Author: Joseph Morales

Can Central Avenue See Bus Rapid Transit?

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By Joseph Morales

SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER’S BUSIEST THOROUGHFARE

Central Park Avenue is one of the busiest streets in the New York Region outside of New York City. It starts at the Bronx-Westchester line in Yonkers before traversing Lower Westchester to the county seat of White Plains. The street is often referred to as Central Ave and the street is known for being a major shopping corridor with large retail plazas flanking both sides of the roadway. Central Ave also provides direct connections to Ridge Hill and the Cross County Shopping Center, which are among the largest outdoor shopping malls in the New York Metropolitan Area. Non-retail destinations include the Westchester County Center, Empire City Casino and the Nature Center at Greenburgh.

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Major Infrastructure Upgrades Coming to Multiple Bus Depots

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By Joseph Morales

 Functioning bus depots are critical to the MTA being able to provide bus service to riders across New York City. At any of the MTA’s 38 depots/facilities, there are a plethora of infrastructure components that are essential for the safe storage and maintenance of the bus fleet. These include chassis wash stations, specialized maintenance bays and fuel storage locations. Even parking areas for buses are meticulously designed so that buses have clear and safe paths to enter and exit the depot. Due to the importance and complexity of bus depots, the MTA is dedicating $370 million to them in its 2025-29 Capital Plan.

Buses parked at the West Farms Bus Depot in The Bronx.
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Extension Coming to Bronx SBS Route Following MetroCard Retirement

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By Joseph Morales

The Bx6-SBS/LCL is one of the most critical bus routes in The Bronx. This route traverses 163rd/161st Sts in The Bronx before connecting to 155th St in Harlem via the Macombs Dam Br. Commercial areas served by the route include Concourse Village and the area surrounding the Hunts Point Av(6) station. In addition, the Bx6-SBS serves major destinations such as Yankee Stadium, the Hunts Point Terminal Market and Bronx County Courthouses. This route also provides connections to nine subway routes, two Metro-North lines and a plethora of bus routes. Overall, the route served over 6,300 riders on an average day in 2024.

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Is College Point’s Transportation Infrastructure Ready for New Housing Development?

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By Joseph Morales

College Point is a residential neighborhood in Northern Queens located just west of the Whitestone Expwy(I-678). This area of the expressway is often known as the Van Wyck Expwy, which is also the official name for I-678 south of Northern Blvd. The community is known for its urban-suburban blend that offers larger homes and still includes access to a variety of amenities. Shopping strips on both College Point Blvd and 20th Ave offer residents the ability to run errands without leaving the neighborhood. 20th Ave includes popular grocery and big box stores including Target, ShopRite and BJ’s. On the other hand, College Point Blvd hosts more of the small businesses you would typically expect on a NYC commercial corridor.

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New Signal System Can Revolutionize Service on Several NYC Subway Lines

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By Joseph Morales

The NYC Subway System is one of the busiest and most sprawling metro systems in the entire world. Data from 2023 shows that the subway served about 3.6 million people daily across 472 subway stations. This is despite hybrid/remote work trends along with crime concerns leading to limited subway ridership over the past few years. For reference, the subway had an average daily ridership of 5.5 million in 2019. All of these numbers represent people going to work, school, or other destinations of importance. The system’s reach has also enabled the car-free lifestyles that millions of New Yorkers are accustomed to. For generations, rapid transit has been a catalyst for growth, opportunity and prosperity in America’s largest city.

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Safety Improvements Coming Near Staten Island’s Busiest Recreation Hub

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By Joseph Morales

The area around Father Capodanno Blvd in Staten Island’s Midland Beach neighborhood is a hub of outdoor activities on the island. For one, Father Capodanno Blvd runs directly adjacent to Midland and South Beaches along with the boardwalk. These beaches along with the boardwalk are extremely popular amongst those who want a less crowded alternative to beaches in Brooklyn and Queens.  Father Capodanno Boulevard is also home to the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, which is larger than any other track and field facility in NYC including the Washington Heights Armory. Another major destination along the corridor is Miller Field. This is one of Staten Island’s largest assortments of sports fields and one of the borough’s main hubs for league sports. It is likely that Father Capodanno Blvd sees more road users making trips to recreation destinations than any street on Staten Island and most streets in NYC. Outside of recreation facilities, there are multiple senior centers nearby along with a plethora of residences.

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How a Small Transit Network Can Boost Mobility in This North Texas City

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By Joseph Morales

Maps for the proposed bus system can be found in the article. For a closer look at the map, click here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1pb0N3J0mUaviqmYEkWyqrZjdjcC2DY4&usp=sharing

  Greenville, TX is a small city located about 50 miles northeast of Downtown Dallas. The city started to grow substantially in the early 1910s when it became famous for its cotton production. Greenville was considered the “cotton capital of the world” and between 1911-1912 the city had the world’s largest cotton compress. A cotton compress reduces the size of cotton to make it easier to ship. Growth in the cotton industry led to railroads coming to the city and in turn, Greenville’s population grew by the thousands. Eventually, the city became a transportation hub with six railways making stops in the town.

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New Bus Lanes Are Coming to Busy Midtown Corridor

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By Joseph Morales

Madison Avenue is one of New York City’s busiest and most famous streets. The roadway goes from 23rd St in Midtown to 135th St in Harlem. At its northern terminus, it connects with the Madison Avenue Bridge to The Bronx. The street is home to a plethora of businesses, residences and other major destinations. Points of interest along the corridor include One Vanderbilt, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Mt. Sinai Hospital. There are also a countless number of cultural institutions and other important places on the surrounding blocks. While Madison Ave has no subway lines, it is served by four local bus routes that traverse most of the corridor. Interborough and regional transit options include trains at Grand Central Terminal and express buses that connect Madison Avenue to each of the four outer boroughs.

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Could This NYC Summer Destination Get a Ferry Stop?

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By Joseph Morales

   City Island in The Bronx is one of New York City’s top local tourism spots during the summer. People from across the region come to enjoy the city’s largest concentration of seafood restaurants or board a fishing boat from one of the island’s piers. The island is located across a bridge from Pelham Bay Park and is not far from Orchard Beach.

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Westchester County’s $15M Complete Streets Initiative Explained

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By Joseph Morales

         Westchester County is one of the most populated counties in New York’s suburbs. The county is home to almost 1 million residents and features a range of communities. This includes charming villages like Tuckahoe and Ardsley and more bustling urban centers like Yonkers and Mount Vernon. The county also features a plethora of major shopping and recreation hubs. These include New Roc City, Ridge Hill and Downtown White Plains. 

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