Archive for June, 2011
Jun
03
Months late, Court Square entrance finally opens
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The new connection between the 7 and G at 23rd Street and Jackson Avenue opened this morning. (Photo by Benjamin Kabak)
With 7 trains clanking past on its elevated tracks, Transit officials and local politicians gathered in Long Island City this morning to celebrate a long-awaited station opening. Shortly after 10:30 a.m., state Assembly member Catherine Nolan cut the ribbon to mark the official opening of the Court Square Station and the new ADA-compliant and fully covered connection between the 7 and G trains. The long rumored dispute between Citi and the MTA has finally been resolved.
Noting that the connection should see 20,000 passengers per day who can now avoid an out-of-system transfer, Transit President Thomas Prendergast spoke of the ways in which the authority is connecting key station. “The creation of this complex will facilitate travel for customers heading to and from Queens and give choices in the case of a disruption on any of the lines,” he said. “This is very similar to our project in Downtown Brooklyn, where we linked two stations, Jay Street and Lawrence Street into the Jay Street-MetroTech complex and improved travel options for thousands of subway riders from day one. There is also a project underway to provide a free transfer between the Sixth Avenue Line to the uptown 6 at the Broadway-Lafayette and Bleecker Street stations.”
A glimpse down the walkway connecting the G platform to the elevated 7 tracks. (Photo by Benjamin Kabak)
The new transfer area features a variety of upgrades for customers. There are two protected escalators, three elevators and a new staircase and passageway. The entire station complex has also been renamed as Court Square.
Overall, the project cost a total of $47.6 million, and Transit picked up $13.9 million, most of which went toward ADA compliancy. Later this month, the TA will award a contract that will overhaul the 7 platform as well. That work will include full platform replacement, new windscreens and ADA-compliant boarding areas. For now, the saga of Court Square has come to an end, then, many months later than it should have.
After the jump, a full slideshow of photos from the ribbon-cutting. Read More→
Jun
03
Crain’s: Ward’s PA job is safe
Posted by: | CommentsIt appears that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is going to keep Christopher Ward in charge of the Port Authority after all. Despite a report yesterday of a chilly relationship between the new New York executive and the well-regarded head of the Port Authority, Crain’s Insider says today that Ward will remain atop the PA for now. Says Crain’s, “Foes of Ward in New Jersey are believed to have planted the rumor.” The governor, meanwhile, issued a perfunctory statement in support of the executive director: “There are no plans to replace Chris Ward at this time.”
Jun
03
The rising costs of disputing ARC dollars
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The fight for ARC dollars has long outlasted the project.
It’s been nearly nine months since the ARC Tunnel met its untimely demise, and still New Jersey and the Feds are fighting over the money. Gov. Chris Christie wants to keep the earmarked dollars and apply them to the state’s other underfunded transportation projects while the Feds, unhappy that the Garden State unilaterally pulled the plug on the largest public works project in the country, just want the dollars back.
The legal fight, which isn’t over yet, is starting to cost the state, and while the numbers are ticking ever upward, there is a rationale behind the battle. In a fairly nuanced piece from The Star-Ledger, Salvador Rizzo looks at the economics behind the legal challenges. Of the costs, he writes:
Gov. Chris Christie’s fight with the federal government over abandoning a train tunnel under the Hudson has already cost New Jerseyans more than $1 million in legal fees and interest, records show.
For a month, Christie has been vowing to appeal a decision from the Obama administration ordering the state to repay $271 million for abruptly pulling out of what was the largest public works project in the country.
In the meantime, interest on New Jersey’s debt is adding up at the rate of $225,000 a month. In addition, bills from Patton Boggs, the Washington law firm hired by Christie in December to fight his battle, have averaged another $300,000 a month, invoices obtained by The Star-Ledger show. The interest on the $271 million, which began accruing on April 29, could be frozen by a federal judge once an appeal is filed, but neither the governor nor Patton Boggs has said when the case will be brought to court.
