Queensboro Plaza Station Will Be Closed Every Weekend in January

The Queensboro Plaza subway station will shut down every weekend in January to allow for accessibility upgrades, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Thursday. The Long Island City station, home to the 7, N, and W trains, will be closed starting the weekend of January 6 through the weekend of January 27, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Saturdays and ending at 5 a.m. on Mondays.

Commuters should note there will also be no 7 train between Queens and Manhattan on those weekends. The 7 will run between Main Street and 74th Street-Broadway; free shuttle buses will be available.

During the month-long weekend shutdown at Queensboro Plaza, the MTA will install the equipment, cab, and glass for a new elevator running from the mezzanine to the platform, new roofing at the upper platform level around the new elevator, and the steel framing for concrete landings around the new elevator shaft.

Other upgrades include a rehabilitation of all the stairs at the station and the installation of media screens as well as fire alarm, CCTV, and PA systems.

As 6sqft previously reported, the $74 million project at Queensboro Plaza includes the addition of two elevators, an expanded mezzanine, new lighting and boarding areas, and upgrades to the existing street and station stairs to meet current ADA standards. The project is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.

The MTA has said the station’s location above the 11-lane entrance to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge makes it a complex construction project requiring significant service reductions and changes.

See the service changes scheduled for every weekend in January:

Queens & Manhattan

• E and R trains will operate every eight minutes instead of every 12 minutes between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

• Overnight ​E trains will be rerouted via the R​ from Queens Plaza to 34th Street-Herald Square.

• ​F trains will be rerouted via the E ​line in both directions between 47th-50th Street-Rockefeller Center and Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue.

• ​7 trains will operate between Main Street and 74th Street-Broadway every eight minutes during weekend peaks.

• ​42nd Street shuttle trains will operate all night between Times Square-42nd Street and Grand Central-42nd Street.

• ​N trains will be rerouted to operate between 96th Street/2nd Avenue and Stillwell Avenue, every 12 minutes during the day.

• ​N shuttle trains will operate between Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard and 39th Avenue every 12 minutes during the day.

• ​Q shuttle trains will operate between 96th Street and 34th Street between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Sunday while N trains transition back to their normal route.

Brooklyn

• ​Q trains will operate between Prospect Park and Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue only, due to track replacement north of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

Free shuttle buses will operate between:

• 74th Street-Broadway and Queens Plaza

• Queens Plaza and Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue

• 39th Avenue (N) and Queens Plaza

• 34th Street-Hudson Yards and Times Square-42nd Street (overnight)

• Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and Prospect Park (replacing the Q)

• Q94 and Q95 buses operate between Roosevelt Island or 21st Street and Queens Plaza as normal except from January 6 to January 8.

On January 6 through 8:

• Free shuttle buses will replace F​ shuttle trains between Lexington Avenue /63rd St and 21 Street-Queensbridge, between Roosevelt Island and Queens Plaza, and the Q94 and Q95

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Queensboro Plaza station will be closed every weekend in January

By Devin Gannon

December 22, 2023

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

MTA Installs New Turnstiles Designed To Stop Fare Evasion

The traditional turnstiles at a subway station in Queens have been fully replaced with new wide-aisle fare gates, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Monday. Designed to increase accessibility and prevent fare evasion, the new fare gates were deployed at the Sutphin Boulevard Archer Avenue-JFK Airport subway station in Jamaica. The fare gates replace the emergency exit gate at the end of the station; more than half of all fare evasion occurs through these emergency gates, according to the MTA.

In May, the MTA unveiled the design prototype for its anti-fare-evasion turnstiles, following the release of a report by the MTA’s Blue-Ribbon Panel on Fare Evasion that found that the transit agency had lost $690 million in unpaid fares and tolls across the system in 2022. Approximately 400,000 daily riders, or 10 to 15 percent of riders, did not pay a fare.

“New York City Transit’s North Star is improving the customer experience, and we are doing just that at Sutphin Blvd by introducing new, easier-to-access, fare gates and by opening our 14th Customer Service Center,” NYC Transit President Richard Davey said.

Photo courtesy of Ray Raimundi / MTA on Flickr

“Customers traveling to and from JFK with their luggage, commuters transferring from the LIRR at Jamaica, and local commuters can look forward to faster, more accessible journeys, and a more welcoming station environment.”

The new fare gates feature wide aisles, making it easier for those with strollers, wheelchairs, and luggage. Additionally, at the north end of the station’s mezzanine, four traditional turnstiles installed with OMNY technology have been installed to improve customer flow.

The installation marks the first full deployment of the new fare gates in the subway system following a test pilot at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station in March 2023. The MTA plans to assess the effects of the new fare gates to determine the possibility of replacing turnstiles at other subway stations in the future.

In addition to the new fare gates, the MTA has opened a new customer service center in the Jamaica station, the 14th center in the entire subway system. Historically, subway customer service has been limited to NYC Transit’s service center at 3 Stone Street in Lower Manhattan. With the new service centers, transit officials can assist commuters directly at stations within their home boroughs.

New York City Transit plans to open another center before the end of the year.

The service centers feature repurposed booths, new retail outlets, improved accessibility, OMNY technology, and a more welcoming visual aesthetic for customers. This includes new lighting, branded wrapping, and canopies with customer service agents ready to assist with signing up for Reduced-Fare, converting riders to OMNY, and other general inquiries.

NYC Transit plans to open another customer service center in the system before the end of the year.

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MTA installs new turnstiles designed to stop fare evasion

By Aaron Ginsburg

December 5, 2023

Photos courtesy of Ray Raimundi / MTA on Flickr

MTA Announces 5 Fare-Free Bus Routes

New York City is testing out free fares on bus routes in every borough this fall. As part of a pilot program launching in late September, five bus lines will be free to riders for between six and 12 months, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA announced Monday. The routes, which serve roughly 43,900 daily riders on an average weekday, were selected based on ridership, fare evasion, service quality, equity for low-income communities, and access to employment and commercial areas, according to the MTA.

