New York City - Transit News - Page 237

mrnyc · #**4721** Posted **Jan 26, 2025, 10:50 PM**

yay —

Plans for new ‘Interborough Express’ Brooklyn-to-Queens train back on track as congestion pricing rolls on

By Barbara Russo-LennonPosted on January 26, 2025

…
According to MTA officials, the agency is putting IBX into high gear again with a request for proposals to begin the preliminary engineering phase of the project, which is featured in the agency’s 2025-2029 capital plan.

…
According to an article in Crain’s New York Business, the IBX project will be completed in two phases. The first phase would include demolishing existing structures, constructing new tunnel and bridge structures and repositioning existing freight infrastructure.

The other phase would consist of installing the light-rail system, constructing stations and an operation center, ordering light-rail trains, and taking other steps before putting the railway into service.

more:
https://www.amny.com/news/plans-for-a-new-brooklyn-to-queens-train-nyc/

The proposed Roosevelt Avenue northern terminal of the IBX in Jackson Heights, Queens. MTA

Busy Bee · #**4722** Posted **Jan 26, 2025, 11:48 PM**

Uggh

mrnyc · #**4723** Posted **Jan 27, 2025, 12:10 AM**

don’t worry. we won’t have cp for long.

Busy Bee · #**4724** Posted **Jan 27, 2025, 12:19 AM**

I hate to root against IBX, but honestly the direction they are going with it is so depressingly flawed and unambitious, that's what I've found myself doing. I'd almost rather they put it on ice until there is a major leadership transition at NYCT. I can't even talk about it.

mrnyc · #**4725** Posted **Jan 27, 2025, 12:23 AM**

dont be sad about lrt. if they can get it built easier and cheaper, its fine. plus it gives them practice with this mode, which they will need for future outer boro transit, like cross bronx, etc.. i don’t buy that lrt has no place in this city. lets get the trolleys rolling again like along the waterfront, bell blvd, yadda. you could do all that for the price of three new typical heavy rail stations down utica.

Crawford · #**4726** Posted **Jan 27, 2025, 12:54 AM**

I wish this were subway, not light rail. And I wish it were extended to the Bronx.

Oh, well. I guess it can be extended at some point.

mrnyc · #**4727** Posted **Jan 27, 2025, 8:40 AM**

yes to extend ibx to bronx (and staten) it would have to be regular heavy rail.

but neither of those were ever going happen.

we’ll be lucky if this does.

mrnyc · #**4728** Posted **Jan 28, 2025, 1:29 PM**

get ready for public transit to falter further here we go —

Trump to name congestion pricing opponent Marc Molinaro to oversee transit

By Jimmy Vielkind
Published Jan 28, 2025

A former Republican congressman from the Hudson Valley and opponent of congestion pricing is in line to lead the federal agency that oversees mass transit.

Marc Molinaro has had discussions with Trump administration officials about leading the Federal Transit Administration, according to people familiar with the matter. Part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the FTA oversees mass transit systems around the nation and disburses roughly $20 billion a year in grant funding.

more:
https://gothamist.com/news/trump-to-name...pponent-marc-molinaro-to-oversee-transit

mrnyc · #**4729** Posted **Jan 28, 2025, 2:28 PM**

in nicer news — public art for new jfk terminal 6 —

JFK Terminal 6 taps NYC artist Jane Dickson for iconic public art installation, set to debut in 2026

By Athena DawsonPosted on January 28, 2025

A New York City-based artist has been selected to showcase their art at the soon-to-open JFK Terminal 6 (T6).

Jane Dickson has been selected as the 19th artist to have their art displayed at JFK T6, set to open in 2026.

Dickson will create a 14-foot diameter circular bronze medallion to welcome guests at the future T6 Arrivals Plaza to welcome passengers as they enter New York City. The medallion will be located near a terrace with a greenery space. Dickson will work with Masterwork Plaques to bring the medallion to life.

more:
https://qns.com/2025/01/jfk-terminal-6-jane-dickson-art-installation/

A rendering of the arrivals plaza of JFK T6. Courtesy of the Port Authority

dchan · #**4730** Posted **Jan 28, 2025, 6:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrnyc

yerp —

Congestion pricing continuing to bring fewer cars into Manhattan, MTA data finds

Going into the 3rd week of CRZ tolling, I do observe a tangible effect on overall traffic as an occasional driver.

A lot fewer cars queueing on 2nd Av for the Queensboro Bridge, which helps cut down on lots of BS traffic. This is especially true for the lower level approach towards the city.

Also, fewer cars going through Astoria to get to the Grand Central Parkway on Friday evenings around 6:40pm, and quite a bit less traffic on the GCP at the main traffic points (along LGA towards the Whitestone Expwy exit, approaching the Van Wyck Expwy split). Before CRZ tolling, I have to imagine much of the traffic through this route was coming over the Queensboro Bridge.

CRZ tolling does seem to be working as intended so far: getting rid of that BS traffic from cheapos choosing to take advantage of free roads and bridges to drive into/through the city for their commutes.

Before, I supported CRZ tolling out of principle. But I was also somewhat selfishly opposed it as a driver who was going to be affected it, especially since I was going to be tolled going over the Queensboro Bridge even though I wasn't really entering the CRZ except for 2-3 blocks. But thus far, it's pretty clear that much of the previous traffic was the result of people queuing for and using the free bridges. And (partly) because I have my own way of reducing my tolls, I am quite supportive of CRZ tolling now.

