Tag: travel

Transit Improvements Boost Accessibility for New Staten Island Amusement Center

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By Joseph Morales

    The old Safari Golf in the Eltingville section of Staten Island was once the go to for those wanting to have fun in the borough. It evolved multiple times in its 70-year history and was a source of entertainment in multiple forms. The facility went from a drive-in restaurant and arcade known as Al Deppe’s between the 20s and the 60s, to Safari Golf and Val’s Pizzeria from the 90s to 2010. Staten Islanders across several generations shared fond memories of fun, pizza and family time at what was once a South Shore funplex.

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New Amtrak Routes Could Bolster Connections Between New York and Pennsylvania

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By Joseph Morales

  The states of New York and Pennsylvania are interconnected in a plethora of ways. For starters, New Yorkers love to take advantage of the state’s many tourist and recreation spots. This includes places from the majestic landscapes of the Poconos to the charming and bustling streets of Philadelphia. Many NY families also visit Pennsylvania’s many amusement destinations including Dorney Park in Allentown, Sesame Place in Langhorne, and the three indoor water parks in the Poconos. In addition, many New Yorkers are likely headed to Pennsylvania to visit family and friends this holiday season. This is because Pennsylvania ranked third among states New Yorkers moved to in 2023, beating California by about 7,500 people. 

Philadelphia skyline as seen from parking lot in Philadelphia’s Elmwood Park neighborhood.
Signage and design at entrance to Kalahari Waterpark Resort in Pocono Manor, PA.
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CitiBike Expansion Set To Change Micromobility in Eastern Brooklyn

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By Joseph Morales

First started in 2013, CitiBike has grown immensely popular throughout New York City since its inception. The bikeshare program, owned by Lyft, serves over 1,000 cyclists daily with 25,000 bikes from over 1,500 stations across four boroughs and parts of New Jersey. CitiBike has been substantially used everywhere it has been implemented with many using it to go to work, run errands or just have fun. Lyft even has an “Explore NYC” page on its website where it has the names of some popular spots to ride and includes the phrase “See the sights. All of ‘em.” This indicates just how much CitiBike can truly be used for recreation. 

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Hunter College Subway Station Now Fully Accessible

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By Joseph Morales

The 68th St-Hunter College station on the 6 train is one of the busier subway stations on Manhattan’s Upper East Side(UES). The station is the primary station serving its namesake Hunter College and its tens of thousands of students and faculty. Outside of the college, the station is within walking distance of several important destinations such as the Central Park Zoo, the Asia Society and Museum and the Hospital for Special Surgery. The station is also located in one of NYC’s most populated and congested residential communities. In addition, data from the NYC Department of City Planning shows that only 30% of UES residents own cars. This coupled with the various destinations the station serves leads to 20,000 riders relying on it daily based on MTA figures. 

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Marble Hill Borough Dispute Goes Back To American Revolution

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By Joseph Morales

               Marble Hill is a busy residential and commercial neighborhood located on the northside of the Broadway Bridge in Manhattan. It is the only part of Manhattan that is not part of an island. The neighborhood has two main streets, W 225th St and Broadway that make up the community’s commercial fabric. W 225th St east of Broadway is home to several major retailers including Target and Marshalls. On the other hand, Broadway is a hub for small mom and pop businesses including pharmacies and delis. The neighborhood has a dense population and many residents live in the Marble Hill Houses NYCHA development. The community is also home to the John F. Kennedy High School Campus, which is home to seven schools including Bronx Law & Finance and Bronx Theatre that primarily serve students from throughout The Bronx. The neighborhood is well served by mass transit with access to the 1 train, Metro-North and a slew of bus lines including the Bx9 and Bx10.

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Curb Usage is Being Reimagined on the Upper West Side

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By Joseph Morales

  The Upper West Side is one of New York City’s most well known and vibrant neighborhoods. This section of Manhattan is home to major destinations such as the American Museum of Natural History, the Beacon Theatre, and a roughly half of Central Park. In addition, the neighborhood has a plethora of restaurants, cultural institutions and other places that cater to New Yorkers and tourists alike. The UWS is also among the most densely populated residential neighborhoods in NYC with a density of 76,600 people per square mile and a population of about 227,000. For reference, the UWS has a higher population than cities like Baton Rouge, Birmingham, and Providence. 

Street signs at intersection of Amsterdam Ave/W 72nd St
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Mass Transit Is Sparking Development on Staten Island’s North Shore

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By Joseph Morales

Staten Island is the most car-centric and least densely populated borough in New York City. Despite this fact, the borough would be America’s 39th most populous city if it were its own municipality, ranking higher than cities like Miami, Cleveland, and Minneapolis. In addition, 17% of Staten Island households do not have access to a car, which is still significantly higher than the U.S rate of 8.3%. Nowhere is Staten Island’s urban feel more apparent than on the Island’s North Shore, with a car-free household rate of 29% and a population density similar to neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. Mass transit options here include a robust bus network with local buses that could get you just about anywhere on the Island. There are also various express bus routes that connect almost every neighborhood to Manhattan. In addition to buses, some parts of the North Shore also have a train line known as the Staten Island Railway(SIR), that connects the south and west parts of the Island to St. George on the Island’s North and East Shore. Though not considered part of the subway system, the SIR runs with subway trains on a subway-like line with lower headways than NYC subway routes.

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​​Could Trolleys Come Back in New York City?

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By Joseph Morales

Trolleys were once a widespread and reliable means of getting around New York City and many other cities in the United States. Trolley lines were once just as widespread as today’s bus routes across cities. Since most Americans in cities took mass transit to work, trolleys had plenty of riders and the companies that operated them often made large profits. Unfortunately for the companies, the rise of the automobile led to cars often blocking trolley tracks and creating congestion which caused delays. According to the Daily News, trolleys were also considered old-fashioned by many due to the noises they made, such as “screeching wheels and clanging bells,” along with their wheels losing traction on icy inclines during the winter. This led to many NYC companies converting their trolley services into bus services and most bus routes run by the MTA today are the semblance of a former trolley line. 

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Bus Service To Six Flags Slashed Ahead of Theme Park Season

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By Joseph Morales

Six Flags Great Adventure is by far one of the most popular amusement parks in the Northeast. Located about 70 miles from NYC, the park is known for its jaw-dropping roller coasters and fantasy-themed rides. In 2021 according to AECOM, Six Flags Great Adventure attracted more than 2.9 million visitors, making it a premier family recreation destination. As COVID-19 concerns have eased since then, the number of visitors in 2022 and 2023 was likely higher. 

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