aquablue, believe me, in terms of thinking big, I agree with you. But take it from someone who grew up on Staten Island and who's family still lives there: the attitude of the residents of the island is and has always been largely anti-development.

Where in Manhattan you see large neighborhood groups protesting new taller towers, in Staten Island a small group of residents on a single block will protest the construction of a single new home or handful of homes if it's "out of scale" or "not a small-town feel." They also will stop development of open woodlands just because they're open woodlands. They'll get the city to stick a sign in the ground and call the unimproved land a "park." This is not made up, trust me.

Encouraging greater density near commercial and activity centers and transit hubs, sure. A new CBD in Staten Island will not be a thing, unless it's in the 2100s.

As far as transportation improvements, connecting to Manhattan with regular heavy rail will likely NEVER be feasible, they'll never recoup the astronomical costs of a project. Connecting to the R in Brooklyn would be feasible, but it would tack 45 minutes on to the trip from Bay Ridge, which is already extremely long.

My best suggestion for a real connection would be either of the following: to connect NJ Transit over the rail bridge across the Arthur Kill (close to and paralleling the Goethals). This bridge was recently reactivated for freight rail and can likely be easily outfitted to carry passenger traffic. At a higher cost you could construct a new line with a more direct path under the Kill Van Kull to Bayonne, with a Metro North style commuter livery.

The point is, the heavy rail standard of the subway is not going to be useful to Staten Island for the forseeable future. If not for construction costs, the genetic makeup of the island is unlikely to accommodate such a thing. What would benefit the island most would be a "Metro South" train with very limited stops between the island and Manhattan, possibly at locations where it will facilitate easy transfers to the subway system. If we're talking time savings (the BANE of every island resident's life), that's likely the best and most realistic idea.

cheers :cheers:

mta is finally piloting mobile fare payment for the subway:


http://www.amny.com/transit/mta-test...rth-1.14310124

Kosciuszko Bridge Status:

https://discourse-cdn-sjc1.com/busin...e25f9a1520.jpg

https://discourse-cdn-sjc1.com/busin...59a0563382.jpg
Credit: governorandrewcuomo

Awesome! Thanks for sharing the link. From now on, you don't have swipe a metrocard anymore. You can used your iPhone or Android. It's very easy.

^ i know, but dont be too excited -- its just a pilot program -- we will see if and when they roll it out. :shrug:


***


congestion tax or millionarie's tax?

http://www.amny.com/transit/fund-mta...oll-1.14369875


^ the answer is why not both, plus throw in bringing back the commuter tax -- build baby build! :tup:

no kidding? :rolleyes:


TRANSIT

MTA construction costs are too high compared with cities around the world, politicians say

By Vincent Barone vin.barone@amny.com October 16, 2017



Extraordinarily high construction costs are keeping the MTA from meeting the demands of a growing city, elected officials who rallied for spending reforms charged on Monday.



more:

https://www.amny.com/transit/mta-con...say-1.14500290

State themed blue/yellow paint/vinyl livery spec'd for R211's spotted on trial runs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H1okNTVCc8

https://youtu.be/EBAVvyCqNto

Meh

^ i cant see the videos at work, but all the recently revamped E trains i have rode or seen have the blue vinyl on them (also open ends of each car as well as colorful decoration and new signage). sort of a test for the new R211 trains i guess?

The official press release stated that the wrapping is solely to distinguish the 'Pilot Trains' (which exhibit certain tweaks being experimented with) from other trains.

I don't think we know yet, that this is necessarily the new livery, going forward.

Could be, but we don't really know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

the metrocard officially heads into retirement !!!



MTA sets MetroCard replacement timeline at board meeting

By Vincent Barone vin.barone@amny.com October 23, 2017



https://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/...1280/image.jpg
The MTA plans to completely phase out the MetroCard by 2023, replacing it with a tap-based fare payment system. (Credit: Charles Eckert)




The MTA has taken a major step in retiring the MetroCard, beginning a six-year process to replace it with a tap-based system that will allow commuters to use a variety of payment methods, including smartphones, digital wallets or proprietary cards to pay for their rides.

