Category: Uncategorized

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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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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Accessibility Upgrades Nearly Complete at Major South Bronx Subway Station

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By Joseph Morales

The 3 Av-149th St subway station is one of the busiest subway stations in The Bronx. Its location in The Hub section of The Bronx is one of the borough’s busiest cultural and commercial centers. The station is also just a few blocks away from St. Mary’s Park which has a slew of sports fields and is one of the larger green spaces in The Bronx. Other major destinations include  the Bronx Documentary Center and The Dominican Consulate’s Bronx location. In addition, many Bronxites from neighborhoods north of the station take the Bx15 and Bx41-SBS bus routes to access the subway here. In fact, MTA data from 2019 shows that the transfer between the Bx15 and the subway at the 3 Av-149th St station was the most popular bus to subway transfer in the Bronx by more than 1,000 daily riders. The station should continue to get even busier as the South Bronx is one of the faster growing areas of NYC. 

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How Could Transportation Be Improved On Roosevelt Island?

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By Joseph Morales

    For many, Roosevelt Island is a relaxing reprieve from all of the hustle and bustle of New York City. The roughly two mile island is known for its verdant parks and picturesque views of the Manhattan skyline, making it popular with tourists and locals alike. Almost 12,000 people live on the Island. Its location is directly sandwiched between Manhattan and Queens with the Queensboro Bridge running above its center. Between the iconic Roosevelt Island Tram, the F Train and the NYC Ferry, there are a plethora of transportation modes for getting on and off the Island. The island is also served by the Q102 bus to Astoria, Queens and the free Red Bus that traverses the island. 

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Current Events From A Transportation Sense 1: The Pending Closure of One of Lower Manhattan’s Only Hospitals

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By Joseph Morales

WELCOME TO THE SERIES

              This series is meant to take a look at some of the most pressing issues in the NYC area and analyze how they impact people from a transportation point of view. Oftentimes, current events include situations where certain groups lack access to resources, such as quality education or healthcare. In other instances, they include policies and circumstances that affect people’s way of life. Regardless of the issue, transportation plays a substantial role in its impact as it determines how people can get to places to access any of their needs or wants. Here, we will break down this role in different issues and conceptualize solutions for issues that heavily factor in transportation. Join me for the ride as we explore the role of transportation in many of the issues we care about as New Yorkers.

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New York State Has Historic Plan To Increase Pool Access in NYC. How Will People Get There?

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By Joseph Morales

    It’s mid-June, and we are just about a week and a half from public pools opening in New York City on June 27th. Pools tend to be a summer hotspot for New Yorkers, as 1.7 million people visited the city’s public pools in 2018. With it being the day after school ends for NYC students, opening day is set to be a major splash.

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Should NYC Allow Parents To Send Kids To Schools Near Their Workplace? It Can Do More Than Improve Commutes

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By Joseph Morales

There are about 915,000 students in NYC public schools. According to data from the State Education Department, about 45% of these students are in elementary school not including Pre-K and 3K students. Most of the time, students attend elementary school within walking distance of their home. Based on data from NYU, the average NYC kindergarten student lives only 10 minutes away from their school by foot or mass transit. 

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Major Interstate Expansion Will Transform Travel Across Mid-Hudson Region

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By Joseph Morales

Interstate 86 and Route 17 are major highways that connect the Mid-Hudson, Southern Tier and Western New York regions of New York State. Despite being continuous, the roadway has different designations in different areas. The entire roadway is designated as Route 17 with the exception for the western portion in Pennslyvania, which is entirely Interstate 86. However, in New York, Interstate 86 runs with Route 17 for most of the highway between Pennsylvania and Binghamton, with the exception being a roughly 40-mile segment between Waverly, NY, and Interstate 81 in Binghamton. East of Interstate 81, Route 17 runs alone and connects the Southern Tier to the Mid-Hudson region, which includes Sullivan, Orange, and Rockland Counties. Route 17 also serves as the main connection to NYC for parts of the Mid-Hudson Region and Northern New Jersey. Combined, they provide connections to major highways such as Interstate 81, Interstate 84, and Interstate 87(NYS Thruway), allowing for trips across the Northeast and the United States. 

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The MTA Has Launched New App For Transit Directions. Here’s What’s New

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By Joseph Morales

The New York City Transit system is by far the largest transit system in the United States and one of the largest systems in the world. Overall, the MTA’s 331 bus routes and 22 subway routes serve millions of passengers daily. This system allows New Yorkers to get to many destinations seamlessly without the use of a car.

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How Can Traffic Near The Whitestone Bridge Be Improved?

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By Joseph Morales

The highway interchange between the Whitestone Expwy(I-678) and the Cross Island Pkwy near the Whitestone Bridge is one of Queens’s most critical highway interchanges. The two highways provide critical connections between areas of Queens and Nassau County, along with the Whitestone Bridge to The Bronx. In addition, the Q44-SBS and Q50-LTD buses pass through the interchange and cross the bridge, carrying tens of thousands of riders between Queens and The Bronx daily. Additionally, in the community district nearest the interchange, 65% of households have a vehicle, and there are numerous stops for the Q44-SBS and Q50-LTD bus routes. Hence, the interchange is not only an essential regional connector, but it is also heavily relied on by those who live nearby.

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