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Dac150

Aug 20, 2012 9:59 PM

It's great that the proposal cleared this hurdle, however I find it very disappointing that commuter rail will not be incorporated into the project. I suppose the only 'saving grace' is that the toll fee shouldn't spike as much . . . yet that will remain to be seen.

NYC4Life

Aug 21, 2012 7:32 PM

UPDATED 3:18 PM
Crews Survey Damage Caused By Second Ave. Subway Blast
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...--subway-blast

Quote:

Emergency crews this afternoon are investigating damage caused by a blast related to the construction of the Second Avenue subway line on the Upper East Side.

The New York City Fire Department says it happened just before 1 p.m. in the area of 72nd Street and Second Avenue.

Sources tell NY1 that some ground-level windows were broken and debris is on the sidewalk.

Fire and MTA officials say there were no reported injuries and all of the agency's workers were accounted for.

An MTA spokesman says it was part of a series of daily "controlled" blasts supervised by the city fire department.

All blasting at the 72nd Street site has been suspended.

The agency has been using explosives to create the tunnels for the new subway line whose first phase is slated to open in 2016.

The Office of Emergency Management says East 72nd Street is closed between First to Third Avenues and the M72 bus is being re-routed.

Delays can be expected in the area.

NYC4Life

Aug 22, 2012 9:30 PM

UPDATED 4:24 PM
Subway Blast Site Was Not Properly Equipped, MTA Says
By: Vivian Lee

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...pped--mta-says

Quote:

Work remains suspended on a section of the Second Avenue subway line after yesterday's blast, which the Metropolitan Transportation Authority says was conducted at a different angle and intensity than planned, rocked an Upper East Side street and sent passersby running for cover.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, MTA officials said the incident happened during a controlled tunnel blast at the northwest corner of 72nd Street and Second Avenue -- an area the agency says was not equipped to handle the force of the blast.

"The force of the blast was concentrated in one particular area. That was not anticipated. The other factor was, the area it was all focused on, was not ever anticipated to take that kind of blow," said MTA Spokesman Adam Lisberg.

Agency officials say the explosion knocked off the wooden piling and steel plate covering the blast section, allowing debris to fly into the street.

MTA Chairman Joe Lhota is calling the incident "completely unacceptable."

While it was somewhat of a chaotic scene with windows shattering, no one was hurt.

MTA Capital Construction President Michael Horodniceanu told reporters on Wednesday that the agency will retain an independent safety consultant for the project and that a blasting consultant will be more involved in the process.

Transit officials are also re-evaluating the decking system and adding protective matting in the blast area, according to Horodniceanu, and that the 72nd Street construction site was not equipped to handle such force.

John Carbone, a doorman who was working at the time of the blast, tells NY1 he did hear the customary warning whistles whenever crews are about to detonate.

"I heard the whistle go off, then the explosion, and ran out," Carbone said.

"I just went and hit the floor you know and covered my head waiting for another blast or something and it was just, you couldn't see anything around it was just total dust and the smell of sulfur and flying debris and glass," said one witness.

The Buildings Department says the explosion did not cause any structural damage to surrounding buildings.

Blasting has been halted at 72nd Street and Second Avenue but will continue along the rest of the avenue.

Meanwhile, an MTA spokesman confirms back on August 8 there was some shifting in a pit at the site of Tuesday's blast.

That incident - which took place on the southeast corner - also caused some small rocks and debris to be spewed onto the street.

A nearby art gallery was also issued a vacate order and reports say its floor is unstable.

In a statement, Chairman Lhota said he understands the community's concerns about the project and will work to address them.

Quality of life on the Upper East Side has been an issue since the Second Avenue subway project got underway.

Local residents and businesses say Tuesday's blast is just the latest problem they have had to endure.

Construction dust has been an ongoing complaint, but air quality appears to have improved thanks to more careful debris transfers and air filtration systems.

The community has also had to deal with loud sirens being sounded before crews blast inside the tunnels.

Business owners also say they are hurting from less foot traffic along the construction route.

"At least 50 percent of the business has gone down, for sure. You know, the construction, the noise, everything, the pollution in the air, has definitely affected us," said one Second Avenue merchant.

