has a long way to go before it can be totally accessible. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA on Thursday announced the completion of the project making Grand Street L subway station fully accessible, marking the fourth station across the five boroughs that have been made fully accessible this year. Despite the agency's recent efforts, the city's transit system is still incredibly difficult for riders with disabilities to navigate because a majority of stations lack elevators, ramps, and other accessible features.
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Times Square water main break leads to major subway delays

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 29, 2023

Times Square water main break leads to major subway delays

By Aaron Ginsburg

A water main installed in 1896 broke in Times Square on Tuesday morning, stopping train service on several subway lines during morning rush hour. Due to water flooding the subway tracks, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority suspended or rerouted service on the 1, 2, and 3 lines, which also affected the 4 and 5 lines. The area between 39th and 42nd Streets along Seventh Avenue was shut down due to flooding and is expected to remain closed for the rest of the day.
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Transit

NYC Council approves five-year permit for Madison Square Garden

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

August 29, 2023

NYC Council approves five-year permit for Madison Square Garden

By Aaron Ginsburg

Madison Square Garden will remain above Penn Station, but for not as long as its owners want. Two New York City Council committees on Monday voted to renew the arena's special permit for five years, which would be the shortest operating permit given to the Garden if approved by the full Council next month. MSG owner James Dolan had hoped to secure a permanent extension of the operating permit which expired earlier this year.
details here

All the MTA fare hikes of the last 100 years

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. (1936). El station, Sixth and Ninth Avenue Lines: downtown side, 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue Retrieved from NYPL Digital Collections.

August 22, 2023

All the MTA fare hikes of the last 100 years

The MTA's latest fare hike went into effect on Sunday, the first increase in the subway base fare since 2015. The agency approved a 5 percent increase for the cost of a single subway or bus trip, with the price jumping from $2.75 to $2.90. Instead of just lamenting over another 15 cents lost, we're taking stock of all the ride increases over the last 100 years.
All the fares here

Plan to bring Van Cortlandt Park’s Tibbetts Brook above ground moves forward

Renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection

August 17, 2023

Plan to bring Van Cortlandt Park’s Tibbetts Brook above ground moves forward

By Aaron Ginsburg

A plan to unearth parts of a body of water in the Bronx that has been covered for more than a century is moving forward. The New York City Public Design Commission on Monday unanimously approved the preliminary design plan for the Tibbetts Brook Daylight and Greenway Project in Van Cortlandt Park, a project that will help remove the brook's clean water from the sewer system and ultimately reduce flooding and sewage overflow into the Harlem River. The $133 million project could face delays due to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which owns the land that is part of the construction project, according to the City.
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MTA to boost subway service on 1 and 6 trains

Photo via WikiCommons

August 11, 2023

MTA to boost subway service on 1 and 6 trains

By Aaron Ginsburg

The 1 and 6 lines on the New York City subway system will start running faster this weekend. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday announced that starting on Saturday, August 12, the 1 and 6 subway lines will start running every six minutes instead of every eight minutes during weekend service. The service enhancement was made possible by $35 million in funding designated for the MTA in the Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget.
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Transit

New York hip-hop legends featured on limited-edition MetroCards

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr.

August 7, 2023

New York hip-hop legends featured on limited-edition MetroCards

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released special-edition MetroCards in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the music genre born in the Bronx in 1973. The agency on Saturday said 40,000 MetroCards featuring rappers LL Cool J and Pop Smoke are available at subway station vending machines in Queens and Brooklyn, with additional cards featuring local legends Rakim and Cam'ron available later this month.
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Transit

NYC launches first-ever subway performer contest

Afro Dominicano. Credit: Michael Ferguson

July 20, 2023

NYC launches first-ever subway performer contest

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers now have the opportunity to vote for their favorite New York City subway performer. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday helped launch the first-ever "Riders' Choice Award," a competition among artists who are in the MTA's Music Under New York program to win a free recording session with Atlantic Records. New Yorkers can cast their votes for their favorite performer here through July 26 with a winner announced on July 27.
Cast your vote

