Second Ave. Sagas » Asides

Follow-up: Broadway FASTRACK under consideration for 2013

Benjamin Kabak — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:23:16 +0000

When the MTA announced its FASTRACK program, their initial plans called for work on only the two IRT lines and the two IND lines. The BMT Broadway line was noticeably absent from the work blitz and overnight shutdown. I reached out to Transit this week to find out why the N, Q and R trains weren’t getting the same treatment and found out that the Broadway could be a part of FASTRACK in 2013 if and when the program is continued.

These year, though, those lines will escape the treatment simply because they’re in better shape than the rest of the subway system. “The amount of work along that corridor didn’t warrant shutting that segment at this point,” Transit spokesman Kevin Ortiz said to me earlier this week. Most of the stations that would be shut down along the Broadway line have recently been renovated, and the number of stations that come to mind that need the most work — mostly just City Hall — doesn’t warrant a total shutdown.

I didn’t have the chance to ask about the BMT Nassau St. line, but the Chambers St. and Bowery stations along the J/Z need far more work and attention than that provided by the FASTRACK shut down. Maybe one day, their times will come.

As food ban moves forward, TWU subway rat contest showcases rodents

Benjamin Kabak — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:33:38 +0000

As part of their effort to draw attention to the fact that subway rats are really gross — a fact I did not realize needed attention drawn to it — the TWU has recently hosted a subway rat photography contest, and yesterday, they crowned a winner. The grossest rat in the subway dates back from 2008, and it’s really gross. If you want to see what Michael Spivack saw at the 7th Avenue station along 53rd St., click here. The entire gallery is equally disgusting.

Spivack, who has won himself a free monthly MetroCard for spotting this grotesque rodent, said the creature was still living when he snapped the photo. “I was waiting for the D train when I saw something on the platform,” he said to The Daily News. “The thing wasn’t moving but it was alive. I got as close as I dared to get.”

While the TWU’s contest brings visual attention to the rat infestation in the subway system, Albany is slowly attempting to do something to address the problem. The bill to ban food underground moved out of transportation committee by a 16-3 vote although nine of the ayes came with reservations. The bill now sits with the State Senate Finance Committee.

Dogs the latest Second Ave. Subway ‘victims’

Benjamin Kabak — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:52:17 +0000

The Second Ave. Subway construction isn’t even for the dogs, according to irate pet owners along the Upper East Side. Although a recent study conducted by MTA contractor Parsons Brinckerhoff found no concerns with the air quality along Second Avenue, residents have continued to claim that dust and debris from the blasting is creating unsafe conditions for people. Now, canine lovers say their dogs are suffering as well.

As DNA Info’s Serena Solomon reports, pup owners say their animals are suffering as well. Some dogs have been coughing with runny noses while others are exhibiting skin conditions and “psychological issues” relating to the ongoing subway blasting. “As soon as the sirens go off, the whole building starts barking,” dog owner Noura Insolera said. Her dog Winnie, she explains, “runs back and forth, scratches at the walls, tries to jump out the window.”

Even if the air quality isn’t impacting these pups’ lives, their owners say the animals have either become skittish or lethargic in the face of more blasting. Color me skeptical, but it seems as though dogs are just the next pawn in the great NIMBY fight against a new subway line.

An early Apple bump for GCT businesses?

Benjamin Kabak — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:43:54 +0000

When the Apple Store opened in Grand Central Terminal, the lease deal between the MTA and Apple came under fire for being of the sweetheart variety. Even though the MTA had managed to significantly boost its revenue stream from the space, the per-square-foot price was still markedly lower than what Apple had paid at other locations throughout the city. Still, the MTA noted that if Apple delivered the traffic gains as predicted, other businesses in the terminal would see a rise in sales, and for every percentage increase in sales through Grand Central, the MTA would enjoy $500,000 more in revenue.

