Category Archives: NYC

MTA Subway Time App

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York City has unveiled a new Iphone App.  This App gives you real-time train arrival information for selected routes of the New York City subway system.  Knowing exactly when your train will arrive will reduce the time you spend waiting on the subway platform, and let you know of any service delays or reroutes before you pay a fare.  It was released on September 28, 2012.

There is one catch with the app though, it only operates for seven lines; the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the 42nd street shuttle.  The L Line will be added within year.  Nevertheless, that is only a fraction of the system making this app useless for most people.  NYC Transit President Tom Predergast said riders using the “lettered lines” will have to wait for their lines to be added to the app.  use signaling technology that “remains little changed since a time before computers, microprocessors, wireless telephones or handheld electronic devices.” He said the system works to prevent collisions “but it cannot offer us a digital feed.”

Who knows what day that will be when all train lines are included in this app?  It’s going to be a while because it’s all about the money.  However, it is nice to use for those seven lines right now.  I have used it and waited in a cafe until I had two minutes to catch the 5 train.

Source: http://transportationnation.org/2012/12/28/some-nyc-riders-can-now-use-phones-for-real-time-subway-arrival-times/

New Hudson River Crossing in New York City? Part III – Why No New Hudson River Crossing to Manhattan?

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I have written a comprehensive report for my Sustainable Transportation course at Lafayette College that answers the question on why we have not built a new crossing linking Manhattan and New Jersey.  This was a project assigned to our class addressing transportation issues in the United States.  Being from New York City, I chose this topic because I wanted to know why I have to wait in traffic for up to an hour on the approaches to any of the existing crossings.  What I have discovered and written explains the social, political and economic attitudes that stagnated the highway growth in the New York Metro Area after the expansion of the George Washington Bridge.  It will also give insight on the future of crossing the Hudson River.  The PowerPoint associated with it will be posted soon.

New Hudson River Crossing in New York City? Part II

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Many proposals in the last half decade have been dreamed and/or stopped dead in its tracks to construct a new Hudson River crossing connecting Manhattan and New Jersey.  One of them is the ARC Tunnel which was cancelled by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in 2010 because of its spiraling out of control costs.  Subsequently, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City silently instructed municipal staff to begin studying the possibility of stretching the city’s subway system into the state across the Hudson River.

The 7 Train was the prime candidate in this proposal.  It would be extended about four miles westward to Secaucus Junction where a major hub for NJ Transit trains already exists.  With an estimated cost of $5.3 billion, this is almost half the cost of the cancelled ARC Tunnel proposal of $11 billion.  The explanation for this is that there are already existing tunnels that the 7 Line runs through in Manhattan that this new Hudson River tunnel would connect to; the ARC Tunnel did not have this advantage as major tunneling would have to be done underneath the streets of Manhattan.

The conception of this new plan is unique because it would be the first subway to go outside New York City’s borders.  It would connect New Jersians to Times Square, and Grand Central Terminal, both major train hubs.  This plan is brilliant because it costs half as much and would relieve congestion on existing Amtrak, NJ Transit and PATH trains.  It would provide more capacity and spur development of areas in Manhattan and New Jersey it runs through.

Extending the 7 Line across the Hudson River to New Jersey should be high priority for the two states.  It is widely known that we need to build additional crossings from Manhattan to New Jersey and when there is something available at a bargain compared to other proposals, we should take it.

Map of the Proposed 7 Train Extension

Source: http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2010/11/17/to-replace-the-arc-tunnel-a-subway-extension-to-new-jersey/

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/nyregion/17tunnel.html?_r=1&hp

New Laws On the Books for NYC’s Commercial Cyclists

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New York City has many great restaurants and hot spots for people to get the best cuisine or get it delivered.  The next time you see a person on a bike delivering you food they must have completed a training course for safe cycling in the city.  This is an unprecedented move to regulate cyclists in the city who at most times do unsafe things such as running red lights, and going the wrong way on a street.

Starting in January, 2013, commercial delivery cyclists will have to where helmets, safety vests, and abide all moving and safety rules.   They would also have to carry an ID stating the business they work for.  The business they work for would fit the bill for any safety violation while the cyclist would fit the bill for any moving violation. New York City is cracking down on bicycle law breakers as it poses a safety risk to pedestrians, motorists and to the cyclists themselves.