The free routes include the Bx18 A/B in the Bronx, B60 in Brooklyn, M116 in Manhattan, Q4 LCL/LTD in Queens, and the S46/96 on Staten Island.

The free bus routes will be identifiable by easy-to-see “Fare-Free” decals with green and black destination signage, digital signage onboard the buses, decals on fareboxes, and OMNY readers. The pilot program will not include free transfers to other bus routes or subway lines.

“The MTA is the lifeblood of New York City, and I’m proud of the tremendous progress we’ve made in returning ridership to pre-pandemic levels,” Hochul said. “By establishing these fare free bus pilot routes, we are expanding access to public transportation across the city and improving transit equity to better serve all New Yorkers.”

More information about the participating bus routes can be found here:

Bx18 A/B: Operating daily during daytime hours between Undercliff Avenue or Sedgwick Avenue and Grand Concourse/E 170 Street, the Bx18 A/B bus route travels along Macombs Road, Tremont Avenue, Undercliff Avenue/Sedgwick Avenue, 168 Street, and 170 Street. It serves Morris Heights, Highbridge, and Mount Eden neighborhoods and connects to the 4, B, and D trains and several other bus routes.

B60: Operates between Williams Avenue/Flatlands Avenue in Canarsie and Williamsburg Bridge Plaza. The route runs along Rockaway Avenue and Wilson Avenue and serves the Canarsie, Brownsville, Ocean Hill, Bushwick, and Williamsburg neighborhoods. It makes connections to the 3, C, L, G, J, M, and Z trains and several other bus routes.

M116: Operates daily during daytime hours between W 106 Street /Broadway and E 120 Street/Pleasant Avenue. The route runs along 116 Street, Manhattan Avenue, and W 106 Street and serves the Harlem, East Harlem, and Morningside Heights neighborhoods. The route makes connections to the 1, 2, 3, 6, B, and C trains and several bus routes.

Q4 LCL/LTD: Operates between the Jamaica Ctr-Parsons/Archer E, J, and Z subway station and Linden Boulevard/235 Street. Some buses operate as Limited-Stop during morning and afternoon rush hours on weekdays. The route runs on Linden Boulevard, Merrick Boulevard, and Archer Avenue and serves the Jamaica Center, South Jamaica, St. Albans, and Cambria Heights neighborhoods. It makes connections to the E, J, and Z trains, the St. Albans Long Island Rail Road station, and several bus routes.

S46/96: Operates between South Avenue, West Shore Plaza Shopping Center, and the St. George Ferry Terminal, the S46 local route operates at all times and the S96 Limited route operates on weekdays only in the peak period, peak direction. The route runs along Castleton Avenue, Victory Boulevard, Walker Street/Brabant Street, and South Avenue. It serves St. George, Tompkinsville, West New Brighton, Port Richmond, Elm Park, Arlington, Bloomfield, and Chelsea neighborhoods and makes connections to the Staten Island Railway and Staten Island Ferry.

After the pilot program, the MTA will evaluate the program’s impact on metrics like ridership, route speeds, costs, security, and service levels, reverting the participating routes back to paid service, according to amNY.

The state budget, which was approved last May, included $50 million for the program.

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MTA announces 5 fare-free bus routes

POSTED TODAY, JULY 18, 2023

BY AARON GINSBURG

Image courtesy of Patrick J. Cashin / Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Flickr

MTA Proposal: Increase Fares To $2.90 By The End Of The Summer

New York City commuters will likely pay more for subway, bus, and commuter rail trips by the end of the summer. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday unveiled its proposal for fare increases across the system. The cost of a single subway and bus trip would increase by 5 percent from $2.75 to $2.90, the first base fare increase since 2015.

Under the proposal, the seven-day pass would increase by 3 percent from $33 to $34, and the 30-day unlimited pass by 4 percent from $127 to $132. The express bus base fare would jump from $6.75 to $7 and the seven-day pass from $62 to $64.

According to the MTA, the unlimited pass customers, particularly the seven-day pass users, are “generally more low- and middle-income,” which is why those fares will see the lowest percentage increase.

Photo by Asael Peña on Unsplash

Fares on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North and tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels would also increase.

With a vote on the proposal expected sometime in July, the MTA said the new rates would take effect “no later than Labor Day.” The MTA will hold six public hearings before the final vote.

Prior to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget, the MTA faced a $600 million budget deficit. The final budget approved earlier this month included new revenues dedicated to the MTA to address its budget woes, including a payroll tax on the city’s largest businesses and a one-time payment of $300 million by the state. Later on, the MTA will also receive revenue from the three downstate casinos opening in the next few years.

The last fare hike came in 2019 when the price of a monthly subway and bus pass rose from $121 to $127 and a weekly pass from $32 to $33. The base fare last increased in 2015 when it went from $2.50 per trip to $2.75.

While the MTA has biennial fare hikes incorporated into its operating budgets, fares did not increase in 2021 because of the pandemic.

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NYC subway, bus fare to increase to $2.90 by end of summer, under MTA proposal

POSTED ON TUE, MAY 23, 2023

BY DEVIN GANNON

Photo by Asael Peña on Unsplash

MTA Unveils New NYC Subway Turnstile

To deter the roughly 400,000 subway riders who don’t pay the fare every day, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to redesign the turnstiles for the first time in modern history. The agency on Wednesday unveiled a potential design of a new subway fare gate that includes glass doors that slide open, replacing the rotating turnstiles that have been part of the system since its inception. The new gates would remove the need for emergency exit doors, which the MTA said accounts for more than half of all fare evasion.