"I have a lung problem, so the air is sort of important. It's just endless," said one Upper East Side resident.

This is just the first of three phases of construction heading from 63rd to 96th Street.

The Second Avenue line is expected to open by December 2016, according to Horodniceanu.

K 22	Aug 23, 2012 9:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd3189 (Post 5795685)

:previous: I know they're building a subway, but there's seems to be space for more than that. If they wanted to, they could build an underground city.

Yeah - I wonder if they're going for deep DC-style cavernous stations for 2nd Av.

M II A II R II K

Aug 24, 2012 4:31 PM

New York MTA’s Payroll Tax Rejected in Blow to Agency

August 23, 2012

By Esmé E. Deprez

Read More: http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...blow-to-agency

Quote:

A payroll tax projected to pump $1.26 billion into the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s budget this year may not provide another penny after a state judge struck it down as unconstitutional. The MTA said it may lead to “extreme” service cuts and fare increases.

- Judge R. Bruce Cozzens Jr. held the levy violated a so- called home-rule provision in the state constitution, and required a two-thirds vote to pass the Legislature, which it didn’t get, according to a copy of the decision sent by the MTA. Cozzens agreed with Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano’s request to overturn the law that created the tax.

- In a follow-up statement today, the agency said: “Removing more than $1.2 billion in revenue from the Payroll Mobility Tax, plus hundreds of millions of dollars more from other taxes affected by yesterday’s ruling, would be catastrophic for the MTA and for the economy of New York state.”

- Mangano, a Republican who led the plaintiffs in the suit filed in 2010, celebrated today alongside state and county legislators at a news briefing in Mineola. He called the decision as a “victory for taxpayers and job creators throughout the state.” He and others present urged the MTA to drop its appeal.

- Mangano said his administration was studying whether it could retroactively get the taxes back from the MTA on behalf of the businesses that have paid them, which have totaled $9.9 million since 2009. The MTA “should find another way for efficiencies and cost-cuttings before they turn to the taxpayer or the rider,” Mangano said.

.....

NYC4Life

Aug 27, 2012 6:58 PM

UPDATED 12:32 PM
Work Resumes On Section Of Second Ave. Subway
By: Natasha Ghoneim

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...nd-ave--subway

Quote:

Construction work resumed Monday at the site of last week's Second Avenue subway explosion. NY1's Natasha Ghoneim filed the following report.

The intersection of 72nd Street and Second Avenue is rumbling again with the sounds of construction. But for the time being, people who live in the area will not be shaken by the sounds of controlled blasts to make way for the Second Avenue subway line.

Last Tuesday, a planned explosion went bad, sending a shower of rocks and dust shooting into the air, breaking store windows and rattling residents.

"Most tenants would like to go on a long vacation because of what happened last Tuesday," said one Upper East Side resident.

"We have to hope what they say will work out and they'll be more careful," said another Upper East Side resident.

Despite days of investigating, MTA Construction President Michael Horodniceanu says he's not exactly sure what went wrong. But this week an independent safety expert will be at the site to determine what has to be done to prevent a repeat.

"Blasting will not start until I personally know what caused the problem and that we address every issue," Horodniceanu said.

"I have to trust and that's the only thing you can do. Just to make sure this doesn't happen again because it would be the worst thing in the world if someone got hurt," said one Upper East Side resident.

The explosion damaged a neighborhood art gallery. The MTA claims the explosion only revealed pre-existing problems there. Either way, the gallery remains shut down.

"My business is closed at least a month. As far as what happened, there was an explosion, the floor buckled and the Department of Buildings shut us down," said Kolb Art Gallery Owner Claude Kolb.

Despite the temporary delay at 72nd Street, controlled blasts continue elsewhere along the construction site. The MTA says the project is still on schedule, though the end is a long way away. Right now, construction is not expected to finish until the end of 2016.

NYC4Life

Sep 3, 2012 12:29 AM

UPDATED 4:56 PM
Select Bus Service Comes To Staten Island
By: Tara Lynn Wagner

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...-staten-island

Quote:

Many bus passengers on Staten Island got a faster ride Sunday, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched Select Bus Service on the S79 line.