The New York City Department of Transportation has hired six inspectors to inform local businesses of the new rules and to make sure they are prepared for them this coming January.

 

Source: http://transportationnation.org/2012/09/27/bike-inspectors-go-door-to-door-in-nyc-telling-delivery-cyclists-to-toe-the-line/

Source: http://transportationnation.org/2012/10/25/commercial-cyclist-legislation-now-law-in-new-york/

Bayonne Bridge Reconstruction

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The Bayonne Bridge

The Bayonne Bridge is the fourth-longest steel arch bridge in the world, and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion. It connects Bayonne, New Jersey with Staten Island, New York, spanning the Kill Van Kull which is a very active route for cargo ships to ports in New Jersey.  Its clearance is 151 ft, but that is no longer large enough for the new cargo ships that have increased there size and height to almost 200 ft.

In order to tackle this problem the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) has approved plans to raise the elevation of the bridge to 215 ft without tearing down the bridge.  It is a national Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, so the Port Authority did not have much of a choice.  It is quite fascinating in the video on how they would complete such an endeavor.

Not only will the bridge be raised to secure continued shipping operations, but additional benefits for the public would also be created.  The existing bridge has a 6 ft walkway, 10 ft wide travel lanes (two in each direction), with neither shoulders nor a median divider.  After the project is completed there will be 12 ft wide travel lanes, 6.5 ft right-hand shoulders, and a median divider for improved safety and to extend the life of the bridge.  Furthermore, a new toll gantry will be installed, allowing for quicker travel over the bridge and there will be a 12 ft wide bikeway/walkway for the entire length of the bridge with access ramps replacing existing stairs.

Source: http://www.panynj.gov/bayonnebridge/

Coordinated Traffic Signals

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Green lights at consecutive intersections. The next red light in the distance will soon change green to permit vehicles to go.

Cities all over the world, no matter how different, have one problem that they have in common.  That is congestion.  A very easy and cost effective way to decrease congestion and keep traffic moving in the most efficient way is to coordinate signals.  This means that every signal as a motorist drives down a stretch of road will turn green depending on the amount of time it takes to reach the next signal or by the amount of congestion that is detected by the signal.

The time corresponds to whatever the speed limit is on the street which increases safety.  If a motorist drives faster than the speed limit he will hit a red light and stop.  This deters motorists from driving faster than the speed limit.  Manhattan has excellent examples of coordinated traffic signals on its one way north/south avenues.  You can go as much as two miles (roughly 40 streets) without stopping in the best conditions which is excellent for congested Manhattan.

However, I feel that this concept should be applied everywhere including outside of the the center city.  Why not Queens and Brooklyn or Northampton Street in Easton, PA?  I feel like this is a concept that is ideal for the motorist and the pedestrian.  One may argue that the traffic on these roads do not warrant coordinated signaling which is expensive.  However, if you look at an environmental standpoint, the amount of pollution that would be reduced is incredible.  If you look at an efficiency standpoint, people arrive at their destinations faster.  And when people arrive to their destinations faster, there are less vehicles on the streets contributing to a decrease in congestion.

Pittsburgh has implemented successfully a highly intelligent traffic signal system that is shortening commuter times while reducing emissions on congested city streets.  It resulted in a 40 percent reduction in vehicle wait time, 26 percent reduction in car travel time and a 21 percent cut in vehicle emissions.  That is awesome!  Why not do this in every city or on every major corridor?  Perhaps one day.

Source: http://www.popcitymedia.com/innovationnews/smartsignals09262012.aspx?utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Finally%2C+a+traffic+light+that+reduces+po

Transportation State of Emergency

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Flooded entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel

The New York governor declared an unprecedented transportation state of emergency forthe downstate New York City area.  This is a result of Hurricane Sandy flooding many automobile and train tunnels.  The hurricane caused a large portion of the NYC subway to close.  This resulted in a colossal amount of people driving to work causing massive gridlock in the center city which created a very dangerous situation.  The governor waived fees for rail, subways, and buses to encourage more people to take public transport.  The following link leads to a video describing the state of New York City and its transportation system.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/49632950#49632950

Inflatable Plug in a test tunnel.

