- Sarah Crean on Exclusive: Proposed policy would allow industries to self-audit pollution-generating activities
- David Howard King on Bronx senator's health quest
- Cristian Salazar and Carla Murphy on Stops lawsuit given class status
- Cristian Salazar on NYC Council passes banking bill
- David Howard King on Senate Dems Look to Nat'l Issues
Transportation Reports:
NYPIRG Straphangers' Campaign Platform Survey
The New York Public Interest Groups Straphanger's Campaign Second Annual Platform Survey found that conditions at subway platforms have mostly improved or stayed the same since last year. Only water damage and graffiti increased. Riders still have a one in ten chance of seeing a rat. 2013-03-07
A Better Way to Fund the MTA
This report by the Citizens Budget Commission proposes a new way to fund the M.T.A. called "25-50-25". It recommends that auto user fees cover all drivers' facilities, plus 25 percent of mass transit services. Then mass transit user fees would cover another 50 percent of the operating costs of those services. And state and local tax subsidies would cover the final 25 percent of transit operating costs plus “catch-up” capital investments needed to bring the system to a state of good repair. 2012-10-16
Traffic fatalities
Twenty-two people were killed in motor vehicle accidents this July - including nine people walking and riding bicycles - and 4,840 were injured, according to the latest NYPD crash data report.
2012-08-29
Pedestrian and cyclist deaths
Crash data analyzed by Transportation Alternatives revealed that most city pedestrians and cyclists killed during a 14-year span died because drivers broke an enforceable traffic law. 2012-08-15
Grow old in the New York area
The greater New York metro area is the fifth best large metro in the nation to grow old in, according to this report by the Milken Institute. The ranking is due mainly to a robust transit system, which allows the elderly to easily maintain their independence. 2012-08-01
Infrastructure budget drops
According to an analysis by the New York Building Congress, 2010 was the capital investment peak of the Bloomberg Administration, with spending at $10.5 billion. Spending dropped to $9.5 billion in '11, and the city is on target to spend $9.1 billion in the current fiscal year. But the $7.2 billion of projected spending in '16 is a reduction of $3.3 billion from the '10 peak.
2012-07-17
Bus stop cleaning and maintenance
Cemusa, the company that built new bus stops for the city, has not been fulfilling their responsibility of cleaning and maintaining them, according to this new audit by the city comptroller. 2012-07-13
History of the MTA's capital program
This report by the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee gives a history of the thirty-year-old capital program at the MTA. 2012-06-19
Refunding the MTA's Debt
The MTA has $32 billion in long-term debt outstanding – more than 41 states and more than $14,000 for each worker commuting daily into the central business district, according to this report by the Citizens Budget Commission. 2012-05-09
Parking at East River Plaza
The 1,248 parking space garage at East Harlem's big box mall, East River Plaza, has gone mostly unused, according to this report released by the American Planning Association. Only about a third of shoppers there drive, it concludes, making the garage a waste of public funds and a lost opportunity for additional development. 2012-04-25
Subway Service Change Signage
This report by the New York City Transit Riders Council recommends that N.Y.C. Transit make extra efforts to ensure riders see subway service change signage, particularly at station entrances and outside of turnstiles, but also on platforms. 2012-04-11
Crime, Safety, Walking and Biking in Bed-Stuy
This report by Transportation Alternatives looks at how perceptions of safety, crime, and violence impact active transportation in Bed-Stuy. 2012-04-10
MTA Security Upgrades Behind Schedule
The MTA has pushed back the completion date for its electronic security program by another two years until 2014, putting the program nearly six years behind its original scheduled completion date, according to a report by the state comptroller. 2012-04-05
Subway Station Ridership Infographic
This infographic by Visual News plots weekday subway ridership from 2010 station-by-station on a map. 2012-04-02
Deadly Speeds in Greenpoint
Two out of three motorists speed on Greenpoint's McGuinness Boulevard, according to this survey by The McGuinness Boulevard Working Group and posted by Streetsblog. From 2005 to 2009 there were 57 crashes on McGuinness involving pedestrians or bicyclists with four fatalities. 2012-03-28
Region’s Most Dangerous Roads
Over 1,200 pedestrians are killed in the New York area every year, according to this report by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Pedestrian fatalities decreased in New York and New Jersey in 2010 but increased in Connecticut. Five of the 13 most dangerous roads are in the city. 2012-03-09
State of the Station Platforms
In a survey of 250 subway station platforms by the Straphangers Campaign, all had garbage cans and none of them were overflowing. But 28 percent had exposed wiring, and 50 percent had broken lighting fixtures. 2012-02-03
Transport Workers Contract Shouldn't Harm Riders
The public interest will be served by an agreement between the MTA and the transport workers union that maintains a good standard of living for workers, is within the MTA’s ability to pay, and does not force further harm upon riders by increasing fares or reducing service, according to this report by the Citizens Budget Commission. 2012-02-02
Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Kids on the East Side
Children under 18 make up about 30 percent of residents in both East Harlem and the Upper East Side. But according to this report by Transportation Alternatives, East Harlem children account for 43 percent of crash victims, while Upper East Side children represent less than 15 percent of neighborhood car crashes with pedestrians and bicyclists, a three-fold disparity. 2012-01-24
MTA Snow Plans
The MTA's inspector general recommends a number of changes to better respond to emergencies like the snow storm on Christmas day last year in this report. All of it has been accepted by the MTA and incorporated into their new winter weather preparation plan. 2011-12-22
Cycling Continues to Grow
Commuter cycling grew by 8 percent from 2010 to 2011, according to this report by the Department of Transportation. It also more than doubled from '07 to '11, and nearly quadrupled in the last decade. 2011-12-11
Bus Safety
So-called Chinatown buses lure thousands of passengers with convenience and low fares, but their safety records are not quite as appealing, according to a study released yesterday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The federal agency found that the fatal accident rate for the so-called curbside carriers was seven times higher than that for conventional scheduled carriers that often leave from bus terminals -- 1.4 fatal accidents per 100 vehicles as opposed to 0.2. The report was requested by New York Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Nydia Velazquez after a deadly bus crash in the Bronx in March. 2011-11-01
The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods For Pedestrians
Transportation Alternatives' new interactive online map charts motorist crashes with pedestrians and breaks down the data by community district to give a historic view of road safety. Midtown Manhattan is the most dangerous, with 8,604 crashes. 2011-10-20
More Jobs, Better Transit
Transit-related manufacturing could provide a boost to the New York economy, according to a new report by a coalition of transit, labor and business groups. In a white paper, Building the Future, the groups set out how investments in transit -- at all levels of government -- could provide much-needed manufacturing jobs and of course improve transportation here as well. 2011-10-03
Analyzing the MTA's Budget
A report from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office shows that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority could further complicate its financial situation if it presses ahead with a plan to borrow $14.8 billion to fund its capital program. The report analyzes the MTA's financial plan and finds a number of other pitfalls. 2011-09-26
Bikes vs. Pedestrians
More people walking in New York City are injured by bicyclists than was previous thought, according to a new analysis by two Hunter College professors. Their study found that about 500 people walking in the city are seriously enough injured after being struck by a bike to go to the hospital. This contrasts with almost 10,000 people who go to the hospital after being struck by cars, according to the city transportation department.
