Covering the MTA, NYC Subway, LIRR, Metro-North & more

MTA Approves Budget Cuts

Posted by Transit Blogger

on March 24th, 2010 at 1:40 pm

Within the last couple of hours, the MTA Board officially approved budget cuts in order to trim down a $400M+ budget shortfall. Lets first take a look at a brief report by Michael M. Grynbaum of the New York Times:

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted 11-2 Wednesday afternoon to implement a package of service cuts, including the elimination of a subway line and dozens of bus routes.

The service reductions, to be phased in starting in June, will save $93 million a year, part of an effort by the strapped authority to dig itself out of a $400 million budget shortfall.

Under the plan, the W train will be eliminated and the M line will no longer run in Lower Manhattan and south Brooklyn. Bus riders will lose 34 routes throughout the five boroughs, including 13 express routes. Several other bus lines will be truncated or rerouted.

Click here for the complete report.

Now lets take a look at the report from Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News:

The MTA board gave final approval Wednesday to a sweeping package of bus and subway service cuts that will mean longer waits and more crowded slower trips for millions of straphangers.

The service cuts – set to begin this summer – include eliminating 33 local and express bus routes, halting overnight service on another 15 routes and ending weekend service on 16 routes.

Two subway lines will disappear from the map, and waits for many off-peak subway trains will increase by two minutes, officials said.

The vote came after riders, transit advocates, union officials and a few politicians urged the MTA to find some way to maintain current levels of service.

“Today is truly a sad and disappointing day for the straphangers of New York City,” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.

But some blasted city and state officials for not adequately funding mass transit. “The decisions that were made that led us to this point were made in City Hall and Albany,” William Henderson, executive director of the MTA’s Permanent Citizens Advisory Council.

“We all need to demand our elected officials give public transit the attention it deserves.”

Transit officials said the MTA lost approximately $750 million in expected revenues because of state funding cuts and declining tax revenues.

“This is really going to change the New York way of life, and I don’t think it’s going to be pretty,” said Andrew Albert, a non-voting rider representative to the board.

Click here for the complete report.

While I have not been able to update the blog, I have been doing my best to keep up with the happenings in & around the MTA. I like many others am not surprised that these budget cuts were approved. When you sit down & look at the actual numbers, it would be impossible for the cuts not to be approved. While I & many others completely understand that our elected officials lack of providing adequate funding is one of the major problems, it would not change the current situation.

I wish I had been able to analyze the revised service changes in an entry but at this point, that opportunity has at best come & gone. However you could always read the .pdf of these changes by clicking here.

I expect at some point this afternoon, the MTA will issue a statement about today’s board meeting. Lastly I want to say that I am sick & tired of the cliche responses I see posted to articles involving financial matters with the MTA. In the Daily News article linked above, one of the cliche responses focused on the MTA having two sets of books. This claim has been disproved for quiet some time now. However the media brainwashed this lie so much, it still resonates to this day. Enough already!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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MTA Board, MTA Finances

35% Decrease In LIRR Gap Incidents In 2009

Posted by Transit Blogger

on March 24th, 2010 at 1:51 am

If you have been a long time reader of this blog (especially in 2008), you will recall countless entries about the gap problems which have plagued the LIRR. Late yesterday afternoon, the agency sent out a press release to announce some great news. Gap incidents decreased by 35% in 2009. Here are the complete details:

Gap accidents at the MTA Long Island Rail Road declined by 35 percent in 2009 compared to the prior year; and by 56 percent compared to 2007.

“We’ve made a concerted effort to address the gap issue and we think those efforts are contributing to these significant reductions in the number of incidents,” said LIRR President Helena E. Williams. “Our efforts will continue. Safety is our No. 1 concern at the LIRR. We remind customers to take responsibility for their own safety when exiting and entering trains. Put your Blackberry away, turn off your IPod and stow your cell phone for that moment. Your safety depends on it.”

In 2009, there were 77 gap incidents, down from 119 incidents in 2008 and 175 in 2007.

