Category: NYC Subway

MTA Is Working To Make Two Busy Bronx Subway Stations Accessible

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By Joseph Morales

           The New York City Subway is among the busiest subway systems in the World. During 2021, the system served approximately 2.4 million riders daily, though this total represented only about 45% of pre-pandemic levels.  NYC’s Subway system provides the freedom for most of its riders to get around to many points of the city through its 472 stations across its 24 subway routes and 3 shuttle services. 

             Unfortunately, for those with mobility disabilities only 24% of these stations are ADA-accessible. This tally might even include stations that are only accessible in one direction or do not allow for ADA-Accessible transfers or the ability for one to use every route in a station. This forced many with accessibility needs to take buses to and from accessible stations, use the woefully unreliable Access-A-Ride system or skip out on their trips entirely. This leads to many people missing out on jobs , recreation and other opportunities as well as other daily activities.

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  The Train Of Many Colors Is Back On The NYC Subway

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By Joseph Morales

            The New York City Transit Museum ran its first run of The Train of Many Colors this year on the 1 line between 137th St-City College and Chambers St in Manhattan. The train features subway cars with multiple different colors that were manufactured in the 1960’s and served through different eras of the New York City Subway system and were retired as recently as 2003. These cars were the R-33, R-33WF(World’s Fair) and R-36 cars. Cars with the Kale Green “Green Machines”,“Tartar Red” and “Gunn Red” Redbird, two-tone robin’s egg blue and cream “Bluebird” as well as the blue-and-silver “Platinum Mist” color schemes were all featured on the train and these schemes are all likely familiar to most adult New Yorkers. The train also featured special holiday decorations which included some paper snowflakes on the windows as well as a special snowflake designed wreath at the front of the train. 

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Story of Sidewalk Subway Map in SoHo

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By Joseph Morales

  SoHo is a unique and vibrant neighborhood full of designer boutiques, high-end chain stores and countless compelling art galleries. If you walk around long enough, you may notice what appears to be a floating subway map on the sidewalk on Greene Street between Prince and Spring Streets outside of the SoHo building, just blocks from the Apple Store as well as multiple subway stations. This distinguished and relatable work of art for many New Yorkers has a rich history that started when a building owner wanted to help make a difference with a city and subway system in crisis during the late 1970’s.

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The Fair Fares Program Provides Half-Priced Transit Fares to Low-Income New Yorkers. Why Haven’t More People Signed Up?

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By Joseph Morales

(Link to sign up for Fair Fares is at the bottom of the article upon pressing Read More)

In 2019, NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio and the New York City Council announced the Fair Fares Program to make the MTA’s subway and bus services as well as Access-A-Ride affordable to low-income New Yorkers by offering riders either half-priced MetroCards or Access-A Ride fares to help cover daily transportation costs. The city currently has about $75 million dollars targeted to the program which gives New Yorkers living below the federal poverty threshold the opportunity to obtain half-priced MetroCards with all fare options available(Pay-Per Ride, 7 and 30 day unlimited, etc.) The program which has been fully operational for almost the last two and a half years has been able to serve over 270,006 riders according to the fair fares website. It has changed the lives of many, take for instance Derek Jimenez, an East Harlem resident who works a maintenance job that pays about $1,000 a month($12,000 a year) who told the New York Times in February that now his money stretches further. He told them that though he was able to afford certain things like a guitar he got on sale, that he mostly saves the money. “I hold onto it for now, for rainy days. The economy is really hurting.”  Though the program has had some success, it is astonishing that only 270,006 people are enrolled out of the approximately 700,000 people eligible, which is less than half of all eligible New Yorkers. That is up from only 257,004 as of January 2021. There are a number of reasons, but many are rooted in the systemic inequities that low-income residents of New York City continue to persevere through on a daily basis.

