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ardecila

May 1, 2010 8:33 AM

TBM Arrives!

The TBM for the Second Avenue Subway is, apparently, ready to go! Looks like the subway is really happening. It has been fully assembled in the launch box (cavern between 92nd/95th).

This is the same TBM that dug the 63rd Street Tunnel several decades ago... it's been refurbished.

http://secondavenuesagas.com/wp-cont...tterheadBH.jpg
Second Avenue Sagas

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4487825_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs446...._8241448_n.jpg

NYC4Life

May 6, 2010 6:15 PM

Updated 10:46 AM
Judge Issues Temporary Hold, Preventing MTA Layoffs
By: NY1 News

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says a judge issued a temporary hold last night, blocking the layoffs of several hundred station agents who were supposed to be laid off today.

As part of the latest round of agency layoffs, 475 subway clerks were planning on turning in their badges and uniforms today.

Instead, they are supposed to report for work.

"We're not out of the woods yet. I'm hoping that the governor, the [MTA] chairman, and the union can sit together and come to a very amicable agreement so we can keep working," said a station agent.

"I have one child in college and I have to support him, you know," said another.

"Terrorists are constantly attacking, that the subway system is one of their prime targets,” said a third. “Station agents are the eyes and the ears of the whole system."

Their positions are among the nearly 1,500 jobs being slashed from bus and subway divisions to help close an $800 million budget gap.

Transit officials say even more layoffs are expected. Plans call for a 15 percent reduction in administrative head count, as well as a 20 percent reduction at MTA headquarters.

The agency says it has been forced to make the tough decisions because of lower-than-expected tax revenue and cuts in state aid.

Copyright © 2010 NY1 News. All rights reserved.

NYC4Life

May 8, 2010 9:51 PM

Updated 5:21 PM
Mechanical Failure Causes S.I. Ferry Crash, 35 Injured
By: NY1 News

Quote:

The Department of Transportation says a Staten Island Ferry boat involved with a fatal 2003 crash had a mechanical problem and crashed into a dock at the St. George Ferry Terminal this morning, and fire officials say at least 35 people were injured.

The throttle on the Andrew J. Barberi ferry failed, so the boat did not slow down as it hit the Staten Island dock at a speed of five knots about 9:25 a.m., according to DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

Of the 252 passengers and 18 crew members aboard the boat, 33 people were transported to area hospitals, and only one was critically injured and experienced chest pains, according to Sadik-Khan.

The commissioner called the incident a "hard landing" and said most injuries were only minor cuts and bruises. Fire officials said no injuries were life-threatening.

http://media.ny1.com/media/2010/5/8/...Barberi10a.jpg

The boat's hull was also breached in two parts above the water line and it did not take on water. It was initially wedged into the dock but by mid-afternoon it was finally tugged away from the site of impact.

Sadik-Khan said that the ferry's crew was highly trained and the captain was new to the ferry but "experienced." She said the ferry was at a normal speed and sounded several warning sirens.

"It appears to be a mechanical problem, there was not an ability to pull back the throttle as it approached the dock," said Sadik-Khan.

Passengers told NY1 there were no announcements made on the boat's speaker system at the time, but ferry officials said crew members took a minute to tell passengers to move away from the area of impact.

"Everybody had this frozen look at each other like, 'what's going to happen?' Because this isn't how we're supposed to dock. We're speeding instead of slowing," said Bronx resident Alex Gonzalez, who was on the boat at the time. "It rammed right into the ramp to get off and pushed the whole ramp back, and then a big cloud of smoke just resonated.... It was so hard, it threw you back."

"My husband heard them say over the intercom, 'red, red, red,' so we knew something was going to happen. And then when the workers came out and said, 'Sit still, don't move!'" said another passenger. "So we kind of braced ourselves, and then that's when it crashed into the dock."

"The boat was coming full force, it didn't stop. You heard a horn and then a 'Bam,'" said a woman who was waiting at the ferry terminal. "Everybody inside the terminal took off running outside the terminal, thinking that the boat was coming were we were. So we were extremely afraid."

DOT officials said the boat never lost power.

http://media.ny1.com/media/2010/5/8/...yCrashHelp.jpg
A ferry passenger took this picture of firemen helping one of the injured on the ferry.

Emergency medical technicians arrived five minutes later, laid some of the injured out on stretchers and wheelchairs and gave some passengers oxygen.

"There were a lot of people that were taken off on gurneys and stretchers, and it took about 10 to 15 minutes before they let the people that were able to walk off [the boat]. So it was chaos in there," said Gonzalez.

"It puts you in the mind of 9/11, when you see them carried off the boat on stretchers," said a woman who saw the injured loaded into the terminal.

Local doctors were glad most injuries were minor but they recalled the fatalities and major injuries resulting from the 2003 crash.

Governor David Paterson said the prior crash and recent security scares in Times Square have set city residents on edge.

"Probably the alert that the passengers got seconds before impact may have avoided real injury or something far more serious. So it's kind of another scare like we've been going through a lot in New York City, and we are blessed because we are not bemoaning the situation, but we'll take every step to make sure it doesn't happen again," said Paterson, who urged New Yorkers to resume taking the ferry.

http://media.ny1.com/media/2010/5/8/...2Barberi10.jpg

Congressman Michael McMahon praised the response efforts, but said he would also conduct a full investigation into the crash.

"The captain acted appropriately, the NYPD, the FDNY, the EMS, they are down here doing there job that makes all New Yorkers proud. But these types of incidents like this should not happen," said McMahon. "The Staten Island Ferry is the lifeblood for the people of Staten Island, and the folks on it today deserve to be safe and to be guaranteed that safety."

"The quick response of the crew that moved the people back. Anyone that rides the ferry knows, people like to stand right in front in watch. They moved them back far enough so that no one was thrown into the water," said Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro.

DOT officials said the current incident is unrelated to the Andrew J. Barberi's prior crash on October 15, 2003, which killed 11 people and injured more than 50 others.