2011-09-20
'Instability' at the MTA
While many fiscal experts have questioned the amount of borrowing in the Metropolitan Transportation Agency's fiscal plan released earlier this month, a fiscal brief by the Independent Budget Office raises other concerns . In an examination of the agency's projected revenues, the office found the heavy reliance on dedicated taxes and fees -- as opposed to fare and toll hikes -- could undermine the agency's financial stability. "Some of the authority’s largest dedicated revenue sources are among the most sensitive to the ups and downs of the business cycle and the even more pronounced swings in the market for real estate," the budget office says. 2011-08-29
The City's Best and Worst Subway Trains
The J and Z line is the best subway line in the system, according to this new Straphangers report, which rates trains on how clean and crowded they are and whether they arrive at regular intervals. The 2 tied with the C for last place. This is the fifth time the C has come in dead last. 2011-08-25
MTA Dependent on Taxes and Fees
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s preliminary budget for 2012 and financial plan through 2015 show a growing reliance on dedicated taxes and fees for revenue, according to this Independent Budget Office report. Taxes and fees are expected to account for 40 percent of all revenues this year, up from 31 percent in 2003. But revenues from dedicated taxes and fees are less stable than fare and toll revenues, the report argues. 2011-08-09
Subway Service Disruptions
A joint audit by the state and city comptrollers criticizes the management of weekend subway service changes. It found that the weekend interruptions have led to tens of millions in cost overruns and that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority did not properly monitor expenses or adequately inform subway riders of the service changes. With disruptions increasing in frequency and lasting longer, the audit found service was sometimes suspended even when no work was taking place. 2011-08-01
Aviation Sector of High Value to the State
Infrastructure and security investments in the aviation sector, specifically at public-use airports, helped generate $50 billion in economic activity across the state in 2009, according to this report by the state Department of Transportation. It finds that the sector produces an impact greater than the level of public investment required to maintain the system in a state of good repair. 2011-07-08
Death by Traffic
One New Yorker dies in a traffic crash every 35 hours, according to a new report by Transportation Alternatives and the Drum Major Institute. The report also finds more New Yorkers were killed by traffic than guns in the last 10 years. Although the report praises the city government for making streets safer, it says more must be done. In particular the report calla for action to stop speeding vehicles, which it says are the "number one contributing factor for fatal crashes." 2011-06-12
Elderly Pedestrians at Risk
Older pedestrians are far more likely to be killed while walking than their younger neighbors, according to an analysis by the Tri-State Campaign. 2011-06-10
Construction Employment Drops to Lowest in Years
Construction employment in New York City declined to 101,200 in the first quarter of 2011, marking its lowest level in nearly 13 years, according to a New York Building Congress analysis of New York State Department of Labor employment statistics. 2011-05-26
Subway Car Cleanliness
"Schmutz," a survey of subway car cleanliness, conducted by the New York Public Interest Research Group's Straphangers campaign found that New York's subway cars got dirtier from 2009-2010. The R line is the dirtiest and the 7 line the cleanest but wide disparities were found throughout each line. 2011-05-10
Subway Car Cleanliness Drops
Subway car cleanliness has declined, according to an annual survey by the Straphangers Campaign, which found 47 percent of cars clean in the fall of 2010. That dropped from 51 percent from the prior year and 56 percent in 2008. The worst performing line was the R, with 27 percent of cars rated clean. The best performing line was the 7, with 68 percent rated clean. 2011-05-06
How We Travel
The city Department of Transportation has released its third Sustainable Streets Index surveying how people get around the city. According to the department, which has advocated for improving the streetscape for bicyclists and pedestrians, an increasing number of New Yorkers rely on transit, walking and biking. In releasing the report, city Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said the survey lent support to the sometimes controversial changes the city has made to increase bike and bus lanes and close streets to car traffic.
2011-05-03
Parking Permit Abuse Still Rampant
In a canvas of five neighborhoods, Transportation Alternatives found that 57
percent of parking permits were either fake or being used to park illegally, such as for double-parking or on sidewalks and in bus lanes. 2011-04-28
Rating the MTA
The subways operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have the lowest cost per passenger trip of the 10 largest subway systems in the nation, according to a new report by the Citizens Budget Commission. But the subways do not fare as well by other measures -- the system ranks only fifth in cost per mile -- and its bus operations lag behind. The report found that, when compared with the largest urban bus systems in the U.S., New York's came in last in three out of five measures of cost efficiency: cost per mile of service, cost per hour of service and cost per active vehicle. 2011-04-19
Times Square Sees Improved Air Quality
There was an immediate and substantial air quality improvement in Times Square after the creation of a pedestrian plaza, according to a new report by the Health Department. 2011-04-14
MTA Progress on Capital Security
A report from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli found the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has made significant improvements to its security system since September 11, 2001. It has completed 11 of the original 16 security projects. 2011-03-08
Transit Not Keeping Up With Growth
A study by Center for an Urban Future shows that while great growth in jobs and population has occurred in the four boroughs outside Manhattan transportation services have not kept up. 2011-03-01
Transit Falling Behind Outer Borough Growth
A disproportionate share of the city’s recent job growth, transit ridership gains and population increases have occurred in the outer boroughs, but transit service in the boroughs has not kept pace, according to this report by the Center for an Urban Future. 2011-02-24
Effect of Minimum Parking Requirements
Developers never add more parking spaces than are required by the city, which shows that parking minimums artificially inflate the construction of spaces, according to this report by the Furman Center. 2011-02-17
Region's Most Dangerous Streets
Broadway was ranked the second most dangerous street in the region by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. The roadway jumped up six places from last year’s ranking, with 11 fatalities during the period. 2011-02-10
Impact of Bike Lanes
In another indication of rising skepticism about the city's bike lane program, a coalition of Manhattan elected officials, Community Board 7 and Upper West Side Street Renaissance has released a report indicating dissatisfaction with the Columbus Avenue bike lane among local businesses. The group polled businesses on Columbus Avenue about the recent street redesign in the area, including bike lane. Seventy-two percent of the responding businesses said the changes had had a negative impact on them. The report includes a number of recommendations to reconfigure the bike lane. 2011-02-09
Canceled Trains Are Not On Time
This new study by the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority finds that canceled trains are not factored into reports on how frequently trains are on time. While the next train was technically on time, the rider was still late, so they recommend the inclusion of such trains in new reports. 2011-02-03
How New York's Next Governor Can Save the MTA
The Drum Major Institute looks at how the next governor can reinvest in mass transit and save the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2010-10-24
Blocking the Bikes
While the city's push for more bike lanes has brought many benefits, the actions of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists create safety problems, according to a study released Friday. A survey of Manhattan bike lanes by the office of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer found motorists parked in or otherwise blocked the lanes, pedestrians walked in them and some cyclists drove the wrong way. In the report, Stringer called for a number of measures, including ticketing cars that block bike lanes, improving signs and creating protected bike lanes where possible. 2010-10-12
Summertime Air Quality
Major air pollution in the summer is concentrated in the city’s most densely populated areas, according to this new Health Department report, but suburban neighborhoods downwind from high emissions have higher ozone levels. 2010-08-18
MTA's Escalators and Elevators
The MTA isn't properly monitoring or maintaining its elevators and escalators, according to this new audit by Comptroller John Liu. The report found that a quarter of preventative maintenance assignments were not performed. Also, safety tests and credible performance data were lacking. 2010-07-27
City Knew of Collapsing Ceiling at 181st St.