New Jersey’s transit advocates aren’t quite sure what to say about the expenses and mounting interest. “Christie is not arguing about dollars and cents. He’s saying they don’t owe anything, and he’s on unsound ground,” ARC advocate Martin Robins said. “I suggest we should be talking in terms of collaboration and reduction in the debt that he owes and that he caused by the stomping of this project.”
Yet, even if there’s a small chance — say ten percent — that New Jersey could keep the money, it’s a fight worth pursuing for some time. As with the MTA’s dispute over the TWU raises, if New Jersey believes it has a fighting chance, it could spend dollars on lawyers up to the point of recovery. So if there’s a 10 percent chance of keeping the entire $271 million, legal economics would dictate expenses of $27.1 million.
In fact, some advocates think the state may be able to keep some of the money. As the former head of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign said to The Star-Ledger, attorneys from Patton Boggs are making “some persuasive arguments.” Some — but not all — of the stimulus money going into the tunnel project had been awarded before the ARC-specific grants were signed, and Christie might be able to keep those funds.
Ultimately, though, this still feels like wrangling over a missed opportunity, and as one former Port Authority official said, Christie was awfully quick to cut bait. “Only the governor felt that the entire burden would have fallen on the state of New Jersey,” David Widawsky, the PA’s one-time lead on the ARC Tunnel, said. “Over the course of the many years of construction ahead, these kinds of things could have been worked out.”
Jun
02
Dispatches from Philly: SEPTA bus tracking goes live
Posted by: | CommentsWhile folks within the MTA are working off of the B63 pilot to deliver real-time bus tracking to Staten Island (and eventually, the entire city), Philadelphia has, after ten years of work, finally flipped the switch on its on GPS-based real-time bus tracker. The project — called TransitView — follows 116 bus routes, 3 trackless trolley and 8 trolley lines, and the data is updated every three minutes throughout the day. The service also includes SMS notifications for bus arrivals. For more information, check out Technically Philly and the TransitView website. It’s certainly fun to poke around on the live map as well.
Ideally by the end of this year, Staten Islanders will enjoy this feature, and the rest of the city’s buses will follow suit as well. It should help revolutionize bus travel within the city too. As buses become less reliable and more prone to delays, ridership has dropped over the past two years. If riders know when the bus is coming, how far away it is and how long their rides should take, they can better plan their bus trips. It’s all about customer convenience in an age of technology.
Jun
02
Report: Cuomo to remove Ward from PA post
Posted by: | CommentsNew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is going to remove Christopher Ward as executive director of the Port Authority shortly after the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, The Post reported last week. According to sources, Cuomo and Ward do not have a very strong relationship, and in fact, the Empire State’s new governor, who has likely planned to replace Ward from the state, won’t take the Port Authority head’s phone calls.
Transportation advocates are not happy with this development. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign called Ward an “innovative leader who has started new green freight programs and projects, implemented a bicycle policy, and spoken in favor of increased infrastructure investment.” They fear that Cuomo will appoint a new head who is more willing to dole out ARC dollars for road projects. Streetsblog offered up a full overview and defense of Ward’s time as leader of the Port Authority.
For his part, Ward issued a terse defense. “I have dedicated my life to turning around the World Trade Center and running this place the best I can,” he said. “My record speaks for itself, and I am not going to speculate on the political aspects of the job.” Losing Ward could be a major blow to transit policy, but it appears, sadly, to be a fait accompli.
Jun
02
A lukewarm reception for East River ferry service
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The Long Island City ferry stop awaits some passengers. (Photo by East River Ferry on flickr)
Pardon me if I don’t immediately jump for joy over the city’s announcement that regular, year-long East River ferry service is set to debut on June 13. We’ve been down this road too many times before to think that this time will be any different from the last. We know what happens when the city starts subsidizing gimmicky transit options in the hopes of “revitalizing” the waterfront or encouraging creative travel. It hasn’t worked then, and for the same reasons, it’s going to face an uphill battle now.