In the 2003 incident, the ferry's pilot, Richard Smith, lost consciousness while at the ship's controls. Smith pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

"To preface the 2003 incident is irrelevant. That's has all been out in the press, there have been [National Transportation Safety Board] reports, and there's nothing to do with this," said S.I. Ferry Chief Operating Officer James DeSimone. "You make 110 trips a day, you have a fleet of ferries, so that's really got nothing to do with this."

The U.S. Coast Guard and the DOT are still in the early stages of investigating today's crash. Authorities will look at surveillance video from the ferry and the terminal to help their investigation.

Normal ferry service has now resumed and only two morning boats were delayed in the St. George and Whitehall terminals.

NYC4Life

May 14, 2010 7:56 PM

Updated 12:48 PM
Transit Officials Consider Line Shutdowns During Repairs

By: NY1 News

Quote:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is considering a new plan that would fundamentally change the way it conducts major repairs.

Instead of doing work on nights or weekends, the MTA could shut down entire segments of a subway line, even on weekdays.

While it will be an inconvenience to riders, officials say projects would be completed much faster. This is how repairs are done in London, where MTA Chairman Jay Walder used to work. Walder has reportedly asked his staff to evaluate the impact of weekday repair work.

"In some places we might have a subway line that's literally a half mile or a mile away and we might be able to shuttle people from one place to another," said Walder. "These are the kinds of things that we have to look at. If it overwhelms our capacity to allow New Yorkers to have mobility, it doesn't work."

NY1 spoke with riders this morning on both sides of the debate.

"If you're coming here every Saturday and every Sunday you know for the next, let's say four or five weeks or so, then you know, you have to make other ways of getting around, it's a pain in the behind,” said one rider. “My thing is just one shot, knock it out.”

“Until they add more lines in the city, I think it would be a bad idea to shut any of the subway systems down for a long period of time, especially since not everyone has any other means of transportation,” said another.

Meanwhile, the MTA is trying to speed up commutes for drivers. The agency is reportedly creating a new overnight shift for workers who do pothole repairs and hang signs at MTA bridges at tunnels.

Also yesterday, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and City Comptroller John Liu announced they have begun an audit of how New York City Transit manages and schedules maintenance projects.

NYC4Life

May 17, 2010 7:18 PM

05/17/2010 10:11 AM
Service Cuts Take Effect On LIRR
By: NY1 News

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1535/81555117.jpg

Quote:

Service cuts are taking effect this morning on several Long Island Rail Road lines.

Rush hour trains have been cut from the Babylon, Long Beach, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, and Port Washington lines.

Service to Belmont Park has been eliminated altogether, except on the day of the Belmont Stakes.

More service cuts are on the way this September, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority works to close an $800 million budget gap.

NYC4Life

Jun 4, 2010 4:04 AM

06/03/2010 09:44 AM
Australian Company Submits Prototype Of Futuristic Cab
By: NY1 News

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6482/66563620.jpg

Quote:

A company from Australia yesterday unveiled its prototype of the taxi of tomorrow.

The futuristic Unicab is all electric, has room for seven people, space for luggage and a ramp for disabled passengers.

The front passenger seat is spun around, to let the rider face his or her friends.

The model has LED screens on the outside telling would-be ride-sharing passengers where the cab is going and how many seats are available.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission has requested proposals for designs. The winning model will replace most cabs by 2013.

NYC4Life

Jun 4, 2010 4:10 AM

06/03/2010 08:03 AM
MTA Salaries Increasing
By: NY1 News

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5718/84930238.jpg

Quote:

While the Metropolitan Transportation Authority tries to cut costs with subway and bus service cuts, a new report shows total MTA salary costs went up last year for the second year in a row.

The report by the Empire Center for New York State Policy found salaries and payroll increased by more than two percent to $5.2 billion.

Long Island Rail Road employees were among the highest paid. The average salary for conductors was just over $100,000. One conductor made almost $240,000, but a LIRR spokesman says the conductor retired and got a one-time payout that included sick time and unused vacation time.

An MTA spokesman says the overall increase was due to raises already promised to the unions.

Busy Bee

Jun 4, 2010 5:50 PM

http://www.auto-car-shop.com/wp-cont...e5c2782f2d.jpg
§

Also found this article from February about Ford's likely Transit Connect pitch to the NYTLC.

Dac150

Jun 4, 2010 6:48 PM

Eh…not too fond of those cab designs. I’ll take the nitty gritty crown vics and caprices any day.

Busy Bee

Jun 4, 2010 7:06 PM

^well you should get your fill now because they are definitely on their way out , and like Checker, never coming back.

NYC4Life

Jun 10, 2010 4:56 PM

Updated 12:26 PM
City Considering 10th Avenue Stop For 7 Train

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4826/84860090.jpg

Quote:

By: NY1 News

There could be light at the end of the tunnel for the proposed 10th Avenue stop for the Number 7 train extension.

The Bloomberg administration is looking to re-engineer the project to allow a station to be built at 41st Street and 10th Avenue in the future.

A spokesman for the mayor says the idea is under preliminary review, but adds the city will not consider plans that add significant time or cost to the project. The second station is estimated to cost upwards of $500 million.

The city is already spending $2 billion to extend the 7 line from Times Square to 34th Street and 11th Avenue.

Busy Bee

Jun 10, 2010 8:02 PM

Good news. Let's hope it happens.

NYC4Life

Jun 21, 2010 8:31 PM

Updated 10:30 AM
MTA Outlines More Service Changes
By: NY1 News

Quote:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority outlined even more cuts to subway and bus service today, as a new report finds the subways still running are getting dirtier.

Transit officials describe the planned changes as routine adjustments based on ridership.

The agency is planning reductions on 28 bus routes in all five boroughs starting in September. However, 10 routes would actually see increases or modifications intended to improve reliability.