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Already One of The Largest Transit-Oriented Developments in American History, Hudson Yards Continues To Grow

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By Joseph Morales

                  Hudson Yards is one of the largest transit-oriented developments in U.S history. Hudson Yards is a neighborhood on the Far West Side of Manhattan bounded by West 42nd and 43rd Streets, 7th and 8th Avenues, West 28th and 30th Streets and Hudson River Park according to the Hudson Yards Development Corporation. Hudson Yards had a long history of development plans falling through since the 1960’s including a sports stadium proposed as part of New York’s bid to host the 2012 olympics. Hudson Yards has finally come a long way from being a largely vacant space with just the Javits Center and an LIRR yard within the last decade to being a bustling mixed-use area, with a shopping mall, tourist attractions and other commercial/residential skyscrapers as well as the modern 34th St-Hudson Yards subway station.  Now, Hudson Yards continues to grow into a prime neighborhood on Manhattan’s Far West Side.

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Much Needed New Escalators Are Coming to Some Bronx and Upper Manhattan Subway Stations

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By Joseph Morales

Escalators are an important part of NYC subway stations. They not only help people get to their trains more conveniently but they also help those with certain mobility disabilities get to the platform at all.  This is particularly true at these 4 stations in the Bronx and Manhattan, Pelham Pkwy(2,5)(IRT White Plains Rd Line), Pelham Bay Park(6), 181st St(A) and 125th St(1), where escalators are being replaced to improve escalator  The repairs are particularly critical at 181st St and 125th St due to their underground depth or height respectively. An escalator outage at the 181st St station could result in one having to walk down an astonishing 133 steps to access the platform. Even though escalators are available at an entrance on West 184th St, they are three blocks from the main commercial corridor on W 181st St and could be an inconvenience for riders trying to get to W 181st St and trying to transfer to buses. The 125th St station is among the tallest elevated stations in the entire subway system, making getting to the platform a challenge via stairs.

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

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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.

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CBTC on Eighth Avenue Line Will Improve Commute Times For Many Riders

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By Joseph Morales

        The Eighth Avenue Line in the NYC Subway System has moved people along the Eighth Avenue corridor into Brooklyn since 1932 and was the first line in the IND(Independent Subway System). While this line has succeeded in moving millions through the busy areas of Manhattan, the signal system is over 80 years old, which constantly leads to signal issues that are a leading cause of service disruptions according to the MTA. The MTA plans to fix the issue by implementing CBTC or communications-based trains control to fix the aging signal system as part of a $508.3 million signal modernization project. In addition as part of the project the MTA plans to modernize the 30th and 42nd St mechanical interlocking with solid-state interlockings, replace mainline switches and build new signal facilities and equipment rooms. The MTA’s Construction and Development Company(C&D) will also coordinate millions of dollars in projects to be done at the same time as CBTC installation to minimize service disruptions due to construction.

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Developers Of Massive Residential Development at Queensboro Plaza Station Will Also Make The Busy Station Accessible

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By Joseph Morales

                   The Queensboro Plaza subway station in Long Island City, Queens is one of the busiest subway stations in the borough. It is located in one of Queens’ busiest neighborhoods, as about 14,000 riders passed through the station on a daily basis pre-pandemic. Now, developer Grubb Properties has proposed to replace a stretch of stores outside the station with a 26-story residential building that would host about 410 apartments as well as 7,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.  The towers will be connected to the current bridge that exists in the current retail building, giving residents easy access to three subway lines that provide one-stop access into Manhattan as well as many areas in Queens. This will give new residents great access to jobs, recreation and so much more.

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IND Concourse Line Rehabilitation Will Greatly Improve Travel Along The Grand Concourse For Years To Come

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By Joseph Morales

                  The IND Concourse Line(B,D Trains) is a subway line in the Bronx that begins at Norwood-205th St and travels via the Grand Concourse into Manhattan. Now, the MTA is starting the next phase of a reconstruction project to rehabilitate and modernize the 89-year old subway line between 161st-St Yankee Stadium and Norwood-205th St. The MTA says the reconstruction as part of its $51.5B capital program will lead to better service, reliability and a better customer experience. The project aims to mitigate leaks to prevent further deterioration and corrosion, repair or replace spalled concrete and cracks, remove and replace radio antennas and repair street level vents.

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