By Matt Chaban 11/05/12 12:38am

Planes Trains & Automobiles

Pumping out South Ferry. (MTA/Flickr)

Your Monday Subway Commute: Most Lines Are Back, But They’ll Be Slow and Crowded

Update 6:32 a.m.: Here‘s the current map for your Monday morning commute, with all the latest subway lines colored in. Almost looks back to normal, don’t it?

Original post: One of the miracles of the MTA’s restoration of the subway system is how many lines the transit agency has managed to get up in running in such a short amount of time. With the exception of the L and the G, every single line is running in some fashion. There are the standouts, like the numbered trains, all of which are back to full service, end-to-end, and then there are pieces like the A-train to the Rockaways, which will be out of commission for who knows how long due to damage to the crossing through Jamaica Bay.

Numerous warning came today from the governor, mayor and MTA chief Joe Lhota that commuters tomorrow should exercise patience and caution. Go to work a little early or a little late, if you can manage it. Already trains will be running less frequently all day, about one every 10 minutes on the lines that are up, god willing there are no breakdowns on the tracks that have been heavily taxed by salt water and other extreme conditions never before fathomed. Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/03/12 8:06pm

Planes Trains & Automobiles

What, me worry? Not if we build the right stuff. (MTA/Flickr)

MTA Chief Joe Lhota Wants to Look to Europe and Asia for Infrastructure Inspiration

MTA chairman and CEO Joe Lhota has thrown his support behind Governor Andrew Cuomo’s call for stronger infrastructure to protect New York City from future natural disasters like Superstorm Sandy.

This may not be surprising—after all, the governor is Mr. Lhota’s boss—but their unanimity on the matter will lend extra support to the idea of improving the city’s defenses against future floods and rising sea levels. That support is especially important when Mayor Bloomberg has so far dismissed calls for strengthened infrastructure around the city. Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/03/12 3:03pm

Planes Trains & Automobiles

The pump train, working it in the Cranberry Tunnel. (MTA/Flickr)

Subways Back to 84 Percent Monday Morning, But No L or G-Train Service Until Sometime Next Week

Updated, 11/05 12:40 a.m.:Looks like the Monday morning commute is shaping up as expected.

Update, 9:12 p.m.: Service has been restored on the J-train into Manhattan, but service on the B/D/F/M line remains suspended because of “unforeseen problems with electrical service” at the West 4th Street station, according to an MTA statement. “Crews are still pushing to restore service on additional subway lines between Brooklyn and Manhattan before midnight,” the statement concludes.

Original post: So the MTA has done an unbelievable job restoring subway service after so much of the system was knocked out following Superstorm Sandy. Even MTA chief Joe Lhota said as much this morning at a press briefing. “I’m really proud of the MTA for coming back as fast as it did,” he said standing outside the 69th Regimental Armory. “It exceeded most of the public’s expectation and it exceeded my expectations, too. I didn’t think I’d be standing here today telling you we’d be at 81 percent.”

Service will be back to 84 percent by Monday, covering most of Lower Manhattan with many lines fully restored. Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/03/12 2:16pm

Planes Trains & Automobiles

The damage done. (MTA/Flickr)

Broad Channel Crossing Must Be Rebuilt, Leaving Rockaways Without A-Train for Months or Longer

The Rockaways have been one of the hardest hit areas of the city following Superstorm Sandy, with lives lost, houses destroyed, crime on the streets. It has also been a remarkably resilient place, with diehard New Yorkers beginning the daunting work of rebuilding. It will be a long time before the Rockaways returns to normal, though, and it turns out that goes for subway service to the area, too.

At a press briefing Thursday night, MTA chief Joe Lhota said it would be some time before A-train service could be restored to the Rockaways due to extensive damage to the Broad Channel crossing that carries the train between Howard Beach in Brooklyn to the Rockaways.

“The amount of destruction on the A-train over Broad Channel is indescribable,” Mr. Lhota told reporters. Read More

By Colin Campbell 11/03/12 10:56am

restoration

Click to enlarge or click here for the full .PDF

Some Subways Now Go to Lower Manhattan

At a press conference at the 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan this morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo and MTA Chairman Joe Lhota announced most subway service in New York City will be returned by the end of the day. Notably for some commuters from Queens and Brooklyn, trains will now be traveling into Manhattan for the first time since before Hurricane Sandy struck last week.