Then, in December, four early-morning Number 7 express trains would be cut, when the start of express service gets pushed back from 5:30 to 6:20 a.m. A local train would be added during that time, and two additional local trains would run between 9 and 10 a.m.

The changes would save the agency an estimated $3.7 million.

All adjustments still need approval from the MTA board.

"We had hoped that they would use some federal stimulus money this last go-round to keep service up," said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign. "But they decided they would use it on capital projects, so we didn't succeed, but we're going to monitor them very closely."

Word of these changes comes as major service cuts are set to take effect Sunday, including the elimination of dozens of bus routes along with the W and V lines.

Meanwhile, the M train, which is set to replace the V in Manhattan and Queens, has been deemed the system’s dirtiest in the annual Subway Shmutz Survey.

The Straphangers Campaign examined 2,200 subway cars, and determined half were unclean, with issues like heavy dirt or sticky floors.

"We rated grime. You know, if you walk in New York City, you're going to bring grime into the subways. You're going to need a mop and water to clean it up. That's not litter," said Russianoff. "Yes, riders should do more, but our results don't turn on litter, they turn on plain old grime."

Overall, half of the city subway lines were found to be dirtier in 2009 than the previous year.

The M, V and D trains ranked at the bottom. The 6, C and 7 trains were the cleanest.

NYC4Life

Jun 25, 2010 3:15 PM

06/25/2010 08:28 AM
W, V Subway Lines Make Final Runs
By: NY1 News

Quote:

Straphangers will bid farewell to two of the city's subway lines today.

The W and V trains are set to make their final runs, before being discontinued as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's cost-cutting plan.

The changes officially take effect Sunday, but neither the W nor V runs on the weekends.

Come Monday morning, the M line will be rerouted to cover some of the stations in Lower Manhattan that had been served by the V. And, the Q will be extended to Astoria to make up for the loss of the W train.

Thirty-seven bus lines are also being eliminated with many more being rerouted, or facing reductions in night and weekend service.

The MTA says the cuts will save about $100 million.

The agency also is trying to reduce overtime and has given pink slips to hundreds of workers to cut costs.

NYC4Life

Jun 27, 2010 5:19 PM

Updated 12:37 PM
MTA Bus Route Changes Take Effect
By: NY1 News

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/6533/53385587.jpg

Quote:

Bus riders around the city are feeling the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's budget pinch today, as dozens of bus lines are either being eliminated or seeing their service reduced.

Some MTA service cuts already took effect Friday night, when the W and V trains stopped running.

Starting tomorrow morning, the Q line will be extended to Astoria, Queens to replace the W line, and the M train will be rerouted to cover some stations in lower Manhattan that had been served by the V train.

MTA officials say the service cuts and changes could save the transit agency $100 million.

miketoronto

Jun 28, 2010 1:18 AM

I agree cuts are not good.

However I was talking with a transit planner in another city that has faced cuts. And he was saying these tough times allow a transit system to cut services that really do make no sense, but you would not be able to cut under normal circumstances, without a ton of backlash.

Yes it is bad to have routes cut. But it sounds like in NYC's case, all people losing their bus route, have an alternative bus route only a block or two away, and overall everyone still has transit access, etc.

Not the best thing to happen to NYC, and hopefully the cuts will be reversed once funding comes back online. But we should not always look at this as total gloom. Maybe some of those buses running late night in Staten Island, were going empty, and cutting service those routes makes sense. And residents still have service by another nearby route.

NYC4Life

Jul 14, 2010 5:06 PM

Updated 9:54 AM
MTA Holds More Hearings On Booth Closings
By: NY1 News

Quote:

Two more public hearings are being held tonight on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's proposed subway booth closures.

Last night, riders and transit union members spoke out at meetings in Manhattan and Queens.

A judge ordered the MTA to hold the hearings after the union sued to block the layoff of more than 200 station agents and token booth attendants.

Riders told MTA Board members they are worried about their safety if the closings and layoffs go through.
Several union members left the meeting at Cooper Union in protest, calling the hearings a fraud.

"The MTA is simply going through the motions. They called two meetings on the same night, two days in a row,” said Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen. “They don't truly seek rider input or community advocacy input. All they want to do is go through the motions."

MTA officials say the cuts are needed to help close its massive budget gap. They also say crime is at an all-time low in the subways, and that the agency would not compromise rider safety.

Tonight's meetings begin at 6 o'clock at Hostos Community College in the Bronx and the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge.

NYC4Life

Jul 28, 2010 4:49 AM

Updated 2:47 PM
Federal Appeals Court Rejects City's Order For Fuel-Efficient Taxis
By: NY1 News

Quote:

The Manhattan federal court ruled Tuesday against city regulations that would force owners of taxis to purchase hybrid vehicles.

The ruling determined that existing federal laws already cover the same concerns as the municipal laws.

The lower courts already rejected the rule, as well as another law that would force all city taxis to be fuel-efficient by 2012.

The taxi owners' case against the city stressed that the were conflicts between the federal and municipal rules.

In a statement, the City Law Department said it was "very disappointed with the decision."

NYC4Life

Jul 28, 2010 6:09 AM

NY1

Updated 07/28/2010 12:01 AM
MTA Board To Consider Hike On MetroCards, Tolls
By: John Mancini

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/1402/89614439.jpg

In an effort to close its massive budget gap, the MTA board is expected to float two separate fare hike proposals today that would increase the cost of monthly and seven-day MetroCards as well as raise tolls for drivers crossing the city's major bridges and tunnels. NY1's John Mancini filed the following report.

Quote:

Transit riders who now get the biggest discounts would be paying the biggest increases under fare-hike plans heading to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board.

The MTA wants to preserve the $2.25 base fare. But under either of two proposals, riders who buy 30-day MetroCards would pay much more.

Monthly MetroCards would go up $10, jumping from $89 to $99, with a limit of 90 rides. If riders still want unlimited trips, it will cost them $15 more, bringing the cost up to $104 per month.