The service is expected to reduce travel times by about 20 percent, with dedicated bus lanes and longer green lights for approaching buses.

It also cuts the number of stops on the line from 80 to 22. The route goes from the Staten Island Mall, runs along Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard, crosses the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and ends at 86th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Riders can also get a free transfer to the R train in Brooklyn.

"Imagine riding on an elevator that stopped 80 times before it got to your floor. By streamlining the number of stops to 22, we're bringing a red carpet to the borough's busiest bus corridor," said Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

Unlike other select buses in the city, riders will not have to pay before boarding.

Riders who spoke with NY1 on Sunday they already noticed a difference.

"It only take me 15 minutes to get over here. It used to take me about 45 minutes," said one rider.

"I take S79 every Sunday because my kids play soccer and it's good," said another rider who said she now has an extra 10 minutes of sleep.

Additional service has been added to the S59 and S78 to serve stops eliminated from the S79 route.

Local drivers, however, fear the buses taking a lane away from already busy streets will create even more traffic nightmares.

A whole Facebook page has sprung up for drivers to complain about the new lanes.

South Island Councilman Vincent Ignizio also said the buses will not help the overall flow of traffic.

"If you're saying those taking the bus are going to save 12 minutes, that's great. But if my constituents going to the mall are going to add an additional 20 minutes, how did you help anybody in that matter?" said Ignizio.

The councilman said he has spoken to DOT officials, who assured him they will be monitoring traffic and will make adjustments as needed.

This is the fourth Select Bus Service line in the city, following the Bx12 in the Bronx and the M15 and M34 in Manhattan.

For more information, visit mta.info.

NYC4Life

Sep 4, 2012 7:55 PM

UPDATED 12:11 PM
New Taxi Fare Hike Goes Into Effect Today
By: Roger Clark

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...o-effect-today

Quote:

Starting today, taxi drivers in the city can begin collecting the 17 percent fare increase approved by the Taxi and Limousine Commission back in July.

The base fare stays $2.50, but passengers will now be charged 50 cents every fifth of a mile, not 40.

The flat rate between Manhattan and JFK Airport also rises from $45 to $52.

Only drivers who have re-calibrated their meters and posted updated fare prices on their cars can charge the higher rate.

It's the first rate hike since 2006.

New Yorkers will be able to locate the updated cabs who will sport a simple "T" logo as opposed to the old "NYC Taxi" version.

Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Yassky says changes since then have made it tougher for drivers to make ends meet.

"Gas prices are up almost 50 percent since then," Yassky said. "They're also paying credit card fees they weren't paying at that time. You put all that together and the average driver is taking home maybe $25 less a shift than they were six years ago. Now, you can't support your family that way. So, this brings drivers back to where they were. It's a modest increase. I think passengers understand that it's necessary."

The TLC says drivers cleared about $150 per shift in 2006, and that lately it has been only $130. The fare increase will bring them to about $170, roughly what they made in 2006, adjusted for inflation.

"Yeah, that's better, that's better now, I can make more than usually," said one cab driver.

While most riders who spoke with NY1 were okay with paying more to better improve the lives of drivers, others say they will be cutting back on cab trips.

"I mean gas is higher, they are just trying to recoup some of their losses. I'm not saying that it's great, everything is more expensive," said one taxi rider.

Drivers will not have to implement the new fares until their first scheduled inspection at the end of September, so riders may see cabs charging different prices for awhile.

Dac150

Sep 5, 2012 12:22 AM

Taxis are undergoing a new look . . . thought that was interesting considering a new logo emerged just a few years ago.

yankeesfan1000

Sep 25, 2012 3:39 PM

BREAKING: Feds Gives Final OK to Tappan Zee Replacement
By Kate Hinds | 09/25/2012 – 11:27 am

http://transportationnation.org/wp-c..._z-600x399.jpg

"The federal government has given its final approval to New York State’s plans to replace the Tappan Zee Bridge. It’s the final regulatory hurdle the $5 billion project had to cross before the state could award a contract and begin construction...

