After over three decades of transportation work, NYC Transit President Carmen Bianco retired on Friday. (Photo: MTA New York City Transit / Marc A. Hermann)
I don’t have too much to say here for now about Mayor Bill de Blasio’s week. Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I don’t have a particularly high opinion of him, and I think his reactionary response to even consider removing the Times Square pedestrian plazas due to a bunch of half-naked women is very telling. He’s ineffective and doesn’t understand the constituency that put him in charge. I may write more, but check out Twitter for my shorter thoughts. I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t even the Democratic nominee for mayor in 2017.
In Transit news, Friday was New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco’s last day on the job, and earlier this week, he gave an exit interview to amNew York. The takes are short, but Bianco offers some tantalizing tidbits, including this on upcoming subway car design:
The MTA is looking for a car that can last over 40 years and carry many people. “You may be able to fit more by looking at the seating arrangements — if you need to have seats down at all times,” said Bianco. “These are things on our minds as we design cars, and we see the crowds we have. What can we do to get more people on? Can we widen the doors, is that possible? Can we find a way so that people don’t stand near the doors, and people can get in and out? That’s all in design with our engineers.”
To me it sounds as though Bianco is talking about reviving the 2010 flip-seat pilot that went nowhere. That seems like a red herring, and I still don’t understand why the MTA is so resistant to open gangways. I explored this very topic in April and then saw open gangways in action throughout Europe this past summer. It’s a no-brainer really and one the MTA should implement immediately. The MTA is still seeking for a successor to Bianco.
Finally, weekend service changes. After the jump, find out how you can get around this weekend.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, 1 trains are suspended in both directions between 14 St and South Ferry. 2 3 trains run local in both directions between 34 St-Penn Station and Chambers St. Free shuttle buses provide alternate service between Chambers St and South Ferry.
From 3:30 a.m. Saturday, August 22 to 10:00 p.m. Sunday, August 23, 2 trains are suspended in both directions between E 180 St and 149 St-Grand Concourse.
Free shuttle buses operate along two routes:
- Express shuttle buses run between E 180 St and 149 St-Grand Concourse, stopping at the Hunts Point Av 6 station and 3 Av-149 St.
- Local shuttle buses make all stops between E 180 St and 149 St-Grand Concourse. Transfer between trains and free shuttle buses at E 180 St, Hunts Point Av, and/or 149 St-Grand Concourse.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, 2 trains run local in both directions between Chambers St and 34 St-Penn Station.
From 6:30 a.m. to 12 midnight, Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 3 trains run local in both directions between Chambers St and 34 St-Penn Station.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 7:30 a.m. Sunday, August 23, and from 11:45 p.m. Sunday, August 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Crown Hts-Utica Av bound 4 trains run express from 14 St-Union Sq to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 22 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Crown Hts-Utica Av bound 4 trains run local from 125 St to 14 St-Union Sq.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, 5 service is suspended. Take the 2 4 6 and free shuttle buses instead. Free shuttle buses operate along two routes:
- Limited shuttle buses make all stops between Eastchester-Dyre Av and E 180 St, and run express to 149 St-Grand Concourse, stopping at the Hunts Point Av 6 station and 3 Av-149 St (from 3:30 AM Sat to 10 PM Sun).
- Dyre Av Local shuttle buses make all stops between Eastchester-Dyre Av and E 180 St only (from 11:45 PM Fri to 3:30 AM Sat, and from 10 PM Sun to 5 AM Mon).
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Saturday, August 24, Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall bound 6 trains run express from 14 St-Union Sq to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24 Times Sq-42 St bound 7 trains run express from Mets-Willets Point to Queensboro Plaza.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, A trains are rerouted via the F line in both directions between W 4 St-Wash Sq and Jay St-MetroTech.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 22, to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, A trains run local in both directions between W4 St-Wash Sq and 59 St-Columbus Circle.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, August 23, and from 11:45 p.m. Sunday, August 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Inwood-207 St bound A trains run express from 125 St to 168 St.
From 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, C trains are rerouted via the F line in both directions between W 4 St-Wash Sq and Jay St-MetroTech.
From 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 168 St-bound C trains run express from 125 St to 168 St.
From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, August 22 to 10:00 p.m. Sunday, August 23, Norwood-205 St bound D trains are rerouted via the N line from Coney Island-Stillwell Av to 36 St.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 22 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, E trains run local in both directions between Queens Plaza and Forest Hills-71 Av.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Jamaica-179 St bound F trains run express from Neptune Av to Smith-9 Sts.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 22 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, F trains run local in both directions between 21 St-Queensbridge and Forest Hills-71 Av.