New York City Transit managers learned in 1999 that a portion of the ceiling at 181st St. was at risk of collapse, according to a new report by the MTA's inspector general. However, it did not begin a comprehensive assessment of the ceiling’s condition until June 2009, just two months before the ceiling fell. 2010-07-01
Older Downstate Pedestrians at Risk
Older pedestrians are far more likely to be killed while walking than their younger neighbors, according to a new study by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. This is especially true in downstate New York where fatality rates for older pedestrians are far higher than in the rest of the country. 2010-05-20
The Urgency of Resurrecting Congestion Pricing
A report by the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy finds that unless a new source of revenue is established for the regions mass transit system, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be forced to cut services and raise fares by at least 15 percent. 2010-02-17
Dangerous Streets
Five streets in New York City rank among the region's most dangerous, according to a new report by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign 2010-01-07
Pedestrian Safety
More people walk in the the tri-state area, so pedestrians account for a higher than average share of traffic fatalities, but pedestrian safety isn't getting the federal funds to match, according to a new national report by Transportation For America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. 2009-11-12
Implementing the MTA's Capital Plan
A report by the Citizen Budget Commission finds that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority does not provide the public or itself with enough information about whether the projects it is undertaking in its five-year plan are progressing as scheduled. The report finds that the MTA should improve its information management system and that it should base its next five-year plan on realistic goals. 2009-10-23
Fixing the Subway
A report by Comptroller Bill Thompson finds that New York City Transit does not "adequately inspect and repair defective conditions in commuter areas of the subway stations" and does not adequately report needed repairs to maintenance shops. The report finds that conditions in the subway may leave commuters exposed to dangers, such as tripping hazards, lead paint and asbestos. 2009-09-28
Combatting Mayhem at Intersections
A study by Transportation Alternatives revealed that on average motorists in New York violate traffic laws about three times a minute. The study found that traffic laws are not properly enforced and concludes that the NYPD needs to take on a cohesive strategy to battle traffic violations and to make the streets safer. 2009-08-28
Don't Block the Bus
A study conducted by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s office found hundreds of cars blocking midtown bus lanes during rush hour. Not a single one had been ticketed. The designated lanes are designed to speed bus travel through the city. The Borough President's office recommends improvements to enforcement, planning and public education to smooth bus travel. 2009-08-04
Access-A-Ride Access
An audit of the New York City Transit Authority's Access-A-Ride program, the transportation service for the city's disabled, from Comptroller William Thompson found that 6.3 percent of the 5.8 million assigned trips were no-shows. The audit also found that the authority did not sufficiently document the monitoring of the 14 private companies it contracted with during 2008. The audit recommends the authority enhance its monitoring of no-shows and private vendors. 2009-07-29
Reckless Driving Casualties Rising
By-and-large, New York City drivers are being under-ticketed for increasingly reckless behavior, says a recent report by Transportation Alternatives. "Executive Order: A Mayoral Strategy for Traffic Safety" shows that while reckless driving fatalities have risen 11 percent between 2001 and 2006, summonses for speeding have decreased dramatically. The report, which used official city data and expert testimony, calls on Mayor Bloomberg to increase enforcement by establishing a new office for reducing driving-related fatalities and injuries. 2009-07-20
State of the Subways 2009
The Straphangers Campaign has released their subway report card. The report grades lines by their cleanliness, quality, efficiency, maintenance and performance. The 7 line received this year's highest ranking. 2009-07-17
Subway Car Cleanliness
The tenth annual "Subway Schmutz" survey by the Straphangers Campaign shows that subway cars are cleaner than they were in 2007. According to the survey the cleanest line is the 7. The R line has the dirtiest cars. The report recommends that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority make public its internal surveys about cleanliness as well as other measures. 2009-06-28
One in Four Payphones in Subway Stations Does Not Work
A new survey from the Straphangers Campaign shows that one out of four payphones in New York's subway stations does not fully function. The report states that Verizon's current contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority "does not require any minimum number of payphones be kept in working order." 2009-06-17
Problems at the Platform Edge
A report by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority inspector general charges that New York City Transit does not adequately inspect and repair the rubbing boards designed to close the gap between subway station platforms and trains. The report found that inspectors at 16 out of 23 subway stations surveyed failed to correctly identify and report platform-edge defects. It also concluded the agency was slow to correct problems it did identify. According to the report, New York City Transit has said it will take steps to remedy the situation. 2009-05-27
Improving Bus Travel Across the Hudson
A report by the Tri State Transportation Campaign puts forward a number of recommendations to improve bus travel across the Hudson River. The recommendations include completing high occupancy toll lanes in the Lincoln Tunnel, creating a website to provide bus passengers with better information and having New York City formalize bus loading and unloading zones across the city. 2009-05-18
Commuter Cycling Indicator
In honor of Bike to Work Day, data released by the Department of Transportation indicates that many more New Yorkers are commuting by bicycle. The department estimates that bicycle commute trips have increased more than 100% in the last decade, and more than six-fold since the 80s when counting began. 2009-05-15
New York Roads Damaged
A new report from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ranked the condition of New York’s major roads as 43rd in the nation. The study measured the vibration of cars while driving on the country’s major roads, but did not factor in traffic or potholes. In New York, 22 percent of roads were ranked poor and 35 percent were rated good. 2009-05-10
Environmental Reviews Should Include Climate Change
New York should require an environmental reviews of land use, energy, industrial, transportation and other projects that includes climate change implications, according to a new report by the Municipal Art Society. The review proposed would incorporate the disclosure of the projects' potential greenhouse gas emissions and an exploration of how to mitigate those emissions. It would also include the consideration of how climate change will impact the projects and what could be done to prepare for that. 2009-04-24
Guide to Planning Successful Pedestrian Streets
Transportation Alternatives just released a report that studied a number of events that took place this past summer that opened streets up to pedestrians. The study shows that these type of events are a boon to retail, improve the perception of the streets, build the community and encourage walking. 2009-04-14
Assessment of the MTA's Past Year
This report is the second annual assessment of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee. It evaluates the MTA as a whole, as well as individually appraising New York City Transit, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North. 2009-04-09
Running on Empty
A new report from Councilmember David Yassky, the chair of the council's small business committee, urges the city to revise its broker system for taxis, calling it unregulated and abusive to drivers who lease cars and medallions. According to the report, the overall cost of the vehicle lease through a broker can be double the cost of a public lease. The report recommends the city adopt a stricter long-term lease cap and require an exit clause for drivers who lease, among other recommendations. 2009-03-24
Major River Crossings
Drivers crossing major rivers in the city - excluding crossings over New York City Department of Transportation controlled bridges - decreased nearly 3 percent in the third quarter of 2008 over the same period the previous year, according to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council. The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel saw the highest decline in use, dropping 6.5 percent, followed by the Triborough Bridge, which saw a 6 percent drop in use. Only the Bronx Whitestone Bridge and the Marine Parkway Bridge saw increases in use. 2009-03-19
Claims Against City Up
A new report from New York City Comptroller William Thompson found the city paid $567.9 million in settlements and judgments for personal injury, property damage and law claims in fiscal year 2008. During fiscal year 2007, according to the report, the city paid $558.3 million. In fiscal year 2008, the city had 26,798 new claims -- the second highest number since 1999. The Department of Transportation and the Police Department had the highest number of claims against them. 2009-03-17
Transit Riders Up In Outer Boroughs
According to a new report from the Center for an Urban Future, ridership at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is dramatically increasing in the outer boroughs. The report, which looked at ridership between 1998 and 2008, reveals that 20 of the 22 stations with the largest ridership increase were above 96th street or in the outer boroughs. Last year, 62 stations, according to the report, in the outer boroughs had an average weekday ridership of more than 10,000 people, compared to 46 stations in 2003. 2009-03-10
Airport Congestion Costs Regional Economy Billions