The changes, approved unanimously by the agency’s Finance Committee on Monday, will begin rolling out in the form of bank cards and smartphone payments on 500 station turnstiles and 600 buses by the spring of 2019.

The system will be available citywide by September 2020 and the MetroCard is expected to be completely phased out by 2023.


more:

https://www.amny.com/transit/metroca...ine-1.14589510

amny metrocard editorial:



EDITORIAL

Goodbye to Metrocards and turnstile jams

By The Editorial Board October 25, 2017



The next time you’re stuck behind a novice MetroCard swiper, take solace that help finally might be on the way.

The MTA took a concrete step this week toward a new payment system for that wonderful privilege of a ride on NYC’s subways and buses, approving a $573 million contract for a modern way to pay your fare.

At first, you’ll be able to do so by tapping credit or debit cards, or scanning a smartphone. Eventually, special cards will be sold that accomplish a similar feat for those without bank accounts or fancy phones.

Within 18 months, the MTA says 500 turnstiles and 600 buses will accept so-called “contactless” payments, with a full transfer planned for 2023. MetroCards would be accepted until then.


more:

https://www.amny.com/opinion/editori...ams-1.14624030

here is what the new mta readers will look like:


https://ny.curbed.com/2017/10/26/165...c-reader-video


https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chor...21_2016_47.jpg

https://imgs.6sqft.com/wp-content/up...9032004306.jpg

aww...I was hoping they'd upgrade the gates, too :P

^ yeah, it looks like they are just adding the readers on to the turnstyles.



***


good of a place as any to test this out -- i take they will build this out during the L train shutdown?




Subway platform screen doors pilot slated for L train’s 3rd Avenue station

By Vincent Barone vin.barone@amny.com October 24, 2017



https://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/...280/image.jpeg


The MTA will test platform doors on the Third Avenue station along the L line following months of advocacy from board members and experts.

“We’re in the design planning stages and working to overcome structural challenges for a small platform screen doors pilot at the Third Avenue Station along the L line,” said an MTA spokesman in a statement.



more:

https://www.amny.com/transit/subway-...ors-1.14605599

A small pilot or small doors? I really don't like the idea of platform doors at all but if they have to be installed at all (not assuming they would ever be universally) I would greatly prefer a short 2/3 human height (48"-52") screen that keeps unobstructed site to the track area and tunnel, i.e. the action. I feel this would be a fair compromise between safety and preserving the openness of the station as well as the user experience that makes the NY subway the NY subway.

^ i took it to mean small partition and doors like the chinese example in the photo. i cant picture them being floor to ceiling.

yeah i am not a fan of these partitions either, at least for nyc stations, but you cant deny the city is just getting more and more crowded, so they may be needed soon.

this is a pretty good station choice for a test model, given it will be closed anyway and i think additional entrances built there during the L train tunnel rehab.

Interesting perspective there - I kind of agree with you although the primary focus is to safely get around. No New Yorker rides the subway for the "action." It's just something you have to go anywhere.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5199/7...8fa88d7d_z.jpg

If these 50 inch platform screens significantly reduce or completely eliminate the number of train hits, I'm all for it. I wonder how much they would cost per station... on average.

Statistics on train hits for the past few years
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/201...-mta-2016-year

Surprised to see the actual numbers on people that fall between train cars in the gangway. I always thought people that did that in a non-emergency situation were out of their mind.

The GWB and Lincoln tunnel needs to go cashless tolling systems. Traffic is just ridiculous every damn rush hour on the GWB and Lincoln tunnel. Really due to the damn tolls.

I've noticed that since the introduction on the Verrezanos, traffic isn't as bad as it use to be. Its moving along ya know. But today, it was just chaos at the Lincoln and GWB.

haha yeah, cuomo sez all mta bridges and tunnels are going cashless -- so don't ask when, but hang on your wish is on the way:

http://pix11.com/2017/09/28/cashless...s-and-tunnels/