Category: Commuter Rail

The MTA is Making Major Accessibility Upgrades to Several Westchester County Metro-North Stations

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

Scarsdale is a town in Westchester County that is about 30 miles from Midtown Manhattan and serves as a major suburb of New York City.  The hamlet of Hartsdale in the town of Greenburgh and the hamlet of Purdy’s in the town of North Salem are also located about 30 and 50 miles from Midtown Manhattan, respectively.  People in all three areas use the Metro-North Railroad(MNR)’s Harlem Line to not only commute to The Bronx and Manhattan but also to get to other major locations along the line, such as White Plains, Mt. Kisco, and Brewster. In addition, both the Scarsdale and Hartsdale MNR stations have more significant commercial and residential density around their stations than they do in the rest of their towns. This includes Downtown Scarsdale, which is located directly adjacent to the Scarsdale MNR station, so riders from across the region may use the station to access shops, restaurants, and more.

Read More »

The Town of Greenwich Wants To Revamp The Area Around Its Metro-North Station

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

  The Town of Greenwich is a large town in the State of Connecticut with a population of around 63,500 according to the page on the U.S Census Bureau’s QuickFacts regarding Greenwich. Downtown Greenwich is located directly off the NY-CT border and is about a 50 min- 1 hour train ride to Grand Central Terminal. In addition to the railroad, Interstate 95, the Merritt Parkway and multiple CT Transit bus routes are located near Downtown as well. It is known for being a vibrant, walkable downtown with a variety of shops and restaurants including an Apple Store on Greenwich Avenue. 

                      Now, the town of Greenwich wants to utilize its assets in order to modernize the Greenwich Metro-North Railroad(MNR) station in Downtown Greenwich and its surrounding areas well as to create an inviting and accessible retail and restaurant complex. They will do this through utilizing their existing public-private partnership with the GP Holding Inc. who owns Greenwich Plaza. 

Read More »

White Plains Is The County Seat Of Westchester County And May Be Becoming A Regional Seat For Transit-Oriented Development

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

White Plains is the County Seat of Westchester County which is a densely populated suburban county north of New York City home to about 1 million residents.  It is also has a population of around 60,000 and is a major reverse commute destination. Thus, it is no surprise that Downtown White Plains has been one of the county’s major commercial centers known for its plethora of retail, dining and entertainment options as well as offices; including government offices and the offices of major corporations. 

                     It is also one of the main transit hubs in Westchester County, being served by many Bee-Line Bus routes that traverse the county as well as a CTTransit bus to Stamford, CT as well as several HudsonLink bus routes to Rockland County. In addition, it is home to the White Plains Metro-North(MNR) station, which provides both local and express service on the MNR Harlem Line to Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan as well as as far north as Wassaic, New York in Dutchess County. The station is about 40 minutes to Grand Central Terminal, making Manhattan very accessible from White Plains. Given the amount of activity in White Plains as well as proximity to other activity centers throughout the region including NYC, White Plains is the busiest MNR station in Westchester County and is one of the busiest MNR stations in the Metro-North system.

                        With all of these favorable transportation connections, White Plains wants to capitalize on it by developing a transit-oriented development(TOD) scheme that will help to increase economic growth and liveliness in the Downtown area. They will do this by creating a transit district in the immediate vicinity of the White Plains MNR station that emphasizes the principles of quality placemaking, open space, cycling/pedestrian infrastructure, sound economic development and parking. 

Read More »

The MTA Is Beginning Work To Improve Accessibility At Auburndale LIRR Station, Which Can Hopefully Set Precedent For Station Improvements Across the Commuter Rail System

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

                The Auburndale station is a station on the Long Island Rail Road(LIRR) Port Washington Branch in the Auburndale section of Queens. As this area has no subway service, many residents rely on the LIRR in order to get to Western Queens as well as Manhattan in order to avoid having to take the bus to the subway and transfer at the often extremely congested Flushing-Main St(7) station.

Station sign at Auburndale LIRR Station.

 Thus, the MTA is planning to make the station more pleasurable for riders as well as ensure the station is fully accessible for those with mobility disabilities. While this may not seem like a major project or may even seem like a routine one, projects like these are essential to encouraging those who live in the outer boroughs of New York City as well as its suburbs to use  commuter rail instead of driving into Manhattan especially ahead of the implementation of Congestion Pricing which will charge all drivers entering Manhattan below 60th street a toll between $5-$23 with limited exemptions. This will not only help Queens residents traveling into Manhattan avoid tolls but also reduce emissions and road congestion.

Read More »

This Year’s Holiday Fair At Grand Central Terminal Is A Huge Success

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

      All year round in addition to being one of the largest transportation hubs in the city as well as the country, Grand Central Terminal hosts a plethora of special events and exhibitions for visitors in its Vanderbilt Hall. Vanderbilt Hall, which was once the main waiting room in Grand Central,is now a world-famous event space with a 6,000 foot raw space with five chandeliers that 200,000 people pass through daily when entering and exiting the terminal. Events at Vanderbilt Hall Make for amazing experiences to have upon entering and exiting the city or even when someone is not traveling and is looking for fun things to do and see. Such events have included art and historical exhibitions, professional squash tournaments and it’s Annual Holiday Fair.

