Tag: Queens

Riding to a Summer Job

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

It is an 80-degree summer day in Bayside, Queens, and 16-year old Christina Kramer is waiting for a train at the Bayside LIRR Station. These days were her favorites, warm enough to catch summer vibes but cool enough not to melt away in the Northeast humidity. She really enjoyed taking public transportation since it gave her a chance to explore communities more personally. Specifically, Christina felt like walking and being in a public vehicle allowed her to see and hear more than she could in the metal box of a vehicle. She absolutely adored the freedom transit gave her when she lived in Downtown Brooklyn. There, the number of subway lines available made her feel like she lived in an international airport with flights to different parts of the city instead of different continents. Christina would take countless adventures going practically anywhere. This included the electric zoo of Times Square, the cosmopolitan streets of Jackson Heights and so many other places.

Read More »

NYC Is Looking To Upgrade Another Western Queens Open Street

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

  New York City’s Open Streets program has helped New Yorkers to rethink what streets can be used for besides travel. Since 2020, many New Yorkers have rode their bicycle, ate al fresco at a restaurant, or engaged in another recreational activity on an open street. Others have used them to simply hang out or enjoy having more space than the city’s bustling sidewalks can typically offer. Besides being a fun place to be, open streets have made walking and cycling significantly safer in these areas than it was before the open streets program.

Read More »

MTA Will Soon Reward Contract to Begin Expanding Jamaica Bus Depot To Accommodate Electric Buses

Joseph MoralesLeave a comment

By Joseph Morales

                 The MTA has plans to reconstruct and expand the Jamaica Bus Depot in Downtown Jamaica, Queens to support not only an increased fleet but also brand new electric buses. The plan is to construct a depot that will house 300 total buses with 60 of them being electric, zero emissions buses and thus the depot will host 60 charging stations. The current Jamaica Bus Depot houses about 196 buses with none of them being of the zero-emissions variety. According to structural engineering firm STV who prepared the MTA’s Environmental Impact Assessment for the project, about 50 of the approximately 196 buses at the depot park on the streets around the depot’s property. STV’s website says that this adversely impacts “the day-to-day travel of residents, York College affiliates, and transportation and commercial operations in the surrounding neighborhoods.” As a result of the project, the MTA will be able to run buses that are not only easier to maintain but also run more efficiently. Electric buses are also quieter on the road and offer smoother rides for passengers.

Read More »