Business travelers, airlines and shipping companies bear the brunt of the financial burden created by congestion at New York's three major airports, says a study by the Partnership for New York City. According to the study, the regional economy suffered $2.6 billion in losses due to delayed flights and congestion. The study notes that delays at New York's regional airports are responsible for three fourths of the delays in the country. The study concludes that if the trend continues the regional economy will suffer $79 billion in losses from 2008 to 2025. 2009-03-02
Regional Transit Statistics
The region's transit systems carried 3.6 billion people in 2006, which grew 49.6 percent since 1997, according to a new report by the New York Metropolitan Transportation council. 2009-02-19
Speeding Drivers
Despite the congestion on New York streets, 39 percent of city drivers exceed the 30 miles per hour speed limit, according to new survey by Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group. The study, based on monitoring at 13 locations, found some drivers going over 60. According to "Terminal Velocity: New York's Speeding Epidemic," the fast driving adds dramatically to the severity of traffic accidents. 2009-02-17
The High Cost of Idling
With the city rarely enforcing restrictions on idling, cars and trucks sitting at the curb with their engines running create as much pollution every year as 9 million large trucks driving from Hunts Point to Staten Island, according to a new report by the Environmental Defense Fund, an advocacy group. "Idling Gets You Nowhere" applauds the City Council for passing new laws on idling last month and urges the Bloomberg administration to enforce the restrictions on idling. 2009-02-11
The High Cost of Idling
With the city rarely enforcing restrictions on idling, cars and trucks sitting at the curb with their engines running create as much pollution every year as 9 million large trucks driving from Hunts Point to Staten Island, according to a new report by the Environmental Defense Fund, an advocacy group. "Idling Gets You Nowhere" applauds the City Council for passing new laws on idling last month and urges the Bloomberg administration to enforce the restrictions on idling. 2009-02-10
MTA Unveils Draft Sustainability Report
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority yesterday unveiled a draft report offering ideas for making the agency more sustainable. State level recommendations included: supporting the Ravitch Commission report; creating a clean-air surcharge for vehicles; authorizing cameras on buses; and encouraging the use of pension funds and endowments for investments in transit projects. Among the recommendations for the city are creating a transit-oriented-development task force to work with the M.T.A. and charging more for parking during peak hours. The report also proposed creating a more expensive "green Metrocard" that riders could purchase in order to support making the M.T.A. more sustainable. 2009-01-09
Getting Around New York
Rides on mass transit and bicycle commuting increased during New York's boom of 2003 to 2007, but vehicle traffic remained unchanged. This was the first time since World War II when a growth in car traffic did not accompany increases in the other areas, according to "Sustainable Streets Index," a study by the city Department of Transportation. Overall, transit ridership increased by 9 percent over the period studied by the report. 2008-12-17
Ravitch Commission Report
To rescue the Metropolitan Transportation Authority from a financial sink hole, the Ravitch Commission recommends: Enacting a payroll tax on corporations in the region; tolls on the Harlem and East River bridges; a fixed schedule of fare hikes pegged to inflation; implementing a bus rapid transit program; reforming the authority's governance structure; and increasing transportation and accountability. 2008-12-05
Improving Street Life
The city's Department of Transportation last week published "World Class Streets," a report that assesses the public life on New York's streets. It found overcrowded sidewalks, a lack of public seating, and a number of hard to reach public places. The report also outlines the measures the city has already taken to address these issues. 2008-11-21
City Bus Performance
The slowest bus in the city is the M96 crosstown and the most unreliable bus is the M101/2/3, according to an annual report by NYPIRG and Transportation Alternatives. 2008-11-13
Global Cities Index
New York City is ranked as the most global city in an annual index created by Foreign Policy magazine, the consulting firm A.T. Kearney, and The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. New York's financial markets, network of multinational corporations and the strength of its creative class gave the city its edge over the 59 other cities included in the index. 2008-11-06
Cycling Explodes in City
Commuter cycling in the city increased a record 35 percent last year, according to a new report by the Department of Transportation. Cycling has doubled over the last six years, the department reports. They also found that the number of cyclists using the Williamsburg Bridge has quadrupled over the past four years. 2008-10-31
Region's Most Dangerous Roads
The third most dangerous road in the region is a tie between 3rd Ave. in Manhattan and Broadway in Manhattan, according to a new report by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. More of the most dangerous roads are located in the city, including Grand Central Parkway in Queens and Hylan Blvd in Staten Island, which were tied for the 5th most dangerous. Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn was tied for 9th with two other roads in New Jersey. 2008-10-30
Healthier School Buses
The Environmental Defense Fund proposes a $30 million retrofit program for the city's school buses over three years. The program would upgrade the bus fleet's diesel engines so that 90 percent of their pollution would be eliminated. Pollution is five times higher inside buses than it is outside, according to the report. 2008-10-03
The Regional Economy
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has released its first report on the metro region's economy since 2000. The report covers the health of Port Authority facilities, the regional economy, and has special sections on exports from the area as well as on demographic changes. 2008-10-02
Vehicle Occupancy Rates of Commuters
In 2006 an average 2.4 million passengers and 1.2 million vehicles entered the central business district each work day, according to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council. Private cars averaged 1.3 people per car and taxis averaged 1.5 people. 2008-09-05
Olympic-Sized Infrastructure
A new brief from the Center for an Urban Future argues New York City and the country must invest in its urban infrastructure to compete in a global economy. According to the center, the northeast region could see an additional 18 million residents by 2050. As China begins to invest in its infrastructure, the brief argues New York must make a similar investment to keep up. 2008-08-27
How Parking Requirements Lead to More Driving
This study from Transportation Alternatives, a pedestrian and bicyling advocacy group, finds that New York City’s residential off-street
parking requirements encourage car ownership and use, and contradict city sustainability goals which seek to reduce traffic, air pollution and carbon emissions. 2008-08-19
MTA Subsidies Flat
A new report from the Independent Budget Office shows that state and city subsidies for the Metropolitan Transporation Authority have remained flat since the 1990s. The city’s operating subsidy to New York City Transit has been $159 million since the mid-1990s, while the state gives about $191 million for operating expenses annually. 2008-08-18
The Value of Street Life
A report by Transportation Alternatives that argues that livable streets - which prioritize pedestrian activity over driving - are a boon to the economy. It finds that pedestrian only zones result in higher foot traffic and retail sales. Property values are also higher on quieter streets, those with calmer traffic, and in areas with more open space. 2008-08-13
Grading the Subways
The Straphangers Campaign's annual state of the subways report released yesterday found a "weak showing for subway service." Cars broke down more frequently in 2007 than in 2006 and subway car announcements deteriorated, while train cleanliness remained unchanged. The report, which includes records for individual subway lines, expressed particular concern about the breakdowns calling them "a troubling trend, raising questions about the condition and maintenance of the aging transit fleet." 2008-07-30
New York Less Vulnerable to Gas Prices
A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council found New York was less vulnerable than most states to higher gas prices. The report factors in how much residents spend of their annual income on gas and what each state has done to reduce oil dependency. New Yorkers spend about 3.3 percent of their annual income on gas. It also recognizes the state's attempt to provide clean energy incentives, emission standards and idling restrictions. 2008-07-23
New York Behind on Meters
A new report from Transportation Alternatives, a biking and public transportation advocacy group, says three cities are leaping ahead of New York City with new technology and higher meter rates to prevent drivers from cruising for parking. The policies of San Francisco, Chicago and Washington D.C., the report contends, can help reduce traffic on city streets by opening up spaces, decreasing the parking "cruising" that contributes to 45 percent of some congestion. 2008-07-16
Serving More Bus Riders
The increase in bus service has not kept up with the rise in ridership over the past decade, according to an analysis by the Straphangers Campaign, a transit advocacy group. Average weekday bus ridership increased by 22 percent from September 2007 -- shortly after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority instituted free transfers between subways and buses. Weekday service, though, only rose by 15 percent. 2008-07-09
Foreign Visitors to NYC Up 18 Percent
New York City remains the number one port of entry into the United States for foreign visitors, according to a report from the federal Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. Over 836,000 foreign tourists came through the city’s ports (air, land and sea) in the first three months of 2008, an 18 percent increase from the same time last year. A weakened U.S. dollar has contributed to the visitor increase, according to the office. 2008-07-08
From Potholes to Planning: Will the City’s Transportation Agency Changing Routes?