Before I delve into my pessimism, the details: The idea of an East River ferry service has been percolating since last summer, and while the price will be higher than initial proposed, the details remain the same. The ferries will run a seven-stop route on a regular schedule with pick-ups and drop-offs in Midtown, Long Island City, Greenpoint, north and south Williamsburg, Dumbo and Wall Street. Boats will run every 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes off-peak. On the weekends, the route will include a stop at Governor’s Island and operate every 35 minutes from April to October and once an hour during the winter.
For Midtown-bound passengers, a free bus will provide access into the heart of Manhattan. Check out the map right here. If all goes well, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said, the route will expand to include the Bronx, Roosevelt Island and perhaps the Hudson River side of Manhattan as well.
City officials are excited about the new transportation offering. “It will spur economic development on both sides of the river with literally thousands of residents within walking distance of the neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan being able to reap the benefits of this new service,” Seth Pinsky, president of the city’s Economic Development Corporation said.
The city, meanwhile, is banking a good amount of money on this project. Fares will be kept relatively low as one ride will cost $4, an unlimited day’s worth of travel $12 and a monthly pass $140 as the city is subsidizing the ferries. New York will pour $9 million into the service over the next three years and has already committed $10 million in upgrades for piers in Queens and Brooklyn. (For a closer look at the newly renovated piers, check out coverage from The L Magazine.)
So what then are the problems? Besides the fact that I’m skeptical of the city’s investment — $19 million could have saved a good number of bus routes — the plan seems to be overly enthusiastic and divorced from reality. We don’t need better service for people close to the waterfront, and this seems to be yet another example of misplaced transportation priorities. Let’s run ‘em down.
Regularity and Popularity of Service. Through a combination of design and planning, New York’s waterfronts aren’t very populous. Long the purview of industry, only in recent years have waterfront developments sprung up on the east side of the East River, and those developments have catered to distinctly upper class residents. Condos in Dumbo and Williamsburg do not come cheap, and these areas are relatively transit-accessible already. I question if we truly need ferry service that runs more frequently than some bus routes servicing some relatively lower-density, transit-rich neighborhoods.
All in all, Greenpointers who work in Midtown stand to benefit the most simply because it right now takes a while for them to get there. A direct ferry service would be a big boon for that neighborhood, but the other stops in Queens and Brooklyn likely do not need three ferries an hour for 14 hours a day.
Waterfront Access. Again, it’s worth reflecting on the city’s waterfront access. It isn’t great right now, and not that many people live close to the edge of the water. If my choice is between a 10-minute walk to the F in Dumbo or a 10-minute walk to a Ferry that still has to make five more stops before landing at 34th St. and the East River, it’s not a tough decision for any commuter in a hurry. The free bus on the Manhattan side is a welcome perk, but it creates a two-seat ride through some heavily congested areas of the city.
Targeted Underserved Areas. If the city has only a limited amount of money to invest on transit right now, it should spend it with an eye toward the underserved. Here, only Greenpoint kinda, sorta fits the bill as Long Island City, Williamsburg and Dumbo enjoy subway coverage. The money would be better spent improving transit for those who live far away from the city’s central business district or on improving access to non-Manhattan job hubs in the other boroughs.
Acknowledging King MetroCard. When it comes to travel in New York City, the MetroCard is king, and the sooner the city realizes that fact, the better. With the ferry service’s fare structure, riders will have to pay a $4 one-way fare (or a bulk ride option) to take the boat. If they have to go to or from the ferry stops, they’ll have to pay another fare for the connecting subway or bus. The city should figure out a way to provide free transfers between the ferry and MTA-operated transit routes, but stubbornness and territorialism rule the day when it comes to inter-agency cooperation.