Today, we get the early word that the Michael Jordan Steakhouse enjoyed a seven percent boost in business since the Apple Store opened. Its owners say the bump happened not when Metrazur closed but when the Apple Store finally opened its doors. “We know their customers are coming here,” Matthew Glazier, the owner’s son, said to Crain’s New York. “I’m always looking for the little white bags.”

Of course, Apple’s GCT opening coincided with the busy holiday season, and it remains to be seen if other businesses enjoyed a similar bump in foot traffic and purchases. From my experience, the Apple Store has been perennially crowded, and other businesses appear to be enjoying the success as well. It will be a few months before we know the extent of the economic boost Apple will lend to the Grand Central shopping mecca, but this supposed sweetheart deal may just end up as a good one for the MTA yet.

Forest Hills – 71st Ave. stop set for ADA accessibility upgrades

Benjamin Kabak — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:12:26 +0000

For disabled subway riders who must head into Queens, 14 of the borough’s 81 subway stations are currently on the list of accessibile stations, but the borough’s fifth most popular stop in Forest Hills isn’t. Riders looking for an elevator must get off in either Jackson Heights or Kew Gardens. As the Queens Chronicle reported recently, though, by the end of 2013, if all goes according to schedule, Forest Hills – 71st Ave. will join that list.

Transit officials announced the start of a $24.7 million project that will see the installation of elevators from street level at Continental Ave. to the station platforms along the IND Queens Boulevard line in Forest Hills. The project is due to wrap up by October of 2013, and renovations to this dilapidated but popular station will also include staircase work, signage upgrades, tactile warning strips along the platform edge and some communications and signal upgrades.

Politicians praised the work. “The renovation will greatly increase train accessibility for residents of our community, while also providing more neighboring residents access to the shops in Forest Hills,” Forest Hills’ Assembly rep Andrew Hevesi said. With the MTA on track to make 100 of its 468 stations accessible by 2020, the authority will have technically fulfilled its mandate under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agency deserves its accolades, but the system remains frustratingly inaccessible for thousands of disabled riders who must cater their routes to this list of stations.

Courting controversy as TWU/MTA talks begin

Benjamin Kabak — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:26:33 +0000

When the TWU accused the MTA of “negotiating through the media,” union leaders staged a public walk-out from the negotiations and refused to sit down with their authority counterparts for two weeks. Today, as talks were due to start up again, the authority had a chance to respond to union press leaks, and respond they did.

The New York Post reported this morning that the TWU had “won” a key concession from the MTA. Subway drivers may receive three days off following any incident, fatal or not, in which their train strikes a person. Furthermore, conductors could get time off if they observe someone fall between cars or slip between the subway and platform edge. In the past, conductors did not receive such time off, and drivers had to be behind the wheel of a fatal accident to qualify. “Protecting conductors and operators from these horrible incidents underground was one of the main goals,” The Post’s source said.

As TWU President John Samuelsen reacted to an MTA leak, so too did the authority react to a TWU leak. “It is the MTA’s policy not to negotiate through the press,” MTA Chairman Joe Lhota responded in turn. “However, we will not allow inaccurate or leaked statements regarding negotiations to stand as fact. Today’s New York Post story is harmful to the collective bargaining process.” It is unclear if The Post report is accurate or what the TWU may give up in return for these protections, and despite the tense war of words over media reports, sources confirm to me that neither party anticipates a strike even if a deal is not yet on the horizon.

Event Tonight: SAS presents ‘Problem Solvers’ the Transit Museum

Benjamin Kabak — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:14:00 +0000

A final reminder: Tonight is the first event of my “Problem Solvers” discussion series at the Transit Museum. The event starts at 6:30 p.m., and you can find directions to the Museum right here. If you’ve never been, it’s a great spot in the decommissioned Court St. subway stop. The event series will take an intimate look at the people who are working behind the scenes to change the face of our transit system as the subway approaches its 110th birthday. My first guest will be Sarah Kaufman, currently with NYU Wagner’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and formerly the MTA’s open-data guru.