Transportation initiatives are central to New York City’s long-term sustainability agenda outlined in PlaNYC. In this paper, Paige Cowett looks at whether, even with new leadership and a strategic plan, transportation policy in the city will change directions.
This is one in a series of working papers sponsored the Hunter College Center for Community Planning and Development. 2008-07-01
Commuting Patterns
In 2006, 7.2 million people entered and left the Central Business District on a typical business day, according to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council's annual Hub Bound Report. That is an increase of 3 percent over the previous year. Of those travelers, 5.1 million used public transportation - an increase of 4 percent over 2005. Bicycle riders entering the district - defined as the area below 60th St. in Manhattan - rose 33 percent over the prior year, but still account for less that 0.5 percent of all travelers. 2008-06-12
Shmutz on the Subways
The L Train has the city's cleanest subway cars and the E and Q Trains the dirtiest, according to a survey by the Straphangers Campaign. The advocacy group's annual "subway shmutz" survey found the number of clean cars in the system as a whole inched up slightly, from 47 percent in 2005 to 50 percent last year. The group found huge disparities between lines, with 88 percent of L Train cars considered clean, compared to just 29 percent of cars on the E and Q. 2008-03-26
Commute Times Worst for Low-Income Minorities
The vast majority of drivers with long commutes are minorities and have annual earnings below the citywide median, according to a report by the Pratt Center's Transportation Equity Project. Using Census data, the report finds that over 750,000 New Yorkers have a commute that takes over an hour, and two-thirds them make less the $35,000 a year. Blacks have commute times averaging 25 percent longer than whites, and Hispanics' commutes average 12 percent longer than whites. 2008-02-07
Transit and the Disabled
People with disabilities encounter an array of problems using the city's subways and buses, according to a report prepared for the New York City Council. In addition to familiar pitfalls, such as inaccessible subway stations, a series of focus groups reported that many transit employees lack the expertise to deal with the disabled, that erratic repair schedules make transit unreliable for these customers, and that people with "hidden disabilities" often find it difficult to get assistance. The report, "Moving Forward," sets forth a series of recommendations to address such problems. 2008-01-15
Crosswalks Dangerous for the Elderly
A new report by Transportation Alternatives finds that crosswalks on the Upper East Side pose a danger to elderly New Yorkers. It finds that 56 percent of seniors stood in the street before crossing to get a head start and that they walk faster than normal when crossing wide streets. The report calls for new strategies to make crossing safer, such as: giving pedestrians priority over motorists at intersections, retiming traffic signals to provide more time to cross, and the repairing of street imperfections such as potholes to prevent falls. 2007-12-21
Taxi Improvements
The Design Trust for Public Space and the Taxi & Limousine Commission have partnered to produce a colorful book on the world of cabs and the future of this form of transportation. The 163 page report boasts a comic book guide to the world of taxis, color photos, information on the taxi system and a bevy of recommendations for what the commission could do to improve taxis. Some of its recommendations include: the creation a MetroCard that can be used for cabs, charging lower fares for passengers who share rides and offering "peak time" medallions. 2007-12-20
Free Subways and Buses
By charging $16 for cars and $32 for trucks entering the Central Business District, imposing a surcharge on taxi medallions and charging higher curbside parking within the district, New York City could totally eliminate fares for subways and buses, says a preliminary report by Nurture New York's Nature, an advocacy group. The report says that the fees would reduce traffic in the district by 25 percent and 10 percent citywide, resulting in $4 billion in annual savings through increased productivity. 2007-12-19
Who Drives Into The Proposed "Congestion Zone?"
A new analysis by New York City Independent Budget Office finds that a majority of commuters into the proposed congestion zone come from outside New York City and that the median annual earnings of those who drive private cars to work exceeds the earnings of other commuters by 30 percent. Approximately 1.6 million people commuted to the congestion zone for work in 2005, according to data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Of these, about 269,673 (16.9 percent) used a private car, van, or truck to get to work. Over three-fourths (76.2 percent) of these motorists usually drove alone. 2007-12-17
Central Business District Travel Patterns
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council released its annual Hub Bound report. It details travel patterns in 2005 into and out of the city's central business district, which it defines as Manhattan below 60th St. The majority of people entering or leaving the district, about 60 percent, used the subway. Vehicles accounted for about 14 percent of travel into and out of the area. The majority of vehicles, at 44 to 45 percent, came from within the district. 13 to 15 percent came from or were going to New Jersey. 2007-12-13
The Impact of Flight Delays On NYC
Escalating flight delays at New York City area airports, far outpacing those in the rest of the nation, are diminishing New York City’s competitive edge in the global marketplace and increasing pollution in adjacent neighborhoods, according to a new report by New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. "One of the New York City’s major competitive advantages is its outstanding air connections with the rest of the nation and the world,” Thompson said. “This advantage is now being degraded by the declining reliability of air travel into and out of New York.” 2007-12-03
Pokey Buses
The M23 is the slowest bus in New York City, traveling at 4 miles per hours as it crosses Manhattan at 23rd Street, according to a survey of bus travel speeds conducted by NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives. This year, the groups issued a new award for most unreliable service, presenting that dubious distinction to the M1. Nearly one in three of its buses going up and down Fifth, Madison and Park avenues have big gaps in service or are off schedule, according to New York City Transit’s own records. In the accompanying report, the groups also rated the slowest and most unreliable bus service in the other boroughs and included lists of speed and reliability on bus routes. 2007-10-31
Alternatives to Congestion Pricing
A report released yesterday by the group Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free offered a variety of alternatives to congestion prices that it says would result in the same amount of traffic reduction as Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan. Among the reports suggestions are: raising the cost of parking in the central business district and greatly reducing the amount of free parking in Manhattan, reducing the amount of parking placards given to city employees, increasing the amount of taxi stands, raising tolls on bridges and tunnels, increasing fines for parking infractions and modernizing traffic signals. 2007-10-12
MTA Sees Millions Needed for Pricing Plan
In a report from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to a 17-member congestion pricing commission, the authority states Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan could benefit the city’s public transportation system, but also would cost millions for the authority to implement the necessary improvements. According to the report, the authority estimates capital improvements could cost $283.6 million and the net operating expenses could be $55.8 million. These improvements are not included in the authority’s current financial plan or capital budget, the report concludes. These costs also come while the authority is considering a fare hike to address a looming budget deficit. The authority estimates the total unfunded capital costs needed to implement service improvements is $767 million. 2007-10-09
Traffic Congestion
Traffic in the New York area continues to get worse, consuming ever more time and fuel, according to the latest report from the Texas Transportation Institute, which takes annual readings of congestion in American cities. It found that traffic delays in the metropolitan area cost more than $7 billion in 2005 (the most recent year) and consumed an excess 242 million gallons of fuel. While the average traveler wasted 14 hours in traffic delays in 1982, the year the institute began compiling that number, he or she now wastes 48 hours. 2007-09-19
Travel Patterns in the Metro Region
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council released its quarterly Travel Patterns report, which shows how the area's bridges, tunnels, rails, roads, and waterways are used.