Ultimately, East River ferry service isn’t doomed to fail. It is, after all, one of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s transportation goals, but it seems to be a misguided one at a time when we desperately need true leadership on real issues surrounding mass transit in New York City.
Jun
01
An anti-payroll tax website but no better ideas
Posted by: | CommentsLee Zeldin has made it his singular goal to eliminate the MTA payroll tax. He won his election as state senator representing the Third District on Long Island by campaigning on the issue and has spent a lot of time working toward a repeal. Despite the fact that the state GOP may wait until 2012 to throw its weight behind a repeal, Zeldin isn’t letting up.
Yesterday, Zeldin unveiled the latest in populist rage: a website. His new effort is online at DumpTheMTATax.com, and it features the typical petition and volunteer network that has become so popular with anti-tax, anti-service politicians. “I campaigned for office with an important purpose and promise,” Zeldin said in a press release. “My commitment has been to hold the MTA’s feet to the fire on behalf of the taxpayers of the 3rd Senate District. I will continue to shine a light on all of the ways the MTA can do more with less. My promise is not to rest until the legislature takes action to repeal the payroll tax.”
The new online initiative — actually a part of Zeldin’s own campaign website complete with a “donate” button — won’t gain much traction before the State Senate splits for the summer. So those of us who are fighting for mass transit dollars won’t need to worry too much about the MTA’s bottom line. We know the authority can’t afford to see $1.3 billion in state subsidies simply dry up, but Zeldin thinks he’s found the magic unicorn to solve this problem.
Take a look at how Zeldin thinks the MTA can save the money they currently take in from the payroll tax. He has a list:
- Eliminate overtime abuse – well over $400 million is spent on overtime annually;
- MTA should share in enforcement camera fines in MTA bus lanes;
- Competitive bidding/ privatization of NYC bus system;
- Public/private partnerships;
- Reduce outside litigation costs by increasing utilization of in-house attorneys or the NYS Attorney General’s office;
- Sell some of the MTA’s capital assets currently valued at over $50 billion;
- Reduce the cash and investment float, which amounts to billions;
- Reduce the amount of managers and supervisors, which is currently over 10,000 of the MTA’s 66,000 employees;
- Crack down on pension padding where possible;
- Cashless tolls throughout the system;
- Reduced “vacancy/absentee” coverage of MTA Bridges and Tunnels; and
- Improve process for approving personal and miscellaneous services contracts.
Now, on paper, these initiatives sound well and good, but the problem is that they aren’t new ideas. The MTA, for instance, has trimmed $150 million in overtime spending annually, and at some point, they can’t cut more overtime without incurring significantly more costs through more full-time hires. Overtime, in other words, can save money even as it sounds like a taboo expenditure that politicians exploit for populist points.
Outside of the overtime expenses, Zeldin’s suggestions either generate ones or millions of dollars or are one-off solutions that do not address the MTA’s long-term funding problems. Selling capital assets allows for an infusion of cash now, but once those assets are gone, they can’t be sold again. Cashless tolling will save some money initially, but the authority needs to find billions of savings, not millions.
I’m no fan of the payroll tax. If businesses find it to be a problematic barrier to expansion, the state should do away with it, and I wanted to see Ravitch’s proposals put in place. But what’s done is done. The Senate cannot overturn the payroll tax without offering a better solution, and so far, Zeldin has failed to do so. Reform and repeal will come with a price as money simply does not materialize on its own.
Jun
01
MTA Bus manager faces disciplinary action for family contracts
Posted by: | CommentsAn MTA Bus manager is facing disciplinary charges for steering nearing $2 million worth of bus supplies contracts to businesses owned by his family, The New York Post reported this weekend. Dean Carbonaro, a bus manager who The Post says chews on cigars and watches “Jerry Springer” while at work at a Bronx bus depot, has approved parts contracts for well above market value so that his family could benefit, an investigation revealed. “Obviously, this kind of behavior cannot be tolerated. Employees can’t seek to benefit family or friends from any of their work activities,” Barry Kluger, inspector general, said.