“In literally under one week, 80% of the subway service has been restored from what was horrendous damage, and the worst damage the subway system had ever seen,” Mr. Cuomo said. “So that is just a great, great job. The service between Brooklyn and Queens and Manhattan is being restored immediately. The 4, 5, 6 and 7 trains will immediately begin to run. The F, J, D [and] M will run later this afternoon. The Staten Island Railway will have limited service beginning later today.” Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/02/12 11:53am

Make No Small Plans

Never again. (MTA/Flickr)

Governor Cuomo Wants Big Infrastructure Investments to Protect Against Future Disasters

New York has a history of governors who were master builders, Rockefeller, Smith, Carey, Pataki and both Roosevelts among them. Add Andrew Cuomo to that list. While Mayor Bloomberg has so far refused to consider building new infrastructure to help protect New York City from future natural disasters, Gov. Cuomo strongly declared last night that it is his intention to do so.

“I think we have to look at the bigger things,” he said at a press briefing yesterday evening. The Observer had asked if he was leaning toward small fixes, like new MTA vents to keep out rainwater, or more grandiose plans, like building locks and storm gates in the harbor (a practice that is popular in Europe). The governor clearly fell into the latter camp, and much of the reason seems to be because he fears this is only the beginning of problems from these natural disasters. After all, he has spent his first two years in office cleaning up after two hurricanes.

“I do not believe these extreme weather patterns are going to end; I do not believe, anymore, that this is once in a lifetime, once in a hundred years, once in a generation or just a fluke,” the governor said. “It’s happening more and more, with more and more frequency. This is just statistics and probability. You look at the number of devastating floods, the number of devastating fires, the number of extreme weather patterns is going up. That is a fact. That is a fact.” Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/01/12 7:54pm

Planes Trains & Automobiles

Joe Lhota shows off his custom MetroNorth map. (Matt Chaban)

Two More Subways Return, but Even More Could Run if We Only Had Power Downtown

The good news is, the subways are coming back to life with remarkable resilience. The bad news is even more would be running if there were power in Lower Manhattan.

Following a briefing with Gov. Cuomo this evening, MTA chairman and CEO Joe Lhota walked reporters through the status of the city’s subway system and the regional rail lines. As of now, the M train is running again in Queens and Brooklyn in two sections: from Jamiaca Center in Queens to Midtown, though it is skipping Queens Plaza and Court Square and getting to 42nd Street via the F line tunnel, and the M train shuttle from Middle Village in Queens to Myrtle Avenue.

The 7 train will also begin service tomorrow, possibly as soon as midnight, but only from Main Street in Flushing to 74th Street, Broadway Station. From there, straphangers can transfer to the F or M trains into Manhattan. Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/01/12 4:47pm

The Great Flood

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Governor Cuomo Declares New York’s Greatest Strength Also Its Greatest Weakness

Standing at the mouth of the Hugh L. Carey/Brooklyn Batter Tunnel in Lower Manhattan earlier this afternoon, following a tour of the flooding within, Governor Andrew Cuomo gave yet another one of his rousing speeches on the trials of New York under pressures, particularly how it is that the physical infrastructure that makes this city tick can also bring it to its knees if a disaster occurs.

But before we get to that, what exactly is the status of the tunnel, one of the city’s busiest, with a daily traffic of some 50,000 vehicles? MTA Chairman and CEO Joe Lhota began by relating of the story he told earlier this week, of meeting the governor at the mouth of the tunnel by happenstance on Monday night, where they took in the hellish scene. Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/01/12 10:52am

Planes Trains & Automobiles

The transit museum, back in service. (ERA USA)

The Subways and Buses Are Back, and So Is the Transit Museum, with Free Admission Today

Cooped up in Brooklyn? Tired of waiting for one of the bus islands outside the Barclays Center? Seen both movies at the Brooklyn Heights Cinema and looking for something to do? Why not head over to the New York City Transit Museum in Boerum Hill?

Just like the buses and subways, the subterranean museum is back open—we guess the out-0f-service subway station it’s located inside did not flood—and also like the buses and subways, admission is free of charge. The museum says in an email, “What better way to pay tribute to the incredible recovery effort of NYC Transit than to open the doors to the one institution that focuses on the history and impact of the region’s public transportation?” Their full announcement is below. Read More