It showed the subway with the highest growth in at least five years for the first quarter of the year. Ridership for this part of 2007 climbed five percent over this period last year, with an average of 4,928,222 riding the train a day during the week.
But that growth is rivaled by PATH riders, it shows. 6.3 percent more people used the PATH trains to commute between New Jersey and New York City for first quarter of this year than they did for the first quarter of last year.
Use of the subway accounts for just over half of all public transportation use in the metro region. 2007-09-13
Fare Hike Not Necessary Just Yet
Before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority looks to increase fares, the city and state should consider recommendations from the recently formed congestion pricing commission and the authority’s five-year capital plan, according to a report by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli released yesterday. The authority recently proposed raising fares in both 2008 and 2010 to address a budget deficit. DiNapoli’s report suggests a fare increase would not be necessary in 2008 when the authority projects a cash balance of $323 million. Because the authority could receive state funding following its anticipated vote on a fare hike in December - which is before Governor Eliot Spitzer would release his executive budget and before the congestion commission would release its recommendations – the authority should hold off on any increase until it is aware of other possible funding alternatives. 2007-08-28
How "Green" are New York's Streets?
A new report by four alternative transportation groups across the country rates how "green" their respective cities' streets are. New York, which was assessed by Transportation Alternatives and ranked last out of the four, has much to be applauded, but has many areas of needed improvement, the report said. While it lauds the mayor's PlaNYC and the new transportation commissioner, the city must elaborate on details of that plan and create a strategy for pedestrian safety, the report said. 2007-08-17
Alternatives to a Fare Hike
City Comptroller William Thompson has issued a report listing $728 million in new revenues that, he says, could avert a hike in subway and bus fares in 2008 and 2009. The report, Putting the Brakes on the Bus and Subway Fare, offers six steps, many of which would increase funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority from the city and state governments. These measures, Thompson said, would reverse recent cuts in city and state funding for mass transit and "reflect the predominant role of the downstate economy in generating tax revenue for the state." 2007-08-08
State of the Subways Report Card 2007
The New York Public Interest Research Group’s Straphangers Campaign issued its tenth annual "State of the Subways" Report Card, rating the 1 as the best of 22 subway lines and the C and W the worst. The 43-page report is based on a review of official data on subway service and includes detailed profiles of each line. 2007-07-24
Possible Impacts in the Outer-Boroughs
Although Mayor Michael Bloomberg says his congestion pricing plan is integral to creating a more environmentally friendly and sustainable city, a report issued this week by Councilmember David Weprin contends the plan merely shifts environmental and health impacts to outer-borough neighborhoods outside of the congestion pricing zone. According to the report, “because areas with the highest incidence of asthma are generally the same areas with the greatest number of mass transit riders, it therefore follows that affected neighborhoods will be subjected to an even greater health risk should congestion pricing be implemented.” If mass transit alternatives are not accessible, the report warns, drivers would park in areas outside of the congestion zone and consequently increase traffic there. 2007-07-19
Congestion Pricing Debate
With the mayor’s congestion pricing proposal bogged down in Albany, Assemblymember Richard Brodsky has issued a report sharply critical of the plan to charge motorists for driving in parts of Manhattan. Although conceding that congestion is a serious problem, the report questions the fairness of using “pricing mechanisms … for distributing scarce public resources or solving social problems.” It calls the plan a “regressive tax” that will largely burden working families.” The Drum Major Institute has issued a memo rebutting some of Brodsky’s criticism and arguing that congestion pricing would benefit most middle class New Yorkers. 2007-07-11
Taxis for People with Disabilities
New York City Transit could reduce its spending by about $13 million a year if it increased the use of taxi vouchers to provide transportation for people with disabilities who cannot use mass transit, according to a report by the Independent Budget Office. The vouchers could reduce spending on the Access-A-Ride program, which has been rising sharply. 2007-06-27
New York City Childhood Fatality Report
This report from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene takes a five-year retrospective look at intentional and unintentional injury deaths among city children, with a particular focus on the single largest contributor: motor vehicle related deaths.