The reveal of the turnstile prototype follows the release of a report by the MTA’s Blue-Ribbon Panel on Fare Evasion. The report found the MTA lost $690 million in unpaid fares and tolls across the system last year, with subway fare evasion costing the transit agency roughly $285 million in 2022. Approximately 400,000 daily riders, or 10 to 15 percent of riders, did not pay a fare last year.

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Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

In 2022, fare evasion on NYC buses cost the transit agency more than on the subway system, with the MTA losing an estimated $310 million in revenue. Approximately 700,000 bus riders failed to pay the fair, making up 37 percent of all bus riders on an average weekday. The panel recommended an expansion of NYC Transit’s Eagle Team, civil agents who work on Select Bus Service routes and enforce fare payment. The MTA plans to hire an additional 100 agents and deploy them on bus routes that experience the highest rates of fare evasion.

“Fare and toll evasion isn’t just an economics problem: it tears at the social contract that supports mass transit in New York City. New Yorkers are sick of feeling like suckers seeing their neighbors beat the fare or cheat the toll while they pony up their fair share,” Janno Lieber, MTA Chair and CEO said.

“The report findings address this emerging crisis with a comprehensive plan across all MTA services, while also acknowledging that enforcement alone will not solve this problem. The MTA will look to implement some of the Panel’s key recommendations, and we thank them for their tremendous work.”

While the installation of these new modernized gates is a long-term project, the MTA is exploring immediate solutions to make the system better equipped to combat evasion.

The agency has coordinated with the NYPD to carry out “precision enforcement” in the subway system for fare evaders. Over the past year, the number of summonses for fare evaders has risen nearly 60 percent. The panel has called for the use of emerging technology and data sources to focus on fare evasion hotspots and to align itself with local organizations that will help promote fare payment.

An additional recommendation by the panel includes doubling the eligibility threshold for Fair Fares to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, which will allow 500,000 more New Yorkers to pay half-priced fares for public transit.

Transit officials have stated they will also work to educate New Yorkers on top of enforcing the payment of fares. Part of the reason the panel was formed was to address the concerns of advocacy groups who spoke about the historically disproportionate fare evasion enforcement of people of color.

NYPD data revealed that 93 percent of people arrested for fare evasion in the subway system in the last three months of 2022 were Black or Hispanic, and 66 percent of those issued summonses for fare evasion were Black and Hispanic, according to Gothamist. Lieber has said that the MTA is planning on working with the NYPD to ensure that their crackdown on fare evasion doesn’t target people of color.

As amNY reported, four companies presented prototype turnstiles this week and will be subject to a competitive procurement process.

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MTA unveils redesign of NYC subway turnstile as fare evasion solution

POSTED TODAY, MAY 18, 2023

BY AARON GINSBURG

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

New Times Square Subway Station Mosaics Capture The Energy of Times Square

Two new mosaics by the artist Nick Cave were unveiled in Times Square on Monday, completing a permanent artwork and marking the largest mosaic project in New York City’s subway system. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s public art program, the artwork, titled “Each One, Every One, Equal All,” features Cave’s wearable sculpture works “Soundsuits” translated into 4,600 square feet of colorful mosaic. The new artwork is part of a larger revamp of the 42nd Street station, including a new entrance and upgraded mezzanine level.

Courtesy of MTA/Trent Reeves

Cave’s Soundsuits are wearable sculptures made of different materials, from twigs and fur to sequins and feathers, that are inspired by African traditions. As 6sqft previously reported, Cave created his first Soundsuit in 1992 in direct response to the police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles.

As part of the permanent artwork in the 42nd Street subway station, the Soundsuits have been translated into an expansive mosaic. The first part of the series, “Every One,” opened in September 2021 in the passageway that connects the B, D, F, and M trains to the 42nd Street shuttle.

Courtesy of MTA/Trent Reeves

“Each One” measures over 14 feet tall and features Soundsuits in “various states of vertical movement and suspension, accentuated by stripes that run floor to ceiling,” as the MTA described. The agency says the movement of the art is a reference to the famed New Year’s Eve ball drop.

“Equal All” showcases 12 life-sized Soundsuits, displaying some of Cave’s most well-known sculptures made over the last two decades and surrounded by radiating rings.  The most recent on display as part of “Equal All” is “Soundsuit 9:29,” which Cave made in 2021 in response to George Floyd’s murder.

The artwork, which was fabricated by German mosaic fabricator Mayer of Munich, is also Cave’s largest permanent public piece to date.

Courtesy of MTA/Trent Reeves

“Nick Cave’s new mosaics complete the trilogy that is ‘Each One, Every One, Equal All,’” Sandra Bloodworth, MTA Arts & Design Director, said in a statement. “Each piece connects riders with the energy of Times Square, while honoring the incredible diversity found throughout New York City, particularly at this location. The work carries a powerful message of equality and representation. Its name makes clear that the artwork, and the celebration, is meant for each and every one of us.”

The MTA on Monday opened a new entrance at the 42nd Street-Times Square station that allows riders to directly enter and exit Broadway Plaza. The entrance includes a new accessible elevator, upgrades to lighting, new information signs, and new security cameras.

There is also a new staircase that is 15 feet wide with a new canopy made of over 230 triangular glass frames. All said and done, the new staircase and mezzanine upgrades, which took three years to complete, cost a whopping $30 million, as the New York Post reported. Real estate developer Jamestown, which is redeveloping One Times Square above the station, contributed $10 million for the elevator.

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

“The unveiling of this new subway entrance couldn’t come at a better time for subway riders,” Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA Construction & Development, said. “From the new ADA accessibility elevator to the ongoing rebuilding and expansion of the Times Square station, the new subway entrance signifies MTA Construction & Development’s successful approach to delivering capital projects through innovative public-private partnerships.”