"It's expensive. I don't think I can afford that anymore. I can barely afford what I'm paying for on a monthly basis. And to paying $104 with this sort of crisis we are going through with money issues and jobs and stuff like that, it's kind of hard," said one straphanger.

Still, the cash-strapped MTA says either way, riders would pay less than $1.20 a trip if they use their card 90 times.

As for seven-day cards, there will also be two options, both with increases. The weekly MetroCard, now $27, would increase to $28 for up to 22 rides, or $29 for unlimited trips.

The bonus for Per-Ride cards would kick in only after riders pay $10. The discount would be seven percent. Currently, riders get a 15 percent bonus after they pay $8.

At the tolls, drivers would pay $6 -- an increase of 50 cents -- at major bridges and tunnels.

EZ Pass users would pay just over $5.

Meanwhile, the MTA's preliminary plan is contingent on a number of outside factors, including an uninterrupted tax flow from Albany, continued improvements in the economy, and labor concessions.

The MTA wants any raises for transit workers tied to expense cuts. But its largest union says members aren't convinced the MTA, which says $381 million has been cut through streamlining, is doing enough, citing the MTA chairman's $350,000 salary.

In a statement, the Transit Workers Union said, "...Jay Walder's annual compensation package isn't 'net zero.' The TWU has no intention of entertaining the notion that our members should have to pay dollar for dollar in givebacks for raises that barely keep up with inflation."

After reviewing the plans, the MTA board must authorize public hearings for the fall.

If approved, the hikes would likely take effect in January.

NYC4Life

Aug 6, 2010 12:50 AM

Updated 4:39 PM
Port Authority Approves Delta Renovations At JFK
By: Rocco Vertuccio

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/5587/80671709.jpg

Quote:

Delta Air Lines is getting a much-needed upgrade at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The Port Authority signed off today on a massive $1.2 billion project to renovate its outdated terminals.

Delta would move out of Terminal 3, and the iconic Pan Am Worldport, which dates from the 1960s, will be demolished to make way for a airplane parking lot. It is hoped additional space for airplanes will help to ease runway congestion.

The airline will move into Terminal 4, which would be expanded with nine additional gates, a larger baggage claim area and a larger U.S. Customs area.

"It will allow Delta to bring a plane in -- particularly international -- deplane at the gate, take that plane to the parking area, cater it, clean it, fuel it, get it ready for departure, and bring it back to the gate. In between, you'll be able to use that gate for another operation," said a Port Authority official.

All of Delta's international flights will fly out of Terminal 4 once the expansion is complete, and domestic flights will continue to fly out of Terminal 2.

Passengers who spoke with NY1 this morning said they agreed that it is time for Terminal 3 to go.

"It needs to be scrapped and completely redone," said one traveler.

"That's a good thing, because it's old and it's outdated," said another.

The expansion will create 6,000 jobs and Delta will reportedly take on the bulk of the costs of the project.

Construction would begin this fall, and would be completed in mid-2013.

M II A II R II K

Aug 20, 2010 7:05 PM

Private buses make a comeback in NYC

http://marketurbanism.com/2010/08/16...meback-in-nyc/

Quote:

Transit activists have been bemoaning recent cuts in the MTA’s bus routes throughout New York City, but the cuts may have a silver lining, in particular for market urbanists: they may usher in the return of private buses to the streets of New York City. Private buses (and subways, and streetcars) were once the only transit options available to New Yorkers, but since the early 20th century, and especially after World War II, virtually all intracity routes have been subsumed by various levels of government, and the network has barely grown at all since nationalization (not withstanding the Second Avenue Subway, conceived eighty years ago by a private company).

Now that’s not to say that private operators haven’t tried to compete – the outer boroughs’ immigrant communities have had robust networks of informal private vans (known in NYC as “dollar vans”), which operate illegally but have been hard to prosecute, likely due to the fact that they are used mostly by linguistically-distinct immigrant communities. The recent cuts even propelled the bootleg bus phenomenon out of its immigrant ghetto, when a brave bus operator named Joel Azumah made headlines by operating a bootleg bus route along routes cut in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. This experiment was quickly quashed by an unrelenting bureaucracy, but at least it demonstrated the mutual desire on the part of riders and entrepreneurs for private service.

The city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission appears to have headed that call, and under the direction of chairman David Yassky is trying to replace at least some of the old bus routes with private buses. Unlike the city’s much-abused private van service, where operators are technically not allowed to pick up riders off the street who haven’t called ahead of time, the buses would operate with many of the privileges of regular city buses, with the added flexibility of being able to alter their routes to fit customers’ needs. Cap’n Transit has speculated that this discretion could be used as a back-door way to expand the private buses’ reach to areas not officially sanctioned by the program.

M II A II R II K

Aug 21, 2010 2:30 PM

Pedestrian Safety Will Guide Massive Street Makeover

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010...reet-makeover/

Quote:

Sixty miles of streets will be redesigned annually, 1,500 intersections will get countdown clocks and the number of slow-traffic zones around schools will triple as part of a new city push to reduce pedestrian injuries and deaths caused by automobiles.

These latest changes to the New York City streetscape are the result of study of over 7,000 accidents involving pedestrians that took place between 2002 and 2006.

The city will focus on especially dangerous corridors and intersections identified by the study, like those along major cross-town streets in Manhattan. Mayor Michael Bloomberg was set to unveil the plan Monday.

“This is a landmark safety report that is going to transform the streets of New York, making them safer and better to walk around on,” Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said. “It’s unprecedented reengineering of our streets.”

But the plan is really only the latest step in an unprecedented reengineering of streets that Sadik-Khan has implemented since her appointment by Bloomberg in 2007. The city in 2008 set a target of cutting traffic fatalities by 3% each year until 2030. Half of those who die in city car crashes are pedestrians.