NYC subway fare to increase to $2.90 in August

Photo by Charles16e on Flickr

July 19, 2023

NYC subway fare to increase to $2.90 in August

By Devin Gannon

The base fare for the subway will increase next month for the first time since 2015. The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday approved a 5 percent increase for the cost of a single subway or bus trip, rising from $2.75 to $2.90. The fare hike goes into effect on August 20.
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Popular Articles

MTA announces 5 fare-free bus routes

Image courtesy of Patrick J. Cashin / Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Flickr

July 18, 2023

MTA announces 5 fare-free bus routes

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is testing out free fares on bus routes in every borough this fall. As part of a pilot program launching in late September, five bus lines will be free to riders for between six and 12 months, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA announced Monday. The routes, which serve roughly 43,900 daily riders on an average weekday, were selected based on ridership, fare evasion, service quality, equity for low-income communities, and access to employment and commercial areas, according to the MTA.
Details here

Private firm unveils Penn Station redesign plan, claims it’s $1B cheaper than MTA’s

Renderings courtesy of ASTM, PAU, and HOK

June 29, 2023

Private firm unveils Penn Station redesign plan, claims it’s $1B cheaper than MTA’s

By Aaron Ginsburg

A private development firm unveiled a proposal for rebuilding Penn Station that is $1 billion cheaper than what is proposed by the MTA. ASTM North America on Wednesday revealed details of their $6 billion renovation of the transit station, which involves keeping Madison Square Garden in its current location, wrapping it in a massive stone facade, and creating a more unified train hall. The firm's unveiling of the comprehensive plan comes days after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that Penn Station's renovation will move forward with the preliminary design process without the development of several office towers.
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NYC’s congestion pricing program gets final federal approval

Photo by Jesús Mirón García on Pexels

June 27, 2023

NYC’s congestion pricing program gets final federal approval

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's congestion pricing program is officially moving forward. The Federal Highway Administration on Monday approved the Central Business District Tolling Program, the nation's first congestion pricing plan, which will charge drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street during peak hours between $9 and $23 for non-commercial vehicles and between $12 and $82 for trucks. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the program could begin as early as May 2024.
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Hochul drops office towers from Penn Station renovation plan

View of mid-block train hall facing south; Renderings Courtesy of FXCollaborative / WSP / John McAslan + Partners

June 27, 2023

Hochul drops office towers from Penn Station renovation plan

By Devin Gannon

The renovation of Penn Station will move forward without the construction of several skyscrapers, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday. The governor's plan to overhaul the busy transit hub originally called on the developer Vornado to redevelop 18 million square feet of the Midtown West neighborhood, including 10 new high-rise office towers, with the tax revenue generated helping fund the station overhaul. Now, Hochul says funding from the state and federal government makes it possible to move forward with the renovation without any development proceeds.
See the plan

MTA celebrates Pride Month with train decals and limited-edition MetroCards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 7, 2023

MTA celebrates Pride Month with train decals and limited-edition MetroCards

By Aaron Ginsburg

In celebration of Pride Month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has decorated subway cars, buses, and commuter rail lines with Pride-themed decals, digital displays, and posters. The agency also released a special MetroCard that is available at select subway stations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
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NYC subway, bus fare to increase to $2.90 by end of summer, under MTA proposal

Photo by Asael Peña on Unsplash

May 23, 2023

NYC subway, bus fare to increase to $2.90 by end of summer, under MTA proposal

By Devin Gannon

New York City commuters will likely pay more for subway, bus, and commuter rail trips by the end of the summer. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday unveiled its proposal for fare increases across the system. The cost of a single subway and bus trip would increase by 5 percent from $2.75 to $2.90, the first base fare increase since 2015.
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MTA unveils redesign of NYC subway turnstile as fare evasion solution

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

May 18, 2023

MTA unveils redesign of NYC subway turnstile as fare evasion solution

By Aaron Ginsburg

To deter the roughly 400,000 subway riders who don't pay the fare every day, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to redesign the turnstiles for the first time in modern history. The agency on Wednesday unveiled a potential design of a new subway fare gate that includes glass doors that slide open, replacing the rotating turnstiles that have been part of the system since its inception. The new gates would remove the need for emergency exit doors, which the MTA said accounts for more than half of all fare evasion.
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NYC’s congestion pricing program gains key approval