Although child motor vehicle-related deaths in the city are lower than the national average and have declined during the past decade, rates are still disconcertingly high and each death is preventable. Most motor vehicle-related deaths were among child pedestrians struck by moving vehicles; nearly 60 children were fatally struck on local streets in the past 5 years, many of whom were playing in or near streets, especially during warm weather evening hours. 2007-06-15
MTA Finances
Even though the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is expecting a budget surplus this year, the agency "projects large operating budget shortfalls" in 2008 and 2009 and a gap of almost $1.8 billion in 2010, according to a review by the Independent Budget Office. Closing this gap through fare hikes alone could result in the cost of a subway ride rising to almost $3. The analysis was requested by the Straphangers Campaign, an advocacy group. 2007-06-06
Moving Beyond Oil Dependence
A report from the Sierra Club NYC Group, entitled "Moving NYC Toward Sustainable Energy Independence," offers short and long-term recommendations for energy conservation. Ideas include adjusting parking fees to discourage driving, instituting work weeks of fewer but longer days, and closing 42nd Street and Broadway to automobile traffic. 2007-05-11
2007 NYC Cycling Map
The new edition of the NYC Cycling Map shows on-street bicycle routes, bicycle lanes, and off-street greenway paths in all five boroughs. It also provides information on bridge access, bike repair shop locations, and instructions for bringing bikes on the subways, commuter rails and ferries. 2007-04-27
Staten Island's Future
While Staten Island offers many opportunities, the city’s least populated borough also faces an array of challenges, according to “Staten Island 2020,” a report by the Center for an Urban Future. The problems include an exodus of young people, rapidly rising housing costs and ever-longer commuter times. 2007-04-25
Relieving Congestion
Traffic congestion is a major problem throughout New York City, not just in Manhattan, and private cars, many driven by people who live in the city – are the key cause, according to "CITYinFLUX: Understanding and Untangling Traffic and Transportation in New York City," a report by Schaller Consulting. To reduce the congestion, the report recommends a multi-faceted approach, including improvements to public transportation, more efficient use of street space, and charging motorists to use some roads and to park. 2007-04-20
Traffic and Health Problems
Over two million New Yorkers live within 500 feet of a major roadway, putting them at risk for pollution-related health problems, according to this report by Environmental Defense. "All Choked Up: Heavy Traffic, Dirty Air, and the Risk to New Yorkers" sums up the science of these risks, and suggests some solutions. 2007-03-29
Staten Island Ferry Costs
The cost of the "free" Staten Island ferry has doubled in the past five years to a projected $83.8 million this year, according to the Independent Budget Office. The office attributes much of the higher costs to improvements instituted after the 9/11 terror attacks and the 2003 ferry crash that killed 11 passengers. Rides on the ferry have been free since Mayor Rudolph Giuliani eliminated the fares in 1997. 2007-03-07
MTA Delays Put Riders At Risk
Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. issued a report that faults the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for jeopardizing the safety and security of riders by consistently delaying critical infrastructure work in New York City. Since 1982, when the first MTA Five-Year Capital Plan was issued, large disparities have emerged between the commuter railroads and New York City Transit in achieving what the MTA itself considers a “state of good repair.” 2007-02-02
Truck Traffic On The Rise
Truck traffic is on the rise in New York City and projected to grow significantly worse in the coming years, according to a new report released by Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn & Queens), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Since 1998, truck traffic has increased nearly 30 percent on city roads and, by 2020, the number of miles traveled by trucks in New York City is projected to increase 83 percent over the 1998 levels. 2007-01-29
Traffic Data
The New York City government does not have the information it needs to address the city’s traffic congestion problem or to plan for anticipated growth in auto and truck traffic, according to a report by Schaller Consulting, released by Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group. While the city government does collect information about traffic in Manhattan, it does not collect important data about travel within and to business districts in the other, increasingly congested, boroughs, the study found. 2007-01-24
New Yorkers With Out of State Plates
Many New Yorkers are registering their cars in other states to take advantage of lower insurance rates, according to this report from the state's Commission of Investigation. The commission describes this practice as an increasingly serious burden on city and state officials, law enforcement agencies, the state's auto insurance industry, and New Yorkers, who pay higher rates as a result. It recommends working with other states to address the problem 2006-12-14
Road Pricing
“Battling Traffic: What New Yorkers Think,” a report commissioned by the Manhattan Institute and conducted by Gotham Gazette’s transportation columnist Bruce Schaller, looks at the advantages of, and surveys the public’s reaction to, three types of “road pricing.” In a series of focus groups, New Yorkers were mixed about congestion pricing, in which vehicles driving in the Manhattan business district on weekdays would pay a fee; broadly supported “express lanes” on highways for solo drivers who pay a toll as well as buses and high-occupancy vehicles; and varied in their views on increasing the cost of on-street parking. 2006-12-08
Traffic Congestion
Traffic congestion costs New York businesses and consumers more than $13 billion annually and 52,000 jobs, according to this report commissioned by the business group the Partnership for New York City, which is entitled “Growth or Gridlock: The Economic Case For Traffic Relief and Transit Improvement For Greater New York.” Much of the congestion occurs between 60th Street and the Battery, where 3.6 million people travel every weekday, a third of them in vehicles. “The historic response to heavy traffic – building new highways and road capacity – is not an option any longer, since there is simply not room for the tri-state area to build its way out of the problem,” says the report, which suggests instead such solutions as implementing bus rapid transit, expanding use of ferries, and introducing congestion pricing – charging motorists for driving to certain areas of Manhattan. 2006-12-05
Traffic Survey
While almost 80 percent of New Yorkers believe traffic jams are a problem in the city, most New Yorkers do not know about congestion pricing and support for the concept is “fragile,” according to a report released by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. The survey also found that, although most respondents give Mayor Michael Bloomberg generally high marks, 59 percent give him a negative rating on his efforts to address traffic problems in the city. 2006-11-28
Staten Island Ferry Fare
The Independent Budget Office estimates that if the Staten Island Ferry would start charging a fare of one dollar, but charge it only to tourists (commuters who lived or worked in Staten Island would be exempt), “costs would exceed fare revenues within the first seven years of operation. At a fare of two dollars, however, there would be an operating surplus for the foreseeable future.” All passengers have ridden the ferry for free since 1997, when a 50-cent fare was eliminated. 2006-11-13
Rating New York
The M14A, which crosses Manhattan via 14th Street, is the city’s slowest bus, traveling at about 3.9 miles per our, or just a little faster than many people walk, according to a report by the Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives. In addition to rating the slowest buses, the report looks at the reliability of bus service, particularly whether the route has bunches and gaps and in services. The M1, which goes through Manhattan on Madison an Fifth Avenues, was rated the least reliable. 2006-10-25
Traffic's High Cost
New Yorkers who live on streets with lots of automobile traffic spend less time outside and are more likely to limit their children's outdoor play than people who lives in less congested places, according to a new study by Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group. The study, “Traffic’s Human Toll,” also found that New Yorkers living on high traffic streets have a more negative perception of their block. Almost half of respondents surveyed said reducing the number of cars traveling their street would "totally improve" the quality of life. 2006-10-11
Access-A-Ride's High Cost
The cost of running Access-A-Ride, the transit authority's door-to-door transportation service for the city's disabled, more than doubled from 2000 to 2005 and is now one of the agency's fastest-growing expenses (though still a comparatively small portion of the total budget), according to this report by the Independent Budget Office. 2006-10-06
Bicycle Accidents
Some 225 bicyclists died in traffic accidents between 1996 and 2005, according to a city report, “Bicyclist Fatalities and Serious Injuries in New York City.” More than 90 percent of the deaths involved crashes with motor vehicles. On a happier note, the study also found more than twice as many New Yorkers bike to work than the national average. The report came as city officials announced an array of bicycle improvements, including construction of more bicycles paths and lanes. 2006-09-13
Traffic Congestion Worsening
Libertarian think tank the Reason Foundation has published this report analyzing traffic congestion across the United States. It ranks New York as the country's tenth most congested city. By 2030, the city's traffic will be worse than that in present day Los Angeles unless New York makes a major investment in building new roads, the report argues. 2006-08-31
Poll: New Yorkers Talk Traffic
New Yorkers say the mayor is doing only a “fair” to “poor” job of reducing traffic jams and delays on city streets, highways and bridges, according to a survey of 800 New York City residents in the five boroughs conducted May 19 through June 4, 2006, by Michaels Opinion Research. On only one other issue, increasing the stock of affordable housing, does the Mayor receive a higher net negative rating . Mayor Bloomberg receives the highest net positive marks for keeping parks clean and safe and reducing crime. 2006-08-09
Grading the Subways
The Number 6 train is the best line in the city, according to the ninth annual “State of the Subways” Report Card issued by NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign. The group gave the line a rating of 1.40 (out of a possible $2 MetroCard). The N and W tied for the worst subway line, both with a MetroCard rating of 75 cents. The report evaluates the lines on the amount of scheduled service, regularity of train arrivals, mechanical failures, chances of getting a seat, cleanliness and adequacy of announcements. 2006-08-02
How to Balance the MTA's Budget
The report, released by The Citizens Budget Commission, projects an MTA deficit of $3.3 billion in 2009 and presents guidelines for closing it. 2006-06-28
Dirty Subway Cars
New York's subway cars are getting dirtier, and now less than half can be described as "clean", according to the Straphangers Campaign's annual "shmutz" survey. The dirtiest subway lines were the E and M. 2006-05-17
Hazardous Train Stations
Potentially dangerous third rails are exposed at 11 of the 14 Metro North stations within the city’s boundaries, according to an audit by City Comptroller William Thompson. Otherwise, the audit found good conditions at nine stations, poor conditions at two (Grand Central and Fordham), with three others undergoing capital improvements. Another audit by the comptroller found poor or hazardous conditions at two of the 26 Long Island Rail Road stations in the city. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates both commuter rail lines. 2006-05-10
Non-Functioning Payphones
More than one in four payphones in New York City Transit subway stations do not fully work, according to two surveys released today by the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign. 2006-05-03
The MTA
Many of the properties owned by Metropolitan Transportation Authority are poorly maintained and unclean, according to a City Council report. If it were a private property owner, the report says, the MTA would face fines for the condition of the properties adjacent to subway and commuter train lines. 2006-03-13
Manhattan Driving: Necessity or Choice?