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/im...0816095747.jpg

NYC4Life

Aug 23, 2010 6:13 PM

WABC-TV

LIRR service suspended due to switch problems
Updated at 12:35 PM today

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/2122/72321758.jpg

Quote:

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Long Island Rail Road has suspended service in both directions on all branches except Port Washington due to switch problems.

The problems reportedly developed east of Jamaica when a fire broke out in the switching tower.

New York City Transit is honoring LIRR fares between Jamaica and New York and Brooklyn.

LIRR officials say it is unclear when this problem will be fixed, but they are concerned for the evening commute.

M II A II R II K

Aug 23, 2010 8:44 PM

More Accident Data: Motorcyclists and the Elderly, Beware

Read More: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...ly-beware/?hpw

Study: http://documents.nytimes.com/pedestrian-study

Quote:

New Yorkers may now know more about the dangers of being a pedestrian than residents of any other city, thanks to the ambitious traffic study released last week by the Bloomberg administration.

The report, a hefty 50 pages, undercut some of the century-old assumptions about travel in the city, suggesting among other conclusions that yellow taxis, buses and trucks were involved in far fewer pedestrian accidents than private automobiles, and that jaywalkers accounted for fewer collisions at intersections than those law-abiding New Yorkers who wait for the “walk” sign.

Street safety advocates in San Francisco are already calling on that city to replicate the study (would the dangers of hills and crooked streets get their own chapters?), and New York’s transportation officials are planning to re-engineer intersections and reduce neighborhood speed limits in response to the data.

NYC4Life

Aug 24, 2010 3:52 PM

Updated 11:34 AM
NJ Transit Service Back To Normal; Service Delays Continue On LIRR
By: NY1 News

Quote:

New Jersey Transit service along the northeast corridor is back to normal after an hourlong shutdown due to power problems, as Long Island Rail Road customers continue to deal with delays following yesterday's electrical fire that made for a difficult commute.

As of 11:41 a.m., NJ Transit says all trains are operating on or close to schedule.

Full Article:

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...ntinue-on-lirr

Copyright © 2010 NY1 News. All rights reserved.

NYC4Life

Aug 24, 2010 3:57 PM

WABC-TV

MTA eyes unlimited MetroCard hikes
Tuesday, August 24, 2010

http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wa...46_600x338.jpg

Quote:

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The cash-strapped MTA is considering new increases for bus and subway riders.

Under the proposal, the cost of the monthly unlimited MetroCard would increase to $130.

The weekly MetroCard would increase to $38.

There will be public hearings on the proposed fare hikes next month.

NYC4Life

Aug 24, 2010 4:00 PM

WABC-TV

Repair work begins on Brooklyn Bridge
Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Quote:

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A massive repair and construction project is under way on the Brooklyn Bridge and will last for four years.

The project began Monday night into Tuesday, meaning Manhattan-bound lanes of the bridge will be closed during overnight hours.

Full Article:

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?se...cal&id=7623478

(Copyright ©2010 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

M II A II R II K

Aug 25, 2010 5:29 PM

Deadliest for Walkers: Male Drivers, Left Turns

Read More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/ny...walk.html?_r=1

Study: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/abo...tyreport.shtml

Quote:

It has never been easy to safely navigate the streets of New York, where today automobiles zip inches away from smartphone-carrying pedestrians and the footrace across an intersection seems like a human version of the arcade game Frogger.

But a report released Monday by the city’s transportation planners offers unusual insights into the precarious life on the city’s streets, pinpointing where, when and why pedestrian accidents have most often occurred.

The study confirms some of the century-old assumptions about transportation in the country’s biggest city, yet it undercuts others.

Taxis, it turns out, are not a careering menace: cabs, along with buses and trucks, accounted for far fewer pedestrian accidents in Manhattan than did private automobiles. Jaywalkers were involved in fewer collisions than their law-abiding counterparts who waited for the “walk” sign, though they were likelier to be killed or seriously hurt by the collision.

And in 80 percent of city accidents that resulted in a pedestrian’s death or serious injury, a male driver was behind the wheel. (Fifty-seven percent of New York City vehicles are registered to men.)

The study, which the city’s Transportation Department described as the most ambitious of its kind by an American city, examined more than 7,000 crashes that occurred in New York City from 2002 to 2006 and that resulted in the death or serious injury of at least one pedestrian.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...ticleLarge.jpg

M II A II R II K

Aug 25, 2010 9:40 PM

Big Apple Power-Up: Major New York Garage Gets Charging Stations

http://www.fastcompany.com/1684982/n...rging-stations

Quote:

Electric vehicles are useless without a widespread network of charge stations. While homeowners can stick a charging station in their garages, things are a little trickier for city dwellers. The Car Charging Group is trying to change that--starting in the place with the least home garages of all, New York City.

Earlier this summer, CCG partnered with LAZ Parking to install Coulomb ChargePoints at some of its New York and New Jersey locations. Now CCG is embarking on a similar partnership with Icon Parking--a prominent Manhattan brand with over 200 facilities in the borough.

As part of the partnership, CCG will install Level II (240 volts) Coulomb ChargePoints at select Icon Parking facilities. Better yet, Icon is getting the ChargePoints at no charge. CCG offers the spots for free while retaining ownership thanks to a combination of tax incentives, subsidies, grants, and loan guarantees. Icon hasn't yet revealed how much it will charge drivers for use of the spots.

http://images.fastcompany.com/upload/l.jpg

Busy Bee

Aug 25, 2010 9:41 PM

Double decker and Citaro artic trials

For those that may know...

What became of the NYCT Van Hool double decker and the Benz Citaro articulated testing? Even with SubChat, there seems to be so much chatter I can't see the forest for the trees in terms of what the actual outcomes of the trials were. Were there official NYCT press releases regarding these?

NYC4Life

Sep 4, 2010 4:13 PM

Updated 11:07 AM
LIRR Service Is Normal Again After Hurricane Missed City
By: NY1 News

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/903/48523113.jpg

Quote:

With the storm formerly known as Hurricane Earl no longer a threat to the city or surrounding areas, Long Island Rail Road officials say normal service to eastern Long Island has resumed.