While with the MTA, Kaufman created a conference and online exchange between the MTA and software developers and assisted in developing the agency’s social media program. She specializes in the use of cutting-edge technologies in transportation, particularly mass transit, and the opportunities for community involvement in transportation management through interactive technologies.

Sarah and I will talk for a bit about her work and the problem of access to transit-related information she has worked to solve before we open the floor to audience questions. The program kicks off at 6:30 p.m., and doors to the museum will open at 6. Guests are invited to walk through the museum and to explore the collection of old trains as well. Light refreshments will be available as well. Hope to see you there.

‘Slowdown’ on tap as labor talks resume

Benjamin Kabak — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:42:35 +0000

This morning, it took my 4 train a whopping ten minutes to go from 14th St. to 42nd St., and as the announcements kept blaring about “train traffic ahead of us,” my mind wandered to this Daily News article. In the wake of a series of gruesome deaths a few weeks ago, the TWU has told its train drivers to “use extra care” when entering stations due to safety concerns. It’s a perfectly legal move employed during labor negotiations that tend to drive straphangers nuts.

Meanwhile, after two weeks of stewing over “bad faith negotiations” brought about when the TWU objected to an apparent leak of the MTA’s demands, the two sides will resume formal talks on Thursday. While the TWU’s outrage over the MTA’s supposed negotiating tactics has stalled forward progress, MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota says that he and TWU president John Samuelsen have maintained an open line of communication over the past few weeks. A deal though is still not on the horizon, but neither is a strike.

For a full glimpse at the MTA’s demands, check out this pdf. They range from benefit reductions to operational improvements, but OPTO, sadly, is not among them.

Survey: New Yorkers more unhappy with commutes

Benjamin Kabak — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:45:02 +0000

A majority of New Yorkers say their commutes are worse today than they were back in 2009, according to a survey released today by Transportation Alternatives. In a survey that relied upon voters to send a text message with their choice, 61 percent of bus and subway riders say their commutes are worse while 26 percent say their rides are the same and 13 percent say things have gotten better. A total of 684 New Yorkers contributed their views to the survey.

“This survey confirms what every bus and subway rider in this city knows,” Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, said. “After years of declining transit funding from Albany and the resulting service cuts, our commutes have gotten worse. From higher fares to longer wait times to overcrowded trains, transit riders have seen the quality of their commutes drop precipitously over the last three years.”

As we know, over the past few years, Albany has reappropriated hundreds of millions of dollars that should have gone to the MTA, and as a result, the authority was forced to raise fares in three consecutive years and to cut 36 bus routes and 570 bus stops. It’s little wonder that commuters are finding commutes worse with less frequent service and more crowded trains the norm. “Beyond the frustration of a longer commute and higher fares, these results should be a wakeup call to our leaders in State Government,” White said. “They can fund transit and make a positive impact on millions of people, or they can continue to defund the system and contribute to their struggle. The livelihood of every New Yorker and the economic fate of this region depend on a well-funded public transit system.”

Reminder: ‘Problem Solvers’ at the Transit Museum on Wednesday

Benjamin Kabak — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:19:26 +0000

Just a reminder that I’ll be hosting a Q-and-A series at the Transit Museum this year, and the first event kicks off the series on Wednesday, February 1 at 6:30 p.m. The series is entitled “Problem Solvers,” and it will take an intimate look at the people who are working behind the scenes to change the face of our transit system as the subway approaches its 110th birthday. My first guest will be Sarah Kaufman, currently with NYU Wagner’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and formerly the MTA’s open-data guru.

Sarah and I will talk for a bit about her work and the problems she’s trying to solve before we open the floor to audience questions. The program kicks off at 6:30 p.m., and doors to the museum will open at 6. Guests are invited to walk through the museum and to explore the collection of old trains at the former Court St. station. Light refreshments will be available as well. For the specific details, check out this post.