Through 2009, the LIRR expended approximately $27 million in gap mitigation efforts. An additional $12.3 million will be spent through 2012 addressing the gap by completing platform modifications, installing threshold plates on M3 and C3 cars, and the use of special platform conductors.

The LIRR’s multifaceted approach to gap mitigation includes a comprehensive customer education/awareness ‘Be TrainSmart’ Safety campaign; installation of platform edgeboards and shifting of platforms and track to reduce the gap; retrofitting of trains cars with wider threshold plates; and platform stencilings, expanded station signage and celebrity announcements advising customers to be mindful of the gap.

Currently, all the LIRR’s 836 newer M7 electric cars – the bulk of the LIRR fleet – have been fitted with new, wider threshold plates. Additional safety measures remain in place at Syosset Station, which is on a significant curve, including the use of special platform conductors, the call-ahead-for-assistance program, additional signage, platform edge lighting and platform cameras and monitors.

This is great news as for quite a period of time, this issue plagued the LIRR. I find it refreshing that this issue has not lead to many headlines in recent memory. Lets hope 2010 brings an even further decrease in gap incidents.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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No Parking At The Mineola Intermodal Center

Posted by Transit Blogger

on March 24th, 2010 at 1:46 am

Late yesterday afternoon, the MTA Long Island Rail Road sent out a press release to announce that no parking will be available at the Mineola Intermodal Center this weekend. This is due to the electrical system being updated. Here are the complete details:

Work to upgrade the electrical system at the Mineola Intermodal Center will make it necessary to close the four-level parking facility on the weekend of March 27 and 28.

The seven Long Island Bus routes will still operate as will LIRR train service at the Mineola station. However, shutting off the electricity so the system upgrades can be done will affect the lights, LIRR ticket selling machine in the Center’s pedestrian overpass, electronic signs and elevators serving the Center’s overpass.

LIRR ticket selling machines at Mineola LIRR Station will operate as normal.

On a typical weekend, about 225 customers use the $5-per-day Intermodal Transportation Center, which has space for more than 700 vehicles and is located on the south side of Mineola Station.

As an alternative, there is limited parking available on nearby streets. There also is a pay-for-parking lot east of the Mineola Station on Second Street, between Main Street and Willis Avenue; and there’s a free and unrestricted (no permit required) lot on the north side of the nearby Merillon Avenue Station.

The Mineola Intermodal Center will reopen in time for the Monday morning rush hour.

A second weekend of work may be required April 10 and 11 to finish the work.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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5 Train Express Service Suspended For 18 Months

Posted by Transit Blogger

on March 23rd, 2010 at 3:04 pm

Now it is time to start the process of catching up with some recent news. If you have been following this blog, especially the “Service Diversions” page, one major diversion posted often was the lack of Bronx express service on the 5 Train . The service which operated during rush hour only was suspended often due to East 180th Street Signal Modernization Project.

8 days ago, MTA New York City Transit announced that due to initial part of the project & a new one starting on March 27th, Bronx express service on the 5 Train will be suspended for 18 months. Here are the complete details courtesy of a press release they sent me:

MTA NYC Transit announces that beginning Saturday, March 27 and continuing for 18 months through August 2011, there will be no weekday rush hour 5 express service between East 180th Street and 3rd Avenue-149th Street in either direction. 5 trains will make all 2 local stops. Currently, 5 trains run express in the peak direction during morning (southbound) and afternoon (northbound) rush hours between East 180th Street and 3rd Avenue-149th Street. It is anticipated that this service change will add about five minutes to customers’ trips.

This service change is necessary in order to support two projects on the Bronx 25 lines. The ongoing $280 million East 180th Street signal modernization project entails the installation of new signal equipment on the White Plains Road line between East 180th Street and Bronx Park East Stations. This project began in 2008 and is scheduled for completion in 2012.

The second project, beginning on March 27, is the East 180th Street station rehabilitation. The work will include complete replacement of the canopy roof, track beds, platforms and platform edge safety tiles, and other station amenities.