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Nick Cave’s vibrant ‘Soundsuits’ subway station mosaics capture the energy of Times Square

POSTED ON TUE, MAY 17, 2022BY DEVIN GANNON

All photos courtesy of MTA/Trent Reeves, and Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr unless otherwise noted

Jerry Seinfeld, Fran Lebowitz Among Other Celebs Making New COVID PSAs For The MTA

Photo by Jenna Day on Unsplash

Jerry Seinfeld, Edie Falco, Cam’ron, Debbie Mazar, Whoopie Goldberg, Fran Lebowitz–these are just a few of the 25 New York celebrities whose voices were recorded by the MTA for a new set of subway PSAs. The announcements, which begin today, are meant to bring humor and some good old-fashioned NYC swagger to the subway as the city begins its recovery. The project was done in collaboration with Nicolas Heller, a talent scout who has gained notoriety for his popular Instagram account New York Nico. “This was such a dream project and I wanna give a huge thanks to my team who helped make this whole thing happen in less than 6 weeks with $0,” he wrote in a post today.

According to the MTA, the project was conceived to bring “a dose of authentic New York swagger into the system” and to provide “a morale boost and some much-needed humor for customers returning to the system as New York begins to recover from the pandemic.”

The full campaign will include roughly 50 recordings, and this first phase will run for about a month at 400 subway stations, thousands of subway cars, and close to 4,500 buses.

In a statement, Heller said:

This is such an honor for me. Mass transit is the cultural lifeblood of our city and partnering with the MTA to bring some joy into the system after the most challenging year imaginable is the least I can do to help with the system’s broader recovery. The city’s subways and buses–and the range of characters who ride them–have always been central to my work and I’m so grateful that I could help bring some of the most recognizable voices of iconic New Yorkers to the system. The members of the MTA workforce have braved the pandemic and heroically moved essential workers throughout the pandemic. This is for them.

All of the celebrities involved in the project were asked to infuse their personalities into the recordings while putting an emphasis on mask-wearing and social distancing. The full list of 25 participants is:

Cam’ron

• Whoopi Goldber

• Young M.A.

• Jerry Seinfeld

• Edie Falco

• Bowen Yang

• Awkwafina

• Angie Martinez

• Bob the Drag Queen

• Debi Mazar

• Michael Rapaport

• Jadakiss

• DesusNice

• The Kid Mero

• MaliibuMitch

• Dave East

• FivioForeign

• Pat Kiernan

• Angela Yee

• Peter Rosenberg

• Ilana Glazer

• Michael Kay

• Eric Andre

• Abbi Jacobson

And if you’re still working from home, the MTA has put together the clip above and provided some sample scripts here:

Whoopi Goldberg: Hey, it’s Whoopi Goldberg. Please remember to always wear a mask on the train and in the station. And remember to wear it the right way. Do your part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep our city safe. ‘Cause, honey, everybody wants to go out. Okay? Thank you.

Jerry Seinfeld: Hi this is Jerry Seinfeld. Please do your best to practice social distancing on the train and in the station. Staying 6ft apart is not only a great way to keep our city safe—think how much you’ll save not needing cologne. Thanks, New York.

Edie Falco: Hey New Yorkers—Edie Falco here. Getting a seat on a crowded train can feel like winning the lottery, but please be courteous. Offer your seat to someone who may need it more than you. And please wear your masks—let’s make courtesy the only thing that’s contagious on the train. Thanks, New York.

Cam’ron: Ey yo check it out it’s Harlem’s own Killa Cam. Look—I don’t care if you from uptown, downtown, Harlem, Switzerland, wherever. I don’t care if you a chicken or a duck. And you know what? Covid don’t care either. Are you wearin’ a mask? Ya, well is it covering your mouth and nose? Then good, you’re doing great. Remember not only wearin’ a mask is the law—it’s the right thing to do.

Awkwafina: Showtime! Just kidding, New York. It’s your girl, Awkwafina. And no, I’m not here to do sweet dance moves or swing around a pole. Bummer, I know. But, I am here to give you an important reminder: please wear your mask at all times while on the train or in the station. Actually, just wear it whenever you leave the house. Thanks for helping to keep New York City safe, and have a great day.

MTA Unveils Digital Memorial Honoring The 100+ MTA Workers Lost To COVID-19

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Photos courtesy of Marc A. Hermann/ MTA

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday unveiled a memorial dedicated to the 136 employees who have died from the coronavirus since March. The tribute, named “Travels Far: A Memorial Honoring Our Colleagues Lost to COVID-19” after a poem by Tracy K. Smith commissioned for the project, includes an eight-minute video featuring photographs of the frontline MTA workers who lost their lives to the virus. The video will run on 138 three-panel digital screens at 107 subway stations across the city starting Monday.

“The pandemic has marked an unimaginably challenging and painful time at New York City Transit,” Sarah Feinberg, interim president of New York City Transit, said in a press release.

“Today marks the next step in our ongoing efforts to honor the colleagues, friends and family members who were taken from us too soon. These men and women were the heroes of the transit system – conductors, bus and train operators, cleaners – but they were also mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters. We think of them daily and we continue to mourn them with their friends and families.”

Designed by MTA Arts & Design, the tribute will feature the “Travels Far” poem in multiple languages as well as an original score by the same name from composer Christopher Thompson. Starting Monday and running through February 7, the video will play twice consecutively three times per day at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

There is also a new website dedicated to the COVID-19 memorial that features the video and photographs of the MTA employees. You can find the full list of NYC subway stations displaying the memorial here.