Read More »

Transit-Oriented Development is Being Used to Grow Getty Square Into A Vibrant Downtown Yonkers

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

        The City of Yonkers is the 3rd most populous city in New York State only behind Buffalo and of course New York City. Getty Square also known as Downtown Yonkers contains a wide range of businesses and residences. There is an abundance of retail and restaurants as well as a growing arts, nightlife and tourism scene. Many city and county offices such as city courts and social services offices are located here as well.  After several decades of disinvestment, Yonkers has taken many steps to revitalize the Downtown which include but are not limited to, 1,000 new waterfront apartments, a state of the art Riverfront library, the restoration of the Yonkers Metro-North Train Station, a revitalized City Pier and countless other projects that have revitalized Getty Square into the vibrant Downtown it was once was and will continue to be. These developments are centered around strong connections to transportation. The Yonkers Metro-North Railroad Station as well as 20 different Westchester County Bee-Line bus routes as well as convenient vehicular access to the Cross County and Saw Mill River Parkways.  With the Metro-North, riders can get to Grand Central Terminal within 30 minutes as well as along the Hudson River up to Poughkeepsie. With Getty Square being one of the most booming downtowns in Westchester County, this neighborhood continues to grow through transit-oriented development.

Read More »

Stamford is Improving the Springdale Metro-North Station and It’s Surroundings, A Major Step Towards Safer Streets and Transit-Oriented Development

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

The Springdale station is a Metro-North Railroad(MNR) Station on the New Canaan Branch of the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad in the Springdale section of Stamford, Connecticut. The station sits off a busy corridor in a typical suburban setting. The station is a critical transportation asset for the community, serving as its primary connection to Westchester County and New York City. Now, the City of Stamford is embarking on a new project to build a more lively station environment for riders and make the station accessible for cyclists, pedestrians and people with disabilities through seemingly simple changes to the station and adjacent street.

Read More »

Streets Surrounding Staten Island Railway Stations Can Be More Pedestrian-Friendly

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

             The Staten Island Railway (SIR) is a rapid transit line operating on the East Shore of Staten Island. The SIR is the closest thing Staten Island has to a subway. The line is used by many Staten Islanders to get to the St.George Ferry Terminal, either to transfer to the Staten Island Ferry or to get to the St.George neighborhood. The St. George neighborhood has one of the highest employment densities on Staten Island and is home to major attractions such as the Empire Outlets, Snug Harbor and the Richmond County Ballpark home. Many other important points of interest are located in St. George, such as courts, borough offices as well as social services and other municipal buildings. Besides getting to and from St. George, the SIR is used by many to get to and from a variety of places on Staten Island and can be faster than driving on busy streets such as Hylan Blvd. In addition even though more Staten Islanders own cars than in other boroughs, many Staten Island residents do not own a car, so the railroad is critical for these residents to be able to access the East Shore of the Island.

             Unfortunately, many SIR stations might not be considered pedestrian-friendly. According to a survey done by State Senator Diane Savino in 2013, 61% of SIR riders used the bus and 23% walked in order to access the Staten Island Railway, indicating the need for safe conditions at the stations. 16% of Staten Island residents are seniors, who may find it easier to take public transportation than drive, especially considering the Staten Island Railway has not been known to have the same crime or crowding issues as the NYC subway, making it more senior friendly. These station entrances may be considered unsafe for many reasons, such as lack of signaled crosswalks and sidewalks.  The SIR also does not have MetroCard vending machines, station agents and other amenities found in the NYC subway, making the railway less convenient for riders.

Read More »

How is Transit-Oriented Development Supporting Harrison, New York’s Development Goals? Where Might It Fall Short?

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

            Downtown Harrison, NY is a part of the Town Of Harrison and has very strong connections to regional transportation routes. With 3 interstate highways nearby as well as being a 35-40 minute Metro-North ride from Manhattan, Downtown Harrison has the transportation connections to be a vibrant suburban downtown and be attractive to both visitors and residents alike. However, between the nearby Downtowns of Rye and Port Chester having some of the same services and then some as Downtown Harrison along with the cities of New Rochelle, White Plains and Stamford, CT all being with a 10-20 minute drive from Downtown Harrison, Harrison has felt the need to set itself apart from these areas. This task is made even more imperative by the fact that Harrison is the 326th most wealthy municipality in the U.S. and most residents have access to a car, so residents have many choices on where to spend their money. Thus, Harrison is now attempting to revitalize its Downtown primarily by increasing the variety of businesses, increasing the amount of residential presence Downtown and creating a stronger sense of place. While Transit-Oriented Development may support these goals to an extent, it may have some shortcomings.

Read More »

New MTA TrainTime App Makes Commuter Rail Travel Seamless Through The Region

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

           Since 2016, commuter rail passengers on the Metro-North and LIRR systems have been able to purchase tickets through the MTA’s eTix app, rather than using machines at stations for paper tickets. This not only saved riders time, but allowed them to board trains directly upon entering the station which in some cases saved them from long waits for infrequent trains. Now the MTA has turned eTix into MTA TrainTime which now gives riders the functionality of both the Metro-North and LIRR TrainTime apps as well as MTA eTix in this single app.

Read More »