Still, it remains to be seen whether the observed traffic reduction will remain for the rest of the year. Knock on wood.

Crawford · #**4731** Posted **Jan 28, 2025, 6:29 PM**

You're an UES resident, correct? Do you notice less neighborhood congestion, queuing and honking?

Downtown BK arterials to free bridges (esp. Flatbush Ave.) are notably quieter and freer flowing. I'm guessing that UES and UWS also have less pass-thru traffic now.

dchan · #**4732** Posted **Jan 28, 2025, 10:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

You're an UES resident, correct? Do you notice less neighborhood congestion, queuing and honking?

Downtown BK arterials to free bridges (esp. Flatbush Ave.) are notably quieter and freer flowing. I'm guessing that UES and UWS also have less pass-thru traffic now.

Hard to say for weekday daytime traffic, since I mainly only pass during my early morning commute to Queens by bike. But I would say yes to less traffic on 2 Av traffic approaching the Queensboro Bridge.

I walked around 1 Av today from 72 St to Trader Joe's by 59 St. I observed the following:

1. Still lots of traffic on 1 Av, but maybe not as much as before. This is because there are still double parked delivery trucks on both sides of the road cutting 3 lanes down to 2 (plus a blocked bus lane).

2. Crosstown streets still seems pretty bad for certain streets. There were huge queues on some of the streets, queues that would take 2-5 traffic light sequences to clear.

3. Lots of traffic coming from 62 St upper roadway exit from the Queensboro, especially heading towards the FDR.

4. Noticeably less traffic on the 60 St lower roadway exit, especially heading towards the FDR.

ardecila · #**4733** Posted **Jan 29, 2025, 1:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrnyc

dont be sad about lrt. if they can get it built easier and cheaper, its fine. plus it gives them practice with this mode, which they will need for future outer boro transit, like cross bronx, etc.. i don’t buy that lrt has no place in this city. lets get the trolleys rolling again like along the waterfront, bell blvd, yadda. you could do all that for the price of three new typical heavy rail stations down utica.

The devil's in the details here. Light rail is just a label that MTA used shrewdly so the cost can be benchmarked against cheaper projects in other cities. Every US consultancy and general contracting firm views "heavy rail" as an excuse to charge the GDP of a small country.

The nuts and bolts decisions about platform/train length, service frequency, platform height, etc are all made independently and the resulting system could be quite similar to the subway in terms of capacity and rider experience. The only guaranteed difference is that the power will come from overhead (and, again, many "metro" systems use overhead wire).

Nouvellecosse · #**4734** Posted **Jan 29, 2025, 3:23 AM**

Yeah there's no reason why light rail can't be used and you could probably make the capacity high enough for a crosstown route if the frequency is good. Light rail train consists can be well over 100m long which is as long or longer than many metro trains in cities like London and Paris. I don't think it's as good an option as metro rolling stock but it's a much better option than nothing.

Crawford · #**4735** Posted **Jan 29, 2025, 3:47 AM**

It will be high capacity, totally grade-separated light rail, basically entirely trench or tunnel, so more light metro than typical U.S. light rail.

I still would have preferred subway, but as long as it's well integrated, with seamless transfers, it should be fine.

mrnyc · #**4736** Posted **Jan 29, 2025, 8:06 AM**

note estimated ridership for the ibx line is 115,000 daily.

err, if it ever actually gets built, which seems unlikely.

Crawford · #**4737** Posted **Jan 29, 2025, 5:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrnyc

note estimated ridership for the ibx line is 115,000 daily.

err, if it ever actually gets built, which seems unlikely.

I don't see any obvious reason why it wouldn't get built. Sure, it could be delayed, like practically every transit project, but there's no real constituency opposed to the project, the initial work is already funded in the current MTA budget, and the heavy federal funding phase would be post-Dump (assuming he isn't dictator for life). IBX has full support of governor and legislature.

mrnyc · #**4738** Posted **Jan 30, 2025, 12:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

I don't see any obvious reason why it wouldn't get built. Sure, it could be delayed, like practically every transit project, but there's no real constituency opposed to the project, the initial work is already funded in the current MTA budget, and the heavy federal funding phase would be post-Dump (assuming he isn't dictator for life). IBX has full support of governor and legislature.

it sure could be delayed, that’s quite a blithe understatement — there is an enormous obvious constituency against public transit in office.

at least it won’t cause disaster and deaths like the damaged gateway tunnels could have. and we can only hope that funding is locked in enough to make it all the way through to completion. basically, it’s dire.

mrnyc · #**4739** Posted **Jan 30, 2025, 11:27 PM**

old skool — ride the budd 3M lirr from l.i. to eny atlantic terminal —

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFVXZTSvVMg/?igsh=cXY0NHhzOW9jcTNt

mrnyc · #**4740** Posted **Feb 2, 2025, 8:25 AM**

an fyi via amny ask mta —

Q: When will work on the new Flushing Line Passageway at Grand Central be completed? – John D., Jackson Heights

A: The new passageway is nearing completion and should be done by the end of February. Crews have been building a brand-new walkway and entrance from the 7 line’s platform at Grand Central up to 42 St, fit with staircases and escalators to help alleviate crowding and connect passengers to the Lexington Avenue 4/5/6 line. This work included a new pedestrian tunnel, which was blessed by a priest.

– Matthew Zettwoch, Vice President, MTA Construction and Development