During the course of these projects, switches and tracks will be out of service for various lengths of time. Having both the 2 and 5 trains run local allows us to provide consistent subway service throughout the duration of these two projects. This work will also result in some weekend service changes. MTA NYC Transit regrets any inconvenience to our customers. Bronx riders are encouraged to look for signs in stations and listen for announcements. In addition, customers may call our Travel Information Center at 718-330-1234 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, or check diversion information at www.mta.info (click on Planned Changes).

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions Look Ahead 03/26-03/29

Posted by Transit Blogger

on March 23rd, 2010 at 2:54 pm

Yesterday afternoon, MTA New York City Transit sent out a press release which took a quick look ahead at some of the planned service diversions for this weekend. Here are the details:

Because of capital construction work on the NYC Transit subway system, the following changes will be in place over the weekend. This work is part of NYC Transit’s ongoing $11.2 billion Capital Rebuilding Program aimed at upgrading and maintaining our tracks, stations and signal systems in order to continue to provide our customers with safe and reliable service.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 27 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, the 1 train operates between Van Cortlandt Park-242nd Street and 14th Street. The downtown 1 runs express from 34th Street to 14th Street (except during the midnight hours) and the uptown 1 runs express from 14th Street to 34th Street.

A shuttle bus operates between Chambers Street and South Ferry. 23 trains run local between 96th Street and Chambers Street in both directions. During the midnight hours, the 3 is extended to/from 34th Street.

These changes are due to Port Authority work at the World Trade Center site and concrete pours at 50th Street and 79th Street. These changes are also scheduled to be in effect for the following two weekends: April 3-5 and 10-12.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, uptown 4 trains run express from 167th Street to Mosholu Parkway (with stops at Burnside) due to switch repairs at Burnside Avenue.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 27 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, C train service is suspended.

The uptown A trains will operate:

• Local from Euclid Avenue to Hoyt-Schermerhorn
• Via the F line from Jay Street to West 4th Street
• Local from West 4th Street to 59th Street
• Express from 59th Street to 145th Street
• Local from 145th Street to 168th Street
• Regular A service to Inwood-207th Street

The downtown A will operate:

• Local from 168th Street to 145th Street
• Express from 145th Street to 59th Street
• Local from 59th Street to Canal Street
• Regular A service to Hoyt-Schermerhorn
• Local from Hoyt-Schermerhorn to Euclid Avenue

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 27 to 5 a.m. March 29, D trains will run local between 59th Street and 145th Street in both directions.
These changes are due to the Chambers Street Signal Modernization Project.

There will also be one night service changes for track cleaning:

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday, March 27, uptown A and D trains bypass 135th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, March 28, uptown A trains run express from 145th Street to 168th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday, March 27, downtown D trains bypass 182nd-183rd Sts.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, March 28, downtown D trains bypass 174th-175th Sts. and 170th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, downtown D trains bypass 167th, 161st and 155th Streets.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 27 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, uptown D trains operate via the N line from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue to 36th Street due to work at the 38th Street train yard.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 27 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, the downtown F operates express from 34th Street to West 4th Street due to a substation rehabilitation.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, March 27 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, downtown F trains operate via the A from Jay Street to West 4th Street due to the Bleecker Street to Broadway-Lafayette Street transfer construction.

From 11 p.m. Friday, March 26 to 7 a.m. Saturday, March 27, from 11 p.m. Saturday, March 27 to 8 a.m. Sunday, March 28 and from 11 p.m. Sunday, March 28 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, uptown Q trains run local from Times Square-42nd Street to 57th Street/7th Avenue due to a track dig-out north of 42nd Street-Times Square. This change is also scheduled to be in effect the following two weekends: April 2-5 and 9-12.

From 10:30 p.m. Friday, March 26 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 29, shuttle buses replace S trains between Beach 67th Street and Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street due to track panel installation and station rehab work at Beach 98th Street.