... The state is currently reviewing bids from three contractors. Once a team is picked, which is expected to be later this year, it will be constructing the bridge under New York’s new design-build legislation. Last week, the governor named a design team to help review the bids and provide aesthetic guidance.

But one big question has yet to be answered: how the state will pay for the new bridge. New York is in the process of requesting a low-interest loan from the federal government, and Cuomo has said that the basic source of financing will come from tolls. But the state has yet to release a comprehensive finance plan..."

NYC4Life

Sep 25, 2012 4:24 PM

8:53 AM
Annual MTA Survey Shows Customer Satisfaction Up
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/transit/1...atisfaction-up

Quote:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is riding a new wave of approval from straphangers.

The agency's own survey found 75 percent of riders are satisfied with overall subway service.

The MTA is also getting high marks for keeping riders informed.

According to the agency, 96 percent of riders said they were satisfied or very satisfied about the countdown clocks on station platforms; 86 percent of riders surveyed said they were satisfied with the time it took to get to their destination; 79 percent of riders were satisfied with the agency's overall information and communication about service.

Station maintenance satisfaction also went up to 80 percent.

The agency attributes the boost in ratings to a number of new initiatives including the Fastrack program.

The MTA interviewed more than 1,200 customers who had taken at least one subway ride in the past 30 days.

While subway approval is up the agency found that satisfaction with bus service had gone down.

The complete results of the survey are available on the MTA's website, mta.info.

NYC4Life

Sep 25, 2012 4:34 PM

NEWS 12 Westchester

http://www.news12.com/articleDetail....news_type=news

Poll: Riders happy with Metro-North

Quote:

(09/25/12) WHITE PLAINS - Riders on Metro-North are giving high grades to the rail line.

In a survey taken in June, commuters gave Metro-North an overall 93 percent satisfaction rate. That figure is higher than the last survey in 2011, which followed some bad weather in the area which affected the rails.

Passengers tell News 12 the train is a much better option than driving. "I work in the city. I'd have to drive. I'd have to factor in gas. It's a lot more convenient ride Metro-North," says commuter David Wright.

The rail line handed out more than 8,000 surveys and more than 5,800 were returned.

(©) News12 Interactive, Inc. 2012

Alon	Sep 25, 2012 7:27 PM

The problem with those customer satisfaction surveys is that they don't survey the millions of potential users who aren't using the trains because they don't take them to where they want to go. Want to get between the South Bronx and Mount Vernon? Enjoy your two-hourly off-peak frequency. Want to travel within Yonkers? Local service is hourly off-peak. Want to travel between Bridgeport and New Rochelle? The only one-seat ride is on Amtrak, and the Metro-North transfers involve a layover of about 10 minutes, with two transfers required on some peak trains.

Metro-North deserves credit for its half-hourly off-peak frequency on some lines, to some stations, but for local trips it's just not enough. It's still much more a peak shuttle from the suburbs to Grand Central than usable urban transit. About the only non-peak usefulness is for longer-distance trips, like to New Haven, or maybe for carless New Yorkers' trips to some suburbs.

Millennium2002

Sep 26, 2012 7:31 AM

Oh geez... not again... seems like that Mangano guy has a vendetta against the MTA and is acting good on his desire to tear it apart. He's already turfed them from his own county at the beginning of this year for "excessively increasing operating costs" and replaced it with a private bus operator (which ironically has only managed to slow down impending service cuts), and now this other stupidity comes along...

Dac150

Sep 29, 2012 4:25 PM

When commuting to and from the city, as a resident of the Northeast suburbs, there is simply no better alternative than Metro-North. Aside from delays that result from inclement weather, the service is consistently spot on and the ride is smooth. The downside is of course the expense (will climb even higher eventually, no doubt) however, it is a much more efficient commute as oppose to driving. Can't beat it.

NYC4Life

Sep 29, 2012 6:11 PM

9:37 AM
MTA: LIRR Sent 1,200 More Than Normal To Atlantic Terminal Friday
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...erminal-friday

Quote:

People attending events at the Barclays Center are urged to take mass transit and it appears they have heeded that call.

The MTA says the Long Island Rail Road carried 1,200 more people than normal into Atlantic Terminal Friday evening.