It is sad to see that New York’s transportation system is crippled by weather.  I understand that it was an unprecedented storm, but I feel that the system should be designed to withstand storms of this magnitude.  What ever happened to the flood gates or other alternatives that were supposed to be installed?  That could have stopped flooding in tunnels as the following link to an article suggests.  This article explains the use of a inflatable plug for tunnels and how could have prevented the disaster in New York City.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/31/us/new-york-subway-plugs/index.html

Redeveloping Communities Bisected by Expressways

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A submerged section of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway in Brooklyn, New York.

In the 1950s, the construction of elevated and sunken highways marred many cities in the name of progress and the almighty automobile.  The Brooklyn Queens Expressway in New York City is a great example.  The picture on the right shows a portion of it in a trench and it is an eyesore that splits a neighborhood in half.  But what if we could bring the community back together by incorporating a design that would cover it and provide additional green spaces while also enhancing the bicycle and pedestrian environment?

Some options were unveiled by artists that really should be considered by the NYSDOT to bring a community back together.  Some of those options are shown below.  Cities across the country should incorporate these designs for redeveloping areas that were mauled during the construction of these expressways.

Artist rendition of creating a trellis Structure over the trenched rows which includes Photo-voltaic panels that generate revenue for the City. Photo-voltaic array could earn the city $USD312,500 per year through energy generation.

Artist rendition of maximum green. It creates a green streetscape with traffic calming, tree plantings, water sensitive design with the option for green screens/artistic fences.

Artist rendition of creating “green machine” bridges equipped with greenscreen or acoustic panels, PV, and decorative lighting, with the option of adding treatments from the ‘Maximum Green’ concept.

Source 1: http://buildipedia.com/in-studio/urban-planning/fix-the-ditch-enhancing-the-brooklyn-queens-expressway

Source 2: http://worldlandscapearchitect.com/starr-whitehouse-unveil-brooklyn-queens-expressway-options/#.UIh2Q51lR4d

Congestion Pricing

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Congestion Pricing is a very contentious issue in the United States.  Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City tried to establish rates for motorists to enter the central business district.  This plan would have decreased traffic congestion, improve quality of lives and make NYC a healthier place, but there was not enough public support to push it through the New York State Assembly.

However, there are many cities around the world that have successfully implemented congestion pricing and has created a better city as a result.  London for example now has it and the revenues that are collected by motorists go directly into public transportation such as trains, buses and bicycling facilities.

There are obvious benefits to congestion pricing like boosting funding for a very limited transportation budget, but how can we change the preconceived notions of people who have been brainwashed to think that the car is the only way to go.  How can we change the preconceived notions of people that think public transit is inconvenient and crowded.  Perhaps if congestion pricing is implemented in cities, the latter question would no longer be a problem.

It is a tough sell to the people, but I believe if it was established in cities in the US, it would decrease congestion, make public transit better and increase the quality of life.  The cost of driving a private vehicle is incredibly cheap, and I believe people should pay for not just the costs at the pump, but a societal cost because it is so detrimental to our environment.

 

Cutting Off of Waterfronts

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There are many limited access highways across the country that cut of the water fronts in cities.  Most of these highways were built along waterfronts because it was cheaper.  There were not as many building to demolish or overpasses to create.  The thought process of highway planners during the United States highway boom was to build the most cost-efficient highway.  As a result, society is now paying for its devastating impacts.

When you lose a waterfront, you lose vitality.  People are less inclined to go to these areas if access to it is difficult.  When you have a highway that separates the land from the water, it makes it more difficult for people get to it.  And when you don’t have an influx of people in areas, the area decays and becomes run down.  This is what happened to many cities across the nation.

There are solutions to such problems that some cities have done to beautify and encourage people to go to waterfronts that have previously been cut off by highways.  Some cities have buried the highway completely granting full access to the water.  Others, have removed the highway and created grand boulevards lined with trees and shrubs with many stop lights for pedestrians to walk over.   And there are cities that have reinvigorated areas by taking in to account the landscape the highway goes through and building many bridges across.

The most expensive solution is burying the highway and the cheapest is to create a boulevard.  Cities should think about how to revitalize these areas that are cut off by enacting these solutions.  New York City did it on its west side and will benefit many generations in the future.  Look at my blog post about the West Side Highway.  It goes into a little more detail.