Why do people drive in Manhattan, asks this report prepared for Transportation Alternatives (its author, Bruce Schaller, writes out Transportation Topic Page). It also looks at what viable alternatives there are to driving in Manhattan’s central business districts, and what would happen if incentives were put in place for people to use these alternatives. 2006-02-24
Subway Announcements
Basic informational subway car announcements improved in the last year, but delay and service change announcements remain poor, according to an annual Straphangers Campaign survey. The report found that basic subway car announcements - those giving the names of upcoming stations and transfer information - improved. Basic car announcements were found to be made 77 percent of the time in 2005, up from previous years. But the survey also found that in 65 percent of delays and disruptions experienced by surveyors, there was either no announcement at all - or an inaudible, garbled or incorrect one. 2006-02-09
Moynihan Station
The new Moynihan Station on Eight Avenue and 34th Street will restore much of what was lost when the old Penn Station was demolished, improve transportation and spur economic development of the Far West Side, according to a new report by the Regional Plan Association. The report urges that construction on the project begin next year and that it be supplemented with other investment and action to improve the corridor between 30th and 34th streets. 2005-11-23
New York's Debt
In "New York's Endangered Future, Debt Beyond Our Means," the Citizens Budget Commission argues bluntly that "New York State has too much debt," which is putting it at a competitive disadvantage with other states. The report calls for "a new constitutional limit" on the amount of debt the state can assume, and argues that voters should reject "bond referendums such as the Transportation Bond Act of 1005 until debt is brought under control." 2005-10-11
Issues And Proposals For The Candidates
Three leading New York civic groups have issued a
report on key policy issues that they believe York’s
next mayor will face over the next four years. The
report, “Framing the 2005 Mayoral Debate: Issues and
Proposals for the Candidates,” by the Regional Plan
Association, the Center for New York City Affairs at
Milano Graduate School and the Center for an Urban
Future, considers major problems in such areas as
education, economic development, child welfare and
homelessness and presents possible solutions. The
groups say the report is intended to encourage
substantive discussion of policy issues in this year's
municipal campaigns. 2005-08-25
MetroCard Failures
More than 28 percent of MetroCard swipes at subway turnstiles fail to let the customer through to the platform, according to a report by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum,"Stuck at the Turnstile: Failed Swipes Slow Down Subway Riders." At the worst-performing station, the Rockaway Avenue stop along the C line in Ocean Hill/Brownsville, Brooklyn, 54.50 percent of the 3.4 million swipes since 2003 failed to let passengers through. 2005-06-28
Dirty Subway Stations
Most New York City subway stations are dirty – and the dirtiest ones are in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, according to a City Council investigation. 2005-06-22
Subway Cars Are Dirtier for First Time in Five Years
After years of steady improvement, the proportion of New York City subway cars that are dingy, sticky, smelly or heavily soiled rose last year, according to a study released yesterday by Straphangers Campaign.The survey was conducted on 2,200 subway cars on 22 subway lines between September 19, 2004 and December 27, 2004. Campaign surveyors rated 61 percent of subway cars as clean compared to 66 percentof cars rated clean in a survey in 2003-2004, representing a significant drop in service system-wide. This reverses four surveys, with the number of clean cars going from 32% in a 1999-2000 survey; 47 percent in the 2000-2001 survey; 59 percent in the 2002-2003 survey; and 66 percent in the 2003-2004 survey. 2005-04-22
Bicycling in NYC, Eighth Annual Report
Transportation Alternatives rates on-the-street bicycling conditions and what government agencies did to promote cycling in 2004. This report card is intended to inspire government to improve its promotion of cycling and to provide a record of the cycling environment. It should also provoke cyclists and government to think about what makes a good cycling environment. T.A. focuses on projects completed in 2004. Overall, government gets credit for treating cycling as a legitimate form of transportation 2005-03-25
Maintaining the Roads
New York State must spend at least $1.3 billion more
than is currently planned to maintain the roads and
bridges in New York City and its suburbs over the next
five years, according to a study by the Rudin Center
for Transportation Policy and Management at NYU's
Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. With $6
billion included in the proposed capital budget for
the region, the report says $7.3 billion is needed to
keep the roads from getting worse. The area would need
$13.7 billion between 2005 and 2010 to move toward
having the roads in good condition and making
improvements to relieve traffic congestion. 2005-03-23
Preliminary Mayor's Management Report for Fiscal Year 2005
The Preliminary Mayor's Management Report for Fiscal Year 2005, according to City Hall, "provides an early update of how the City is performing four months into the fiscal year," offering "performance highlights and statistics for agencies, as well as data on inquiries received by the 311 Citizen Service Center."
Also, Search by agency 2005-02-15
Subway Announcements
Subway car announcements, including those announcing stations, continue to improve, but announcements of delays and other service disruptions remain poor, according to a survey released yesterday by the Straphangers Campaign. In three quarters of delays, there was no announcement -- or at least not one readers could hear or understand. 2005-02-04
Williamsburg Bridge Bicycle Bumps
The two-inch-high metal bumps on the Williamsburg Bridge's bike and pedestrian paths pose a hazard to people using the bridge, according to the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives. The bumps cover expansion joints on the path. According to a survey, the bumps caused almost a quarter of all bicyclists on the bridge to crash their bikes or fall. 2005-01-28
Bike Rack Shortage
A report by Transportation Alternatives highlights the need for more outdoor
bike racks in New York City. The city currently has 3,400 bike racks for
112,000 daily cyclists - one for every thirty-three riders. By comparison,
Chicago, has 10,000 city-installed bike racks for 40,000 bikers - one rack
for every four cyclists. With a limited number of bike racks, New Yorkers
often use other objects to secure their bicycles, such as street signposts,
lampposts, parking meters, fences, and trees. 2005-01-06