“TRAVELS FAR, with its poignant title and thoughtful words by Tracy K. Smith, helps us remember these courageous members of the MTA family in a way that pays tribute and honors them and their workplace contributions,” Sandra Bloodworth, director of MTA Arts and Design, said.

“Surrounded by a spectrum of colors, the portraits in black and white allow us a glimpse into unique personalities known to their families and colleagues. This memorial shows that art can be a powerful messenger, conveying loss and honoring the memory of our colleagues.”

The poem “TRAVELS FAR” by Tracy K. Smith reads as follows:
What you gave—
brief tokens of regard,
soft words uttered
barely heard,
the smile glimpsed
from a passing car.

Through stations
and years, through
the veined chambers
of a stranger’s heart—
what you gave
travels far.

How the MTA Deal With Snowstorms - Jet Engine Powered Snow Blowers

A jet snow thrower in action via MTA’s Flickr

With a forecast of up to 18 inches of snow, Winter Storm Gail is expected to bring more snow to New York City this week than the five boroughs saw all of last year. In response to the nor’easter, expected to hit Wednesday afternoon, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has activated its 24/7 command center to monitor the storm. The agency is prepared to clear subways, buses, and commuter railways of snow thanks to its fleet of super-powered snow throwers, jet-powered snow blowers, and specially designed de-icing cars to tackle the icy mess.

“The safety of our employees and customers continues to be our first priority as we prepare for the first winter storm of the season,” MTA Chair Patrick Foye said in a press release. “The MTA is no stranger to the challenges posed by inclement weather and is ready as always to rise to the occasion in order to keep New York moving.”

A Hurricane Jet Snow Blower clears a track via MTA’s Flickr

The Long Island Rail Road will operate on an enhanced weekend schedule on Thursday, Dec. 17. The LIRR’s “snow-fighting” equipment includes 978,000 pounds of de-icing material, 22,000 linear feet of third rail heater, 262 portable snowblowers, 235 chainsaws, 167 portable generators, eight truck-mountable salt spreaders, 25 cubic yards of sand, two forklifts, and other vehicles ready to clear the snow.

On the Metro-North Railroad, the MTA will bring on 220 snowblowers, 70 truck-mountable salt spreaders, over 1,800 ice scrapers, 146 chainsaws, 196 portable generators, and 635 track switch heaters, along with dump trucks, backhoes, and emergency response trailers.

A snowblower, via MTA’s Flickr

Starting at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, an empty and tandem tractor-trailer ban will be in effect at the MTA’s seven bridges and two tunnels. The MTA also has on hand 8,300 tons of salt, 50 snowblowers, and 74 truck mountable salt spreaders. Bridges are equipped with embedded roadway sensors for temperature sensors that deliver real-time information on wind velocity, wind direction, humidity, and precipitation through wireless communication, according to the agency. These sensors determine if speed restrictions are necessary.

NYC buses will operate at reduced service and all local buses will be fitted with tire chains. The articulated buses will be replaced by shorter buses. Bus managers can use technology that tracks service when it falls below expected levels on route to make decisions on service.

While the underground subway stations are mostly unaffected by snowfall, the system’s 220 miles of outdoor track are most vulnerable to snow and ice-cold conditions. According to the MTA, the tracks that will be most affected by the snow include the Rockaway A and S line, Sea Beach N line, Flushing 7 line, Brighton B and Q line, and Dyre Avenue 5 line.

According to the MTA, “super-powered snow throwers, jet-powered snow-blowers, and de-icing cars – retired subway cars modified with tanks and other specialized equipment to spray de-icing fluid on the third rail — are ready for immediate deployment.”

NYC Transit’s snow-fighting resources include more than 236,000 pounds of de-icing material, 2,770 ice scraper shoes, 259 third rail heaters, 249 track switch heaters, 218 jet engine powered blowers, 230 portable generators, and a number of service and emergency response vehicles.

The MTA also preps its subway fleet for snow by spraying an anti-freeze agent on door panels, purging air brake lines of moisture to prevent freezing, and equipping electric trains with third rail shoes with holes to stop snow from sticking.

And when the snow throwers, jet blowers, and de-icer cars can’t do the job, MTA signal maintainers are sent out to clear switches with what looks like a couple of brooms. The MTA created a video about the ways they prepare for winter storms. Watch it below:

Extreme cold and winter storms means subway service may change. Learn more about our Winter Weather Travel Guide at http://mta.info/coldweather

POSTED: DECEMBER 16, 2020BY DEVIN GANNON

NYC Subways Will Shut Down From 1am-5am For Nightly Cleanings

After Governor Cuomo asked the MTA to step up its subway disinfecting schedule from every 72 to 24 hours, the agency came back with what it’s calling the “Essential Connector Program.” This initiative will stop service from 1:00am to 5:00am every night during the pandemic, starting Wednesday, May 6. New York City is one of the few cities in the entire world (and the only one in the U.S.) that has a public transit system that runs 24/7, but the governor has said that it is the city and state’s responsibility to disinfect more frequently in order to keep our essential workers safe and ensure that they feel comfortable riding the subway.

As the governor explained, the disruptions are coming at a time when overall subway ridership is down 92 percent. These hours, 1am to 5am, are the lowest ridership times, with about 11,000 riders using the system during that time. For those essential workers who rely on public transportation during these hours, the city will provide buses, for-hire vehicles, and compliant “dollar vans” at no cost.

Trains on MetroNorth and the Long Island Railroad, as well as city buses, will also be disinfected every 24 hours; because of their ridership numbers, this can be done with no disruptions to current service schedules.

In addition to disinfecting each night, the MTA will have time to continue testing innovative cleaning solutions that include UV, antimicrobials, and electrostatic disinfectants.

The entire initiative is a partnership among the city, state, and MTA, as it will require a “robust and sustainable NYPD presence to secure the stations and manage closure of train service.”