Photo by Raidarmax on Wikimedia Commons

May 8, 2023

NYC’s congestion pricing program gains key approval

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's congestion pricing plan is finally moving forward after years of delays. President Joe Biden's administration last week approved the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's environmental review of their proposed Central Business District Tolling Program, which would charge drivers for entering certain parts of Manhattan at peak hours. With this initial approval from the Federal Highway Administration, a 30-day public review period is now open. The MTA said the new tolling system could launch as soon as spring 2024, as Politico reported.
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MTA service alerts are back on Twitter

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 5, 2023

MTA service alerts are back on Twitter

By Aaron Ginsburg

After suspending the use of Twitter for real-time service alerts just last week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has resumed posting on the social media platform. The decision comes after Twitter reversed plans to charge government agencies for using its application programming interface (API), which would have cost the MTA $50,000 per month.
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Broadway Junction’s overhaul to include $500M in safety, public space, and accessibility upgrades

Image courtesy of Caroline Willis/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 2, 2023

Broadway Junction’s overhaul to include $500M in safety, public space, and accessibility upgrades

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is investing nearly $500 million to revitalize the area around one of Brooklyn's busiest transit hubs. The overhaul of East New York's Broadway Junction subway station includes accessibility upgrades, two new public plazas, and safety improvements as part of the city's effort to make the hub a regional transit center, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday. Work is expected to begin in 2027 and finish by 2030.
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MTA suspends use of Twitter for service alerts, calls the platform ‘unreliable’

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

April 28, 2023

MTA suspends use of Twitter for service alerts, calls the platform ‘unreliable’

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City commuters will no longer be able to check Twitter for service alerts. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday suspended the use of Twitter for posting service alerts, stating that the social media platform's reliability "can no longer be guaranteed." The transit agency's Twitter access through its application programming interface (API) was "involuntarily interrupted" twice in the last two weeks on April 14 and April 27.
Details here

NYC subway tops 4 million daily riders for the first time since March 2020

Photo by(vincent desjardins) on Flickr

April 24, 2023

NYC subway tops 4 million daily riders for the first time since March 2020

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the New York City subway system served more than four million riders in a single day. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced the NYC subway system recorded 4,002,961 paid riders on April 20, the highest tally reached since March 12, 2020. OMNY, the transit system's contactless fare system, also set a single-day subway record on Thursday with 1,699,914 taps, representing 42.5 percent of the day's subway rides.
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New NYC subway announcements recorded by children with autism

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

April 12, 2023

New NYC subway announcements recorded by children with autism

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City subway commuters will be guided by announcements recorded by young New Yorkers in recognition of World Autism Awareness Month. To bring attention to the millions of people living with autism worldwide, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and INCLUDEnyc invited children with autism to record subway announcements that both encourage straphangers to follow transit rules and remind them of Autism Awareness Month. The recordings are playing in select subway stations through Sunday, April 30.
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MTA to install dedicated stroller spaces on over 1,000 NYC buses across 57 routes

Image courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

March 27, 2023

MTA to install dedicated stroller spaces on over 1,000 NYC buses across 57 routes

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last week announced it would begin the second phase of its Open Stroller Pilot, expanding its dedicated stroller spaces to over 1,000 buses on 57 routes across the five boroughs. The program will equip all local and select buses operating out of six bus depots with dedicated stroller spaces by the fall of 2023.
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New York lawmakers call for $2.75 fare freeze and free bus pilot in NYC

Image via WikiCommons

March 16, 2023

New York lawmakers call for $2.75 fare freeze and free bus pilot in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York lawmakers on Tuesday proposed keeping New York City subway and bus fares at $2.75. As first reported by Crain's New York, the state legislature's one-house budgets rejected Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposal to raise transit fares to $3, and instead called for a freeze on fares and an investment of $50 million for a free bus pilot program.
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