Earl is now a Category 1 tropical storm with maximum winds of about 70 mph that hit Nova Scotia, Canada late this morning.

Service was suspended yesterday because of the threat of high winds posed by Earl.

Amtrak has also resumed service between New York and Boston, after it was suspended yesterday after a tree fell on power lines in New London, Conn.

No delays or cancellations are being reported at John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, or Newark Liberty Airports.

The storm did not do as much damage to New England as originally feared.

It dumped about three inches of rain on Martha's Vineyard. Nantucket got about an inch-and-a-half of rain and beachgoers on the island were told to keep out of the water as winds gusted up to 40 mph.

A few hundred power outages were reported in Massachusetts, along with a handful of downed power lines and isolated flooding in low-lying areas.

Earlier Friday in North Carolina, drivers maneuvered through flooded streets and downed tree branches, though the storm largely spared the Outer Banks.

Thousands of homes lost power during the storm, but there were no reports of injuries or major damage.

NYC4Life

Sep 13, 2010 11:09 PM

5:25 PM
MTA Set To Hold First Public Hearings On New Fare Hikes
By: NY1 News

Quote:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials tonight will likely get an earful from riders, as the agency holds its first public hearing on proposed fare hikes.

Even though the agency has already implemented service cuts and layoffs, the MTA says the hikes are necessary to close its budget gap.

However, many riders say they are not happy with the idea of having to pay more for less.

"I think that it's a pretty decent price already and not to mention that they've been cutting back a lot of the lines, the service has been really unreliable, so maybe before they consider hiking up the prices they might want to make their customers a little bit happier,” said one rider.

“I don't agree with it,” said another. “I mean, the economy's bad right now, and seriously it shouldn't really go up right now."

Rider advocates are encouraging New Yorkers to come out to the hearings, saying their voices really do make a difference.

"You can't win it if you're not in it,” said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign. “Any chance that they'll adopt a smaller fare hike or a fare policy that you think is a good one, you've got to be there."

The MTA still hasn't decided how these fare hikes will hit.

Under one option, seven-day Metrocards would rise from $27 to $28, and would be limited to 22 rides. Another option would keep the weekly card unlimited, but raise the cost to $29.

For 30-day cards, the options are an increase from $89 to $99 for a card with a 90-trip cap, or $104 for unlimited rides.

Critics, including the city Transit Riders Advisory Committee, say the MTA should leave fares alone after implementing service cuts over the summer.

The MTA will hold a hearing in each borough.

Today's hearing is set for 6 o'clock at Cooper Union.

The hearings come as the MTA has implemented some new service cuts on the Long Island Rail Road.

Riders are dealing with some new service reductions this morning, as the agency implements the second round of budget related cuts.

New timetables are in effect for riders on several branches. Some trains have been eliminated altogether – including overnight scheduled service between Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn and Jamaica Station.

The Port Washington line, which has eight stops in Queens, is also hit particularly hard with 14 fewer trains on weekdays.

The MTA says the reductions will save almost a million dollars this year, and nearly $4 million annually starting next year.

For a full list of timetable changes, visit mta.info/lirr.

NYC4Life

Sep 14, 2010 6:55 PM

8:59 AM
NTSB To Release Report On Last Summer's Mid-Air Collision
By: NY1 News

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7884/73155987.jpg

Quote:

The National Transportation Safety Board is set to release its findings today into last summer's deadly mid-air collision over the Hudson River.

Nine people were killed when a small plane and a tour helicopter collided last August.

Investigators are expected to answer questions such as whether the air traffic controller who cleared the plane for takeoff could have prevented the accident if he had been paying closer attention. Transcripts show the controller made a personal call and remained on the phone while directing air traffic until the accident.

The Federal Aviation Administration has since divided the airspace over the Hudson to put more room between planes, helicopters, seaplanes and sightseeing aircraft.

NYC4Life

Sep 14, 2010 7:02 PM

Updated 1:48 PM
Hudson Street Holland Tunnel Entrance To Close Through 2015
By: NY1 News

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/9339/48499510.jpg

Quote:

New Jersey-bound drivers who take the Holland Tunnel could soon see more traffic in Lower Manhattan.

The Hudson Street entrance to the tunnel will be closed starting Sunday so water pipes in TriBeCa can be repaired by the New York City Department of Design and Construction. The entrance will be closed until 2015.

The congestion could lead to traffic tie-ups for people looking to come to the city from New Jersey.

Hudson Street offers direct access to the tunnel from Lower Manhattan for drivers headed to New Jersey.

Drivers heading to the tunnel from Lower Manhattan will have use Canal Street, Varick Street or Watts Street to enter the tunnel.

electricron

Sep 14, 2010 7:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC4Life (Post 4980971)

Updated 1:48 PM
Hudson Street Holland Tunnel Entrance To Close Through 2015.

Does it really take FOUR to FIVE years to repair water pipes for a couple of city blocks in NYC? :slob:

NYC4Life

Sep 16, 2010 4:49 PM

8:43 AM
Police Search For Suspect In Subway Robberies
By: NY1 News

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9650/93995682.jpg

Quote:

The New York City Police Department is searching for a man accused of robbing at least three women on the subway at knifepoint.

The most recent robbery took place last Sunday on the Number 2 train at 96th and Broadway.

Police say the robber, caught on the above surveillance video, pulled out a knife and tried to steal a woman's purse. The 27-year-old victim fought back and was stabbed in the mid-section. She is expected to recover.

Investigators say the same man robbed a woman on August 7th at knifepoint as she was leaving the A train at 127th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.

And, police say the man did the same thing to another woman on the A train three weeks ago at Broadway and Dykman Street.

The incidents have some passengers on edge.

"That's a real tragedy, that's like you're scared to even travel on the train in the evening time to go home,” said one rider. “So what do you have to do, take a cab now for your safety?"

