Scenes From a Commute Without Subways
With the NYC subway system knocked out indefinitely and service suspended on the LIRR, Metro-North, NJ Transit, and PATH systems, New Yorkers are gamely heading back to work today. MTA bus routes have resumed service, but across the board, their status is "Delayed." Early reports indicate that traffic is a disaster. It looks like HOV restrictions, busways, and bike/ped lanes can't come soon enough.
By
Ben Fried
10:07 AM EDT on October 31, 2012
With the NYC subway system knocked out indefinitely and service suspended on the LIRR, Metro-North, NJ Transit, and PATH systems, New Yorkers are gamely heading back to work today. MTA bus routes have resumed service, but across the board, their status is “Delayed.” Early reports indicate that traffic is a disaster. It looks like HOV restrictions, busways, and bike/ped lanes can’t come soon enough.
Here are a few images from NYC’s streets this morning, sent by readers and plucked from Twitter. Send in your photos of the commute without subways to tips@streetsblog.org.
Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
Some of NYC’s Worst Super Speeders Are City Marshals (You Know, The Guys With Badges)
They get justice for private citizens — yet they endanger them at the same time.
November 6, 2026
Mamdani Administration Battling Yet Another Suit By Delivery Apps Fighting Worker Protections
Uber, Instacart and Amazon are suing the city over a law that would force them to be more transparent when they remove workers from their platforms.
November 6, 2026
OPINION: New York City’s Trash Revolution Should Be an Accessibility Revolution, Too
The city has a rare chance to solve two major problems at once.
November 6, 2026
Friday’s Headlines: MTA Tin Cup Edition
The MTA hopes a Democratic Congress means more money for New York City straphangers. Plus more news.
November 6, 2026
Sunset Park Blaze Kills 6 As Lithium-ion Battery Fire Crisis Rages On
The city is experiencing a huge increase in fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries that power the delivery boom. A Thursday fire may be linked.
November 5, 2026