According to those who work at Carbonaro’s Zarega Maintenance Facility, the boss would instruct his workers to replace bus panels even if the vehicles were in working order. “Shop foremen would say they didn’t need the panels, but Carbonaro told them to put them on. They couldn’t believe it,” one mechanic said to The Post. For its part, the MTA simply said Carbonaro has been “served with disciplinary charges.” I wonder what he would have to do to lose his job.
Jun
01
Dispatches from DC: What’s in a name?
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Lengthy station names can make a map tough to read. (Photo by flickr user Mieko Yamaguchi)
When I lived in DC way back in 2005, my nearest subway stop had, by any account, a ludicrous name. I lived a five- or six-minute walk away from the Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan station and always had a hard time coming to grips with its name. It was far longer than anything we have in New York, and it’s not particularly accurate. The Zoo is equidistant from the Cleveland Park station, and the walk from there is all downhill. Meanwhile, the red line services Adams Morgan in name only as that neighborhood is a good ten minutes away from the Metro stop.
This ungainly naming convention wasn’t unique to my station. The U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo stop leads the system, and others such as Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter or Mt Vernon Sq 7th St-Convention Center try to cram in as much as they can in 19 characters. It certainly makes “23rd Street” on the West Side IRT seem runty in comparison, and if our worst station name is Sutphin Boulevard/Archer Ave./JFK Airport, we’re probably doing OK.
Over the years, those concerned with the usability of the Metro have raised the issue now and then. Back in 2009, Dan Malouff on Greater Greater Washington called for an overhaul of WMATA names. “Do we really need to know,” he asked, “that students attending George Mason University sometimes use the Vienna station? GMU’s campus is over 5 miles from Vienna. The station does not directly serve the university. The name doesn’t have to be there.”
Now, the WMATA is gearing up to redesign the map, and I have to wonder if they should take a gander at station names as well. The impetus behind the redesigned map is a simple one: With new routes coming online over the next few days, the WMATA has to better represent its service patterns. Here’s how Dr. Gridlock explained it in March:
To plan for the proposed split in the Blue Line and the later addition of the Dulles rail extension, Metro is studying how people pick up visual clues about which train to take. Barbara Richardson, Metro’s assistant general manager for customer service, communication and marketing, announced last Thursday that the transit authority also is bringing back its original mapmaker, Lance Wyman, to revise the well-known map.
How often do riders use the map, and what do they use it for? On the trains, there are big maps at the ends of the cars and smaller ones near the center doors. In a crowded car, some riders will stand on tiptoes and peer at it. Others need to get real close and study the text. Most commuters are taking the same trip every day, and they ignore it, unless a tourist asks for directions. There’s likely to be a lot of map-gazing during the upcoming Cherry Blossom Festival.
Meanwhile, Greater Greater Washington has been hosting a contest this spring. They asked readers and cartographers to redesign the map, and a panel of judges selected the best. Readers have now been asked to vote on their favorites. The new maps had to show upcoming system expansions — an idea my readers have proposed for New York’s map — and must delineate between off-peak and peak service offerings, a key description now missing from our map.
For now, those in DC aren’t concerned with the station names, but they have recognized in the past that it makes maps particularly tough to design. With lengthy station names, squeezing in that much typography leads to areas of the map that are tough to read and station names that do not adequately pinpoint their location.
Should transit authorities label their maps based on the station location or the areas and neighborhoods within walking distance from that station? That seems to be the question with which DC must grapple, and the WMATA is leaning toward a new philosophy: The shorter, the better, says Barbara Richardson, the agency’s customer service officer. A map that’s easier to read may trump information overload. After all, it’s not too hard to tell someone to get off at Woodley Park to get to Adams Morgan. The station name needn’t be so inclusive and spare words may soon be getting the axe.