"I was very nervous of coming here today, but you have to get to where you have to get,” said another. “ But I was very nervous about it, I heard about that. And I don't like to be out this early in the morning, but I have to be."

The suspect is said to be in his late 20s and about 6 feet tall.

He was seen wearing blue jean shorts, a white T-shirt and black sneakers.

Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-577-TIPS, by texting TIP577 to CRIMES, or by going to NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.

NYC4Life

Sep 16, 2010 4:53 PM

8:51 AM
MTA To Hold Public Hearing On Fare Hikes On Staten Island
By: NY1 News

Quote:

Riders on Staten Island will get their chance to weigh in tonight on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s proposed fare hikes.

Last night, it was straphangers in the Bronx who gave MTA officials an earful at Hostos Community College.

The MTA says it needs to raise fares by 7.5 percent to close its budget gap, but those who spoke at last night's hearing say they're being taken for a ride.

"You don't give a damn about us!” said one angry passenger. “You’re just here to just go through the motions."

"If the fare increases, that means we have to choose: child care, rent, MTA? I think that's unfair," said another.

“"I think that the reality is that people are expressing views about things to do with the MTA,” said MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jay Walder. “I think it's important for us to listen. I think the board feels it's important to listen."

MTA officials are considering plans that would raise the price of a seven-day card to $28 dollars – with a 22-ride limit, or, $29 for unlimited rides.

For a 30-Day card; customers would pay $99 for 90 rides, or $104 for an unlimited card.

Tonight's hearing gets underway at 6 o'clock at the St. George Theatre.

NYC4Life

Sep 16, 2010 4:58 PM

Updated 10:27 AM
DOT Installing Countdown Pedestrian Signals In Brooklyn
By: NY1 News

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/9439/78506469.jpg

Quote:

The Department of Transportation is installing the first countdown pedestrian signals in Park Slope.

The clocks count down the number of seconds remaining before the flashing hand on a pedestrian crossing sign turns solid red and the traffic light changes.

"[These clocks] make it so much easier for seniors, for families, for kids, especially for pedestrians, but also for cyclists and drivers to know how much time they have, and to make smart decisions and stay safe," said City Councilman Brad Lander. "We really believe it's going to save lives."

Last year, pedestrians made up for more than half of the traffic fatalities in the five boroughs.

The DOT plans to install the clocks at 1,500 wider intersections throughout the city.

NYC4Life

Sep 20, 2010 6:01 AM

Updated 09/19/2010 10:14 AM
Holland Tunnel's Hudson Street Entrance Closed Through 2015
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...d-through-2015

Quote:

New Jersey-bound drivers who take the Holland Tunnel could be seeing more traffic in Lower Manhattan.

The Hudson Street entrance to the tunnel was closed at midnight and will remain closed through 2015 so water pipes in TriBeCa can be repaired.

The congestion could also lead to traffic tie ups for people looking to come to the city from New Jersey.

The Hudson Street entrance normally offers direct access to the tunnel from Lower Manhattan for drivers headed to New Jersey.

Drivers heading to the tunnel will now have to use Canal Street, Varick Street or Watts Street to enter the tunnel.

NYC4Life

Sep 20, 2010 6:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by electricron (Post 4981042)

Does it really take FOUR to FIVE years to repair water pipes for a couple of city blocks in NYC? :slob:

Apparently, at this location it will :koko:

NYC4Life

Sep 20, 2010 6:11 PM

Updated 1:13 PM
Bridge Fire Suspends Metro-North Service To, From Manhattan
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...from-manhattan

http://media.ny1.com/media/2010/9/20...0e045c04d0.jpg

Quote:

A transformer fire burning under the 138th street Lift Bridge by the East River has suspended Metro-North train service in and out of Manhattan, and Metro-North users are encouraged to find alternate transportation for the evening rush hour.

Metro-North authorities say a train was at the site of the fire but there are no reports of injuries so far.

Firefighters are still battling the flames on the nearby pier and large plumes of smoke are rising and affecting the surrounding area.

Metro-North engineers tell NY1 that some pipes under the bridge have been bent by the heat of the fire.

The rail service's Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines are all affected.

Northbound passengers should take the 4 or D train and then pick up Metro-North trains at the Yankees-East 153rd Street Station. Full alternate service plans are listed below.

NY1's Education reporter Lindsey Christ, who was in the area as the fire started, said the smoke was so thick she could not see her own hand in front of her own face.

A resident of the neighborhood told Christ he was sitting under the bridge and heard a huge explosion before the fire began.

Metro-North Alternate Service Plan
Southbound:
• New Haven Line customers get off at Woodlawn and transfer to the #2 at 233rd Street for service to Manhattan
• Harlem line customers get off at Wakefield to get to 241st street #2 subway OR Yankees - E. 153rd Street to get the #4 or D subway.
• Hudson Line customers also get off at Yankees-E. 153rd Street for the D train or #4 Or at Marble Hill to transfer to the #1 at 225th Street.
• All southbound trains will go to and terminate at Yankees - E 153rd Street Station.

Northbound:
• ALL Metro-North customers should take the #4 or D to get a MNR train at Yankees - E 153rd Street Station.
• All three lines, Hudson, Harlem and New Haven will be served by the new Yankees-E 153rd Street station.

NYC4Life

Sep 20, 2010 8:35 PM

All Metro-North railroad lines expected to be back to normal this evening.

NYC4Life

Sep 21, 2010 1:08 AM

CNN iReport:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/09/20...ex.html?hpt=T2

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/TRA...re.ireport.jpg

Dac150

Sep 21, 2010 4:53 PM

Wow that's something; I've crossed that bridge many times.

NYC4Life

Sep 24, 2010 6:01 PM

09/23/2010 06:49 PM
Downtown Connection Lights Up Countdown Clocks
By: NY1 News

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6880/81772590.jpg

Quote:

A free bus service that runs through Lower Manhattan is keeping riders in the loop.