From 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, L service operates in two sections.
- Between 8 Av and Broadway Junction.
- Between Broadway Junction and Rockaway Pkwy, every 24 minutes.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Astoria-Ditmars Blvd bound N trains.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Astoria-bound N trains skip 45 St and 53 St.
From 11:15 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Manhattan-bound Q trains run express from Kings Hwy to Prospect Park.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, August 23, and from 11:45 p.m. Sunday, August 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, Manhattan-bound Q trains skip 49 St.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 21 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, August 23, and from 11:45 p.m. Sunday, August 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, August 24, 36 St-bound R trains stop at 53 St and 45 St.
From 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, uptown R trains skip 49 St.
12 comments
Not really MTA related but since you posted I’ll comment on it !
The issue I have with Times Square is the sheer number of the cartoon characters etc and how aggressive they can be – not only towards visitors but amongst themselves.
They have grown in numbers over the years and almost exponentially since the pedestrianisation was implemented (which is actually a great project).
On my last visit last month (first in a couple of years) I was also appalled at how awful some of the costumes are – many looked like they hadn’t been washed for months with tangled and dirty fur and threadbare patches. Not a good advert for the city (or for the copy write owners of the characters – maybe they should be getting involved??)
As I was scooting through I heard one child comment ‘Elmo smells’ !
The plaza is too crowded. Maybe it’s time to add some extra pedestrian space?
I approve neither the Elmos, not the half-naked women, but the idea of opening the place to traffic to just get rid of them is ridiculous. I am sure if they do not like them enough they can find other ways to get rid of them, but turning one of the symbols of NYC, Times Square, back into a parking lot with barely moving traffic is just not right. In fact the opposite is true. We need to close more streets and get rid of more traffic and cars. I love the new arrangement of 32nd street between 6th and 7th ave where they took a parking lane and gave it to the pedestrians. It is a pity they did not close the whole street.
“The MTA is looking for a car that can last over 40 years and carry many people.”
Given the refinances and borrowing for 50 years, and the fact that the R32s are well over 50 years old, that isn’t going to cut it.
“The MTA is looking for a car that can last over 40 years and carry many people.”
Well, they did get the Triplexes running again this summer, and they lasted 40 years with open gangways. Maybe Bianco’s successor should just pull out those blueprints and put a 21st Century version back on the road (just stretch each section out annother 12-foot-4 to get a 600-foot train).
Maybe if you devoted yourself to anything other than complaining about the state of public transit you would recognize the progressive steps De Blasio has taken to protect affordable housing, reduce police harassment of blacks and latinos, and institute universal kindergarten, to name only a few things.
But I guess none of those issues concern you.
A faux-progressive who doesn’t understand what affordable housing means in the context of an urban community and a bunch of other low-hanging fruit. We’re supposed to be impressed he stopped a program courts had already declared unconstitutional? Please. Be more myopic. De Blasio is a selfish bumbling fool, and Ben is right. If we’re lucky and the electorate is smart, someone else wil be mayor in 2017.
And to address your first point – this is a website on transit. That’s the point. Wise up.
Transit affects all of those.
The only one of those things he has arguably had true success with is “universal kindergarten” (actually universal pre-K). He gets credit for scaling back stop ‘n frisk, but only so much for the reason VLM suggested. Plus it was such a dumb policy that pretty much only Bloomberg and Ray Kelly believed it did any good. Almost anyone would have rather been done with it because of the PR damage it was doing to the NYPD for no discernible results.
Otherwise he has let the NYPD run amok as much as Bloomberg and Giuliani did, maybe even more. Let’s see him back away from the discredited broken windows cargo cult.
Perhaps you are not very familiar with this blog. Transportation issues are exactly what this blog focuses on. Protecting and building affordable housing, reducing police harassment (unless it’s directly on Transit property) and UPK have nothing to do with this website. Your argument is a straw man, point blank.
If anything, the additional affordable housing could put more of a strain on the city’s transportation. So yeah, DeBlasio does need to do more to address the city’s transportation needs. More Select Bus Service alone won’t cut it!
Easy solution to the Times Square panhandling characters– hire professional costumed characters to take FREE pics with visitors! Will quickly eliminate the problem. The people doing it for “tips” now are very unprofessional. They remove their heads in public and smoke and speak to each other out of costume.
Years ago, Taipei began removing seats from the particularly congested cars on their trains and deploying those trains especially during rush hour. It worked quite well and they continued to retrofit more trainsets.