Governor Cuomo did admit that this is a task that “nobody had ever imagined before” and explained that we clean trains, but how do you disinfect? “This is a whole new process, these are new chemicals, this is new equipment for workers, it’s new methods.” He added the challenge of needing to disinfect “every place that a hand could touch on a subway car,” such as every rail, pole, door, as well as any place that a droplet could land for sneezing or coughing. “So you have to disinfect that entire interior of the car, and then you have to disinfect the stations, the handrails, everything that people could be touching.”

According to a press release, “The MTA will resume overnight service between the period of 1-5 a.m. when customer demand returns, and innovative and efficient disinfecting techniques have been successfully deployed systemwide.”

MTA Unveils First Look At New Open-Gangway Subway Cars

Straphangers will soon be able to move freely between some subway cars. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday released photos of the city’s newest subway fleet which features an “open-gangway” design, or accordion-like walls located at the ends of cars. The R211 car design is meant to increase capacity by allowing for better movement and “customer flow.” Expected to be partially delivered later this year, the new subway cars are part of a nearly $4 billion contract awarded to Kawasaki Industries in 2018.

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The open-gangway design replaces the door between subway cars to create more space, safely. Other new design elements include wider doors to let more customers on and off more quickly, digital displays and advertisements, and a blue and gold exterior.

The new cars will eventually replace the MTA’s fleet of R46 cars, which were built in the late 1970s and run on the A, F, R, and C lines, as well as the Staten Island Railway.

“We are very excited about these latest developments in our R211 car production because these new cars represent the future of the New York subway and will be the new standard for all new NYC Transit subway cars going forward,” Frank Jezycki, the chief operating officer of the Department of Subways, said in a statement.

The roughly $3.69 billion contract is set up in three phases for a total of more than 1,600 cars, with the first batch of cars scheduled to be delivered by Kawasaki this year. The first phase involves $1.4 billion for 535 R211 cars, but it’s unclear as of now how many of them will feature the open gangway design.

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According to the MTA, 30 pilot R211 cars, 20 of them with open-gangways, will be delivered to NYC Transit for testing this year. Following the test of pilot cars, the production of the base R211 order will begin, which is expected to take two years, by August 2023.

The MTA says the production process is “on schedule and on budget,” unlike the contract the MTA has with Bombardier. The Canadian company delivered the last fleet of new cars two years behind schedule, with many of the cars having mechanical issues. The agency pulled 300 of the Bombardier-manufactured subway cars from service earlier this month after reports of the doors opening while moving.

MTA’s New Tap-To-Pay System Starts Replacing MetroCards Next Week!

Before you get too distraught–you’ll still be able to swipe (and “swipe again”) your MetroCard until 2023. But for those techier New Yorkers, as of May 31st you’ll be able to take advantage of the MTA’s new tap-to-pay fare system when a pilot launches at 16 Manhattan and Brooklyn subway stations on the 4, 5, and 6 lines between Grand Central-42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, as well as all Staten Island buses. The new payment system, called OMNY (One Metro New York), will employ e-readers that can accept contactless credit, debit, or reloadable prepaid cards, along with digital wallet apps on mobile phones and wearables. Additionally, Google announced that they’ve teamed up with the MTA to enable Google Pay as a payment option.

The new $574 million system was developed by Cubic Transportation Systems, the same company that replaced subway tokens with MetroCards over 30 years ago. OMNY is projected to be available throughout the entire subway, bus, and commuter rail systems by late 2020. Until then, it’s only available on a full-fare, pay-per-ride basis. Free transfers will only apply if transferring at another OMNY-equipped station; otherwise, you’ll need to keep using your MetroCard.

When the 2020 milestone arrives, the MTA will add additional fare options such as weekly and monthly passes and reduced and student fares. There won’t be a cash option initially, but starting in 2021, the MTA will sell contactless transit cards at retail locations. In 2022, they’ll be available for sale through 2,000 vending machines in subway and commuter rail stations.

Google Pay’s partnership with the MTA is part of a larger initiative in which Google is working with transit agencies in 30+ cities around the world. In NYC, they will also have a real-time Google Assistant feature that will tell you the ETA of the next train and walking directions to stations. In the next few weeks, Google Maps will also note which subway stations accept Google Pay.

As Bloomberg reports, the impending MetroCard phase-out has banks working overtime to update their cards to feature contactless technology. Currently, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp, and Wells Fargo & Co. have the tap-and-go technology for all of their credit and debit cards. JP Morgan leads the pack, having issued 20 million contactless cards thus far. And by the end of 2020, Visa predicts the number of contactless cards in the U.S. will triple to 300 million.

To manage the new payment system, OMNY will have accounts where riders can access a personalized dashboard showing 90 days of travel and transaction activity and manage their payment methods. The OMNY app will be available for iOS and Android by late 2019.

If all this information has your head spinning, keep in mind the MTA’s inspiration behind the OMNY moniker. “[OMNY] is based on the prefix ‘omni,’ which means ‘all’ or ‘of all things.’ We believe that transportation is an essential service that connects communities and brings the diversity and energy of New York together. OMNY is the newest way to experience all that our region offers.”

MTA Approves Discounted MetroCards For 7- And 30-day Passes

Reduced MetroCards are coming to New York City in January, but the discounts only apply to weekly and monthly passes. New details about the Fair Fares program, which was officially included in the city budget in June, were released on Tuesday during an MTA board meeting. According to meeting minutes, the MTA will not be providing single trip discounts when the program kicks off next year. Instead, low-income New Yorkers who are living at or below the federal poverty level, or a household income of $25,000 for a family of four, can buy half-off 7-day or 30-day passes.  