Seven stops along the route connecting the South Street Seaport, the Financial District, Battery Park, the World Trade Center site, TriBeCa and City Hall now have clocks displaying when the next two buses will arrive.

"Sounds simple. But who's waited forever for a bus to arrive and thought I could have gotten a coffee, I could go buy a pack of gum. I'm going to be late," said Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth Berger.

More than 836,000 sightseers, commuters and local residents a year ride Downtown Connection buses.

The new notification service that uses GPS is provided by the Downtown Alliance.

NYC4Life

Sep 26, 2010 6:47 PM

Updated 11:42 AM
Construction Causes Service Changes On Nearly All Subway Lines
By: NY1 News

Quote:

It will be another rough day ahead for straphangers, as construction work is causing service disruptions and delays on 18 of the 19 lines around the city.

One of the biggest disruptions is on the Number 1 line, which is suspended along the entire route.

Number 2 and 3 trains are running local to replace the 1 between 96th and Chambers Streets. Free shuttle buses will also be available at stations along the 1 line on Broadway, St. Nicholas Avenue, and in Lower Manhattan.

On the A, 207th Street-bound A trains are skipping Beach 25th, Beach 44th and Beach 67th streets. Rockaway Park-bound A trains skip Beach 90th and 105th Streets.

A trains to Lefferts Boulevard/Far Rockaway are skipping 50th, 23rd and Spring Streets in Manhattan.

All A trains will skip the Fulton Street-Broadway Nassau Station.

Moreover, service is suspended on the G train between Bedford-Nostrand Avenue and Court Square.

For more on the service changes, tune into NY1's traffic channel, Rail and Road 24/7, on channel 104.

NYC4Life

Sep 29, 2010 3:02 AM

9:51 AM
Major Service Disruptions Planned On LIRR Next Month
By: NY1 News

Quote:

Long Island Rail Road riders are in for a couple of rough weekends in the coming months.

Trips will increase by up to 70 minutes on October 23rd and 24th, and November 6th and 7th, when service will be sharply cut down as crews replace the switching system.

Riders are being advised to use the railroad for essential business only.

Only three trains per hour will travel to or from Penn Station. Instead, riders will need to use the E train to get between Jamaica and Penn Station.

Shuttle buses will replace many trains through Queens and Long Island.

There will be no train or bus service whatsoever to the three stops in Brooklyn, or to Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Hollis, Locust Manor, Laurelton, Rosedale, Merillon Avenue, New Hyde Park and St. Albans.

The LIRR is replacing the antiquated switching system that caught fire last month – causing widespread cancellations.

For details on the changes, go to mta.info/lirr.

NYC4Life

Sep 29, 2010 5:43 AM

11:51 AM
MTA To Experiment With E-ZPass Only On Henry Hudson Bridge
By: NY1 News

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4131/89076461.jpg

Quote:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is set to experiment with a cash-free policy on its bridges and tunnels.

Starting in January, the MTA will remove gates in E-ZPass lanes in the Bronx-to-Manhattan lanes of the Henry Hudson Bridge, which connects Manhattan to Riverdale.

Sensors will charge drivers with E-ZPass, and drivers without will get a bill, after a system of cameras photographs license plates.

If the pilot program proves successful, the MTA will stop accepting cash at the Henry Hudson by 2012; no date has been set for a system-wide change.

The cashless policy is expected to help cars move through tolls faster, and the MTA could reach deals with other states to block people from renewing vehicle registrations until bills and fines are paid.

NYC4Life

Sep 29, 2010 5:45 AM

09/28/2010 02:19 PM
Police Say Mobile Device Theft On Rise In Subway System
By: NY1 News

Quote:

Police say thieves have been snatching more and more mobile devices right out of the hands of subway riders.

There were 118 thefts in the subway system in August, which is a 14.6 percent rise from that time last year, according to the New York City Police Department.

Passengers sitting near subway doors are often targeted, so thieves can run out of the car as the doors close.

Police say it is not uncommon to see a rise in robberies when new items come out, like the iPhone 4 and new generations of the iPod.

NYC4Life

Sep 29, 2010 5:50 AM

09/28/2010 04:36 PM
MTA Treads Water As Pension Funds Sink
By: John Mancini

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beat...on-funds-sink/

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/6380/62383575.jpg

Fresh off the news that the MTA has shaved millions from overtime, the cash-strapped agency has learned that the slow economy is choking revenue and increasing other costs. NY1's John Mancini filed the following report.

Quote:

Forgive folks at the MTA if they say they feel a bit like you, their beleaguered customers. These days, when it comes to money, they just can't win for losing, either.

"There is a dark cloud out there though, and it is something we are going to have to address in 2011," said MTA Chief Financial Officer Robert Foran.

The looming storm? For starters, another $150 million a year the MTA will probably have to kick in to prop up slumping pension funds.

"Now again, that would be phased in, perhaps over time, depending on when the actuaries actually say we need to increase the funding," Foran said.

In any case, the MTA needs to fix its budget now. One way is by getting straphangers to pay more to ride next year. Another is cutting costs. The MTA says it has spent a half billion dollars less this year, including a big drop in overtime. There's also been an uptick in payroll tax revenue.

But for every piece of good financial news there's another shot of bad -- real estate tax money is no better than last year.

"Which was disastrous. So it's important to keep that in mind, that this thing has not bounced at all. Zero," said MTA Vice Chairman Andrew Saul.

The board would like to see a zero when it comes to drops in state funding. But after losing $143 million in promised aid last year, financial staffers told the board Albany has fallen short again.

Come January, $104 may be the new price straphangers will have to get used to when purchasing an unlimited monthly MetroCard.

"A hundred and four dollars is probably as low as we can offer it to the variety of people who would use it," said MTA Board Member Allen Cappelli.

The full MTA board could discuss fares and tolls when it meets Wednesday. But a final vote on the hikes won't come until next week.

All times are GMT. The time now is 8:04 AM.

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