Tag: transportation

How Much More Williamsburg Development Can the L Train Handle?

According to the Observer (and the MTA), a lot. CBTC upgrades will let the line operate at a theoretical capacity of 26 trains per hour, or one train every 2 minutes and 20 seconds or so (current capacity is 19 trains an hour, or one every three minutes or so). That represents a 38% increase in capacity, which is great considering the continued pace of development between Bedford Avenue and Myrte-Wyckoff.

At least until there is a sick passenger.

MTA To Launch Full-Line Review of G Train

After two state senators and various other elected officials lobbied on its behalf, the G train will receive some special attention now through June 2013 as it undergoes a thorough inspection of ongoing service issues.

Squadron, Dilan and the Riders Alliance get some traction on improving the crosstown local. It is only a study, but getting the MTA to admit that they have a G train is the first step.

Trading Parking Spots for Potted Plants

If the plaza goes through, it will not only take part of the street, but also nix seven parking spaces in an area where every space is prime real estate.

Uh, this stretch of Broadway is not exactly overrun with traffic. The bigger impact will be that cars turning right on Bedford will have to go about 20′ out of their way. I think we’ll survive.

City is Seeking Long-Term Extension of Successful East River Ferry Service

The City has decided that the East River Ferry pilot program, started in June of 2011, has been such a success that they are going to make it permanent. To that end, they are issuing an RFP to find a a permanent operator – it is a competitive process, but they’d be hard-pressed to find a better operator than the one that they have now.

Meeting the requirements of the RFP could be a challenge, though:

Respondents to the RFP will be evaluated on the extent to which they can improve the existing service while significantly reducing or eliminating the need for public operating assistance. In addition, respondents have the opportunity to propose expansion of service, such as increased operating hours and new landing locations. [emphasis added]

Expanding service would be wonderful (personally, a ferry stop at Houston Street would be grand). But reducing public subsidies (currently about $3 million per year) would require a massive expansion in ridership (it is already exceeding all expectations), something that probably only happens when riders can make a free transfer to public transportation. More likely, reducing subsidies means raising fares (probably by at least a dollar a ride).

In Memoriam – 108 Cyclists and Pedestrians Killed in 2012

In 2012, victims whose lives were ended by reckless drivers ranged in age from 2 to 92. Two small boys were fatally struck as their horrified and helpless parents looked on. A high school football player with college prospects was run over by two drivers while riding his bike. A veteran UPS man on his regular rounds was crushed to death on a sidewalk. A grandmother of 22 who survived Auschwitz was killed by a driver in pursuit of a parking spot.

With murders at a historical low, the odds of a New Yorker being killed by a stranger with a car are probably greater than the odds of being “murdered” by a stranger.

New Waterfront Bus Route Connects Williamsburg to LIC

The MTA has finally released details on the much-needed new bus line that is to connect Williamsburg Bridge Plaza to Court Square in LIC, via the Williamsburg and Greenpoint waterfront. Needed as it may be, though, the proposed route has some problem areas. The worst appears to Wythe Avenue, which would serve as the south-bound route for buses returning from Queens. Ever since Kent went one way, Wythe has been a minor nightmare, with traffic routinely backing up from Broadway to Grand Street during the afternoon rush, as well as backups from North 6th with even the slightest congestion.

This isn’t really a “bus” problem, but rather a planning problem. For years, there have been calls for DOT to tackle North Brooklyn’s changing transportation needs in a comprehensive fashion. Instead, we’ve been handed piecemeal changes over and over again, with each change causing a knock-on effect elsewhere in the community. Absent a broader and more comprehensive approach to transportation planning in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, this new bus route – great as it may be – is in danger of being just another piecemeal change.

Getting to Work

11/04/2012 | Comment

The L train is still out, but getting to Manhattan from North Brooklyn should be a little bit easier tomorrow. The M and the J trains are both going over the Williamsburg Bridge. The J will only go as far as Essex Street, but the M will have its full route through midtown reinstated. The 7 train is also running to Manhattan, though you’ll have to a bus to L.I.C. to pick it up – the G train remains suspended (the only line completely out of commission now). The full rundown of service changes is posted at the MTA website.

If you need to get downtown, the East River Ferry is probably your best bet, what the the shortened J and no L service to Manhattan. With the exception of Greenpoint’s India Street landing, the ferry was running regular service as of today (Sunday), and they expect to have India Street open Monday morning. Expect long lines at the ferry, but if it is like last week, everyone will get on.

Why You Hate Cyclists

I’m an asshole cyclist. I’m that jerk weaving in and out of traffic, going the wrong way down a one-way street, and making a left on red. I’m truly a menace on the road.

But it’s not because I’m on a bike—I’m an asshole on the road no matter what. I’m also a stereotypical Jersey driver, someone who treats speed limits as speed minimums and curses those who disagree. And I’m just as bad as a pedestrian, another jaywalking smartphone zombie oblivious to the world beyond my glowing screen. If I’m moving, I’m an accident waiting to happen.

Inductive fallacies, affect heuristics and assholes from Philly. Good stuff.