“We always envisioned riders being able to purchase any fare type at half price and hope that this flexibility is added as the program rolls out,” David Jones, MTA board member, said in a statement to Gothamist. “Choice is important to all customers, especially for those who are financially constrained.”

A pilot Fair Fares program will launch in January and will run until June. As 6sqft previously reported, the City Council and Mayor Bill de Blasio agreed to provide roughly $100 million in funding six months of the program, fully subsidizing the cost during the test run.

Original estimates found nearly 800,000 New Yorkers would benefit from the discounted subway and bus fares. But it’s unclear as of now how many straphangers will benefit without a reduced fare for single trips. Since it’s kicking off as a pilot program first, details are still being worked out.

Report Shows Subway Platform Temperatures of OVER 104 Degrees

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Are subway platforms really as hot as the inside of a rotisserie, or does it just seem that way? On Thursday, August 9, 2018, the Regional Plan Association (RPA) sent out an intrepid task force of staff and interns to measure the temperature in the city’s ten busiest subway stations. The temperature outside was 86 degrees. The data they collected helped to inform a report titled, “Save Our Subways: A Plan To Transform New York City’s Rapid Transit System.”

Above ground high temperature (above ground): 86 degrees
Highest temperature recorded on a platform: 104 degrees (14-Street Union Square
Downtown 4/5/6 Platform)
Average temperature recorded on platforms: 94.6 degrees

The oppressive heat in underground subway stations isn’t just a nuisance, it poses a serious health risk–for subway workers as well as paying customers. According to the NYC Health Department, “A heat index above 95°F is especially dangerous for older adults and other vulnerable individuals.” The city issues a heat advisory when the heat index is expected to reach 95 to 99 degrees for two or more consecutive days, or 100 to 104 degrees for an time at all.

According to a 2015 Academy of Sciences report, the average temperature in New York City has increased by 3.4 degrees between 1900 and 2013. It’s definitely time to turn down the heat on subway platforms. The RPA report suggests several ways the MTA could leverage modern technology like regenerative braking and CBCT–which they are already in the process of installing–to cool off subway platforms by reducing the heat generated by trains.

3 Subway Stations Will Close For 6 Months

NEW YORK, NY — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Friday when three Manhattan subway stops will shutter in July for six months of repairs.

The 57th Street station on the F line, the 28th Street stop on the 6 and the 23rd Street station on the F and M will receive structural repairs and upgrades during the sixth-month period and are expected to reopen in December, said MTA officials.

The MTA is staggering the closures with the 57th Street stop shuttering on July 9th, followed by 28th Street on July 16 and 23rd Street on July 23, said transit officials. PATH service at the 23rd Street station will be not be affected.

More than 70,000 straphanger use the three stations on a given week day with roughly 15,700 riders swiping into 57th Street, over 24,000 commuters hoping on the subway at 28th Street and approximately 31,000 customers using the 23rd Street station, according to MTA data. 

The improvements are part of a $124.9 million contract to update a total of five stations sorely in need of repairs. The 28th Street station is among the oldest in the subway system since opening on the day that service began in October 1904. The 23rd Street station began operating during World War II in December 1940 and the 57 Street station welcomed straphangers in July 1968, prior to the construction of the East River subway tunnel to Queens.

In addition to structural repairs, the new and improved stations will feature tech upgrades including digital signage with real-time information, countdown clocks, and brighter, more energy-efficient lighting.

Turnstile areas will be upgraded with glass barriers, security cameras, and new information centers featuring digital dashboards. Platforms will also receive a cosmetic and functional boost with new platform edge warning strips, accessible boarding areas, new seating, digital dashboards and countdown clocks.

After 17 Years Cortlandt Street Station Will Reopen Since 9/11

Nearly 17 years after it was severely damaged in the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, and then temporarily shuttered, the Cortlandt Street station is set to open this October. Running on the 1-line, the new station, expected to serve thousands of workers and tourists visiting the site, will boast Ann Hamilton’s artwork, featuring words from the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of Independence (h/t Daily News). Cortlandt Street station was meant to open in 2014, but funding disputes between the Port Authority and the MTA delayed its completion until this year.

Located directly under the World Trade Center site, the station was crushed by the collapse of Two World Trade Center. In order to restore service to Rector Street and South Ferry stations, workers demolished the rest of Cortlandt and built walls where the platforms stood. The line was able to reopen a year after 9/11, with trains bypassing the station.

In 2008, the Port Authority and the MTA reached an agreement about the station’s reconstructing, which said the MTA would pay the Port Authority to rebuild Cortlandt under the WTC Hub contract. Seven years later, the MTA took over the project and faced more delays, stemming from design changes and slow contractors. Since May 2015, workers have installed finishing touches, including new tiles and lighting.

The $182 million WTC station will bring more convenience to commuters and less time spent walking outside between stations. Jessica Lappin, the president of Downtown Alliance, told the Daily News, that the number of private-sector jobs in Lower Manhattan has returned to pre-9/11 days at 242,000 jobs.

“This is the right moment, where people want the connectivity and they want to be able to take the 1 train south of Chambers,” Lappin told the Daily News.

[Via NY Daily News]

MTA Will Most Likely Raise Fares In 2019

Without another option to bring in revenue to the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority, straphangers will most likely have to pay higher fares next year. The fare hike would be the sixth since 2009 when the state legislature approved a financial rescue plan that included increasing fares every other year. While funding for the financially-troubled authority continues to be negotiated among lawmakers before the state’s budget deadline next month, MTA Chairman Joe Lhota told the Daily News he did not see a scenario where the fares could remain the same.

The fare hike options in 2017 via MTA

The exact percentage of increase in fares remains unclear as of now. Increases are expected on all subway, bus and commuter rail fares. Last year, the MTA voted not to increase per-ride costs, but instead upped the price of weekly and monthly MetroCard prices, from $31 to $32 per week and from $116.50 to $121 per month.