The Barclays Center opened Friday night with the first of eight sold-out performances by Brooklyn native Jay-Z.

The hip-hop mogul is a part-owner of the NBA's Nets, who start playing at Barclays next month.

Concert-goers who spoke to NY1 had nothing but great things to say about the show and the arena.

"Jay-Z did his thing, man," said one. "He did it big, you know, brought Brooklyn back the way Brooklyn's supposed to be.

"Barclays Center is amazing," said a second. "Jay-Z put on an incredible performance."

"This is a great addition to the cultural life of New York and certainly Brooklyn," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "And when the Nets defeat the Manhattan Knicks, how sweet it is."

The Nets play their first pre-season game at the arena on Oct. 15.

NYC4Life

Oct 1, 2012 5:49 PM

The Star Ledger

Daily poll: Will today's PATH fare hike affect your commuting habits?
Published: Monday, October 01, 2012, 6:10 AM

http://www.nj.com/hudson/voices/inde...s_path_fa.html

http://media.nj.com/jersey-journal/p...471467f8ba.jpg

Quote:

As of 3 a.m. this morning, one-way PATH train rides cost $2.25, 25 cents more than it did yesterday.

This latest fare increase comes as part of a plan to raise the tolls and fares until 2015 when a one-way PATH fare will be $2.75.

Commuters The Jersey Journal spoke to last week about the fare hike didn't realize is was happening today, and they accepted the news with resignation.

"I need to find a new job," joked Nisa Ahmed, a worker at Hudson County Community College, who currently spends $13.50 a day between her PATH and NJ Transit train rides, commuting from Rahway.

Todd Fulford, of Manhattan, who uses the PATH train frequently during the week, said the 25 cents increase was well worth the service. "It is what it is. It's clean and fast, and gets me from my office in the city to my warehouse in Jersey City," he said.

The new fares are being raised across the board, including the multi-day passes. For example, a seven-day Smart Link pass will be raised $3 from $21 to $24. The 30-day Smart Link pass will be $73, up $8 from $65.

NYC4Life

Oct 1, 2012 5:54 PM

WCBS-TV NEW YORK

JetBlue Breaks Ground On Expansion Of JFK Terminal 5
October 1, 2012 11:48 AM

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/10/...fk-terminal-5/

http://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.co...20_1.jpg?w=300
JetBlue CEO David Barger (C) and Rep. Peter King at the groundbreaking for JetBlue’s expansion at JFK – Oct. 1, 2012

Quote:

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at JFK Airport is only four-years-old, but already the New York-based airline needs more space.

So, ground was broken Monday morning on an expansion of the facility.

When it opens in three years, it will have six international gates, an arrival hall, and a customs facility.

“It’s also going to be a boost to the local economy,” said Susan Baer, the Port Authority’s head of avaition.

She said it only makes sense for the busiest airline at the airport to keep getting bigger.

“More than 14 million travelers in this region fly on JetBlue every year and growing I hope,” she said.

They already moved into a new headquarters in Long Island City.

“We are a Queens company,” JetBlue Airways CEO David Barger said.

NYC4Life

Oct 1, 2012 5:56 PM

JetBlue Terminal 5 expansion rendering:

http://media.ny1.com/media/2012/10/1...ewterminal.jpg
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...erminal-at-jfk

M II A II R II K

Oct 4, 2012 9:39 PM

Mass transit on Tappan Zee would save jobs, group says

October 3, 2012

By John Dyer

Read More: http://newyork.newsday.com/westchest...says-1.4070445

Quote:

.....

On Monday, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a nonprofit advocacy group, called on Cuomo to include mass transportation on the bridge if he’s serious about generating jobs throughout the Empire State.

- The governor has agreed to establish a panel of local officials and others to study mass transit on a new bridge, and he’s said he wants the bridge to have the capacity to include transit in the future. But he hasn’t decided whether or not it will be included in the final project.

- The Tri-State Transportation Campaign thinks that’s a mistake. Bridge construction will generate lots of construction jobs in the Hudson Valley. But mass transit will generate even more jobs, including more permanent jobs as workers operate and maintain train lines, buses and other infrastructure, the group argues.

.....

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