On the same day that the Second Ave. deli reopened, the Second Ave. Subway got a little pork of its own. New York City House Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Jose Serrano announced yesterday that the federal government will be sending an additional $160 million New York’s way for the Second Ave. Subway. The money comes from an appropriations bill expected to pass the House and Senate this week. [New York 1]
Category: Asides
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MTA to look into these fancy computer things
The MTA today announced plans to spend $1.3 million in an effort to computerize their elevator and escalator outage system. Their current system — which relies on input for notoriously unreliable station workers — does a fairly bad job of tracking outages among the system’s 158 elevators and 169 escalators. The MTA board will vote to approve this plan later this week at the same meeting during which they will probably approve the fare hike. [The New York Times]
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A shuttle bus for Smith-9th Sts.
With the impending (in 2010) closure of the Smith-9th Sts. F/G stop due to work on the Culver Viaduct, pols in the area are already calling for shuttle bus service. Member of the NYC Assembly Joan Millman, as Brownstoner notes, is calling on the MTA to start this service now to alleviate chornic overcrowding on the F. The bus would run from Red Hook to Smith-9th Sts. and through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Sounds good to me. [Brownstoner]
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Everyone’s raisin’ the fares
The WMATA’s board voted today to raise fares for the D.C. Metro. The increases are very substantial with the rush hour base fare increasing by 22 percent and the maximum fare going up by nearly 16 percent. It certainly makes our upcoming fare hike pale in comparison. More on this story later. [Washington Post]
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New Year’s Eve comes early
Somehow, someway, the 500-pound, 7-foot tall number 8 that will be part of the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square is taking the subway from the Bronx to 42nd Street. According to Alex at Subchat, the 8 will take the 6 from Elder Ave. to 59th St. and switch to a southbound N, R or W train. Can you imagine hopping in a car and ending up face-to-face with something that large? [1010 WINS]
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Fun with Google searches
This afternoon, someone landed on Second Ave. Sagas by Googling are subways in ny running on christmas day. I’m the second hit, and now I’m here to answer that question. Yes, New York is no second-rate city. Our subways run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and that’s what makes them great.
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Catch a crosstown trip on a vintage bus
Do you long for the days when olde timey buses roamded the streets of Manhattan? Well, pine no longer for days of yore. Much like they’ve done with the nostalgia train, the MTA will roll out old buses for your enjoyment this month. Five of the MTA’s 19 historic buses will ride crosstown along M34, M42 and M50 routes during the weekday rush hour through Dec. 28. Catch ’em if you can. [MTA New York City Transit]
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Adding webinsult to webinjury
Hot on the heels of yesterday’s debacle, the Empire State Transportation Alliance and the MTA sent out an e-mail to those of us who participated — or at least tried to participate — in the now-infamous webinar. The e-mail said, “Thank you for attending yesterday’s ESTA and MTA Public Webinar on Fares and Tolls.” Well, ESTA, you’re welcome. Thank you for running a completely useless Webinar. I’m still waiting to hear from someone, anyone, who successfully saw and heard the presentation. You know how to reach me.
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John Liu just doesn’t get it
While I already spoke at length about the inevitable fate of the fare hike and everyone’s reaction to it, one statement stuck out like a sore thumb. John Liu, City Council member from Queens and the head of the transportation committee, had this to say:
There’s no need for any fare increase of any kind now. The MTA needs to drop this arrogant effort to hike the fares and instead get down to the real business of running our mass transit system, of fixing stations, of terror-proofing the subways, of installing communications capabilities, and maintaining the storm drainage systems.
What? How is the MTA supposed to run a mass transit system if they don’t have money? How are they supposed to fix stations and magically terror-proof the subways without the funds to do so? Ponder that one, Mr. Liu, while you receive the inaugural edition of the Dumbest Statement of the Day Award from Second Ave. Sagas. Of all the responses to the fare hike, this one takes the cake.
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Webinar a stunning success
Wait. Wait. No, it’s not. We’re now 45 minutes into the so-called fare hike webinar, and guess what? The only message from the MTA is: “Hi, please be patient we are experiencing technical difficulties.” Anyone surprised by this? Anyone? Bueller?
Update: At about 1:45 p.m., a message popped up on my computer telling me that “The Webinar has Ended.” It ended before it even began. Computers 1, MTA 0.