MTA board members do not support another fare and toll hike, especially because of the system’s poor service. One board member, Mitchell Pally, told amNY: “In these times of difficulties on the system…to ask our riders to pay more now, in my opinion, would be a grievous mistake. It’s March. We have time ’til December to solve that problem in some way — hopefully with our funding partners.”

A congestion pricing plan, advocated by Governor Andrew Cuomo, is an option currently being debated in Albany that could raise revenue quickly for the MTA. While the authority’s board considered approving a resolution to call for a congestion pricing plan, it never came to a vote.

MTA Hit With Federal Lawsuit Over Lack Of Accessibility

The MTA has found itself on the wrong end of a lawsuit by the feds for failing to make its subway stations wheelchair-accessible. On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney  Geoffrey Berman joined a lawsuit accusing the agency of not adding assistance for disabled riders when renovating stations, the New York Post reports. The suit began in 2016 when a civic agency in the Bronx accused the MTA of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not creating wheelchair access at the Middletown Road station. The suit should come as no surprise; as 6sqft previously reported, fewer than 1/4 of New York City’s subway stations are fully wheelchair-accessible–only 117 out of 472. In fact, NYC ranks the least accessible out of the country’s ten largest metro systems–all of LA’s 93 stations and DC’s 91, for example, are fully accessible.

Berman said, “There is no justification for public entities to ignore the requirements of the ADA 28 years after its passage. The subway system is a vital part of New York City’s transportation system, and when a subway station undergoes a complete renovation, MTA and NYCTA must comply with its obligations to make such stations accessible to the maximum extent feasible.”

Disability advocates have spoken up on the subject at every monthly MTA board meeting for the past year. The agency’s official response is that they are, in fact, working to add more accessibility, but that the cost of making every station wheelchair accessible has proven insurmountable. MTA spokesman Shams Tarek said, “The MTA and NYC Transit are committed to adding and maintaining accessibility for the century-old subway system, and working hard to do so by investing more than a billion dollars over the current five-year capital plan alone.”

An aging system is often to blame when cities fail to offer sufficient accessibility. The London Underground, which dates to 1863 and is the world’s oldest metro, has only 50 fully accessible stations out of 260. Paris, where the metro opened in 1900, is even worse with only nine fully accessible stations. Barcelona, considered the most accessible system in Europe, boasts 129 of 156 stations classified as fully accessible. The metro there began operation in 1924, and as of 1992 all stations built there must be made accessible.

Subway Map Designer Massimo Vignelli’s UES Apartment Hits The Market For $6.5M

The Upper East Side home of iconic designer-duo Lella and Massimo Vignelli will be listed for $6.5 million, according to the New York Times. The 3,900-square-foot three-bedroom duplex at 130 East 67th Street features super high ceilings, wide plank oak floors and a beautiful library. The Italian-born couple first bought the home in 1978 for $250,000, and it served as their first New York abode. While best known in NYC for his 1972 design of the subway map for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Massimo, who died in 2014, is also credited with creating iconic branding for companies, like the big brown bag logo for Bloomingdales. His wife, Lella, who died in 2016, was a licensed architect and created furniture and tableware for Vignelli Designs.  According to the son of the late couple, Luca, the apartment served as a “cultural hub for artists and designers.”

The listing says the home “is a prime example of the iconic couple’s aesthetic of modern minimalism and timeless elegance.” The living room boasts nearly 20-foot high, coffered ceilings, original double-height lead glass windows, stunning oak floors and a wood-burning fireplace. Much of the furniture and other elements in the apartment were designed by the Vignelli’s.

Located next to the living area, there is a spacious eat-in kitchen and a bedroom with its own private entrance. Natural light fills the spectacularly simple library, which connects to a study and/or dining room. In total, the apartment boasts more than 600 linear feet of bookshelves.

The upper floor includes a spacious gallery that overlooks the gallery as well as a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. The third bathroom also boasts its own bathroom; the windowed dressing rooms could be restored to the original fourth bedroom.

Besides the conversion in 2000 of the dining room into a library and the den into an office, the duplex has remained the same since the couple first moved in. The Italian-Renaissance style building on East 67th Street was designed by Charles A. Platt in 1907 and was later converted into a co-op in 1959.

Could Legalizing Marijuana Be The State’s Solution To Fixing The Subway?

Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to present the state legislature this week with ways to fund the financially troubled Metropolitan Transportation Authority. On Tuesday, he released his $168 billion budget proposal for the fiscal year 2019, which includes a proposal for charging vehicles for driving in the busiest areas of Manhattan during peak hours, with the money raised going to mass transit. According to the Daily News, a Republican gubernatorial candidate has a different idea. Joel Giambra, a former Erie County executive who announced his bid for governor last week, said he wants to legalize marijuana to fund the city’s desperately-needed transit repairs.

Giambra’s formal proposal for legalizing weed will come later in the campaign. A source close to the candidate told the Daily News, “Adult use of marijuana can produce revenue for the state that can rebuild the MTA and our roads and bridges throughout the state. Many of our neighboring states now allow for adult use and New York will miss out on billions in revenue and further expand the black market.”

Currently, eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, and New Jersey’s new governor, Phil Murphy, supports it. While medical marijuana is legal in New York, Cuomo has previously called it a gateway drug that leads to other drugs.

Cuomo’s stance on pot might have slightly changed; on Tuesday, the governor called for the funding of a study on a regulated marijuana program. While little details are known now, Cuomo’s budget proposal says the impact of legalizing pot on health, the economy and on the state’s criminal justice system will be the focus of the study. All of the proposals within Cuomo’s budget must be approved by the legislature by April 1.

[Via Daily News]