Today will be a busy day for transportation nerds all over the tri-state area (looking at you, Streetsblog crew):
First, the city restriction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway from three lanes to two in both directions will go into effect between the Brooklyn Bridge and Atlantic Avenue, days after workers restriped the crumbling highway. The lane constrictions are part of the de Blasio administration's plan to leave the repair of the roadway to Mayor Adams's successor (as Streetsblog reported back when the "plan" was announced). All the news for BQE users is on the DOT website here, with coverage by amNY and Gothamist.
Also on Monday, the MTA will add more than 100 trains to its weekday schedule on Metro-North, which will bring weekday service up to about 82 percent of its pre-pandemic level. Weekend service is also being restored to full pre-pandemic conditions. All the details are on the MTA website here. The Times offered a broad overview of the commuter railroads' struggles.
In other news:
- Bike New York carried out an excellent Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday — even pleasing a Tribeca resident with sharp ears and elbows (Tribeca Citizen). There was one minor hiccup, but as is true of most crashes, poor road design for cyclists seems to be to blame (NY Post).
- We were happy to see that the Times did an obit of rail tunnel discoverer and would-be trolley magnate Bob Diamond. It's a nice read on a great Brooklyn character.
- The Daily News editorial board remains the singular organ that is opposed to the Gateway tunnel project. Advocates are fully behind the increased capacity that the project promises, as we reported last week.
- Speaking of opposition to things that our region needs, the Post gave the watered-down redesign of Fifth Avenue the full, whiny "it's a war on cars!" treatment, and sneered at the fact that even the community board supports it (as we reported).
- Where is Eric Adams getting his campaign money from? Let's put it this way, the guy is rubbing elbows with a well-heeled crowd that is definitely not progressive. And you know it's a story because both the NY Times and the NY Post covered it (with the Post crowing, of course, about how Adams will use his war chest to help elect "moderates.")
- In case you missed our coverage of the death of Bensonhurst pedestrian Chumei Pan on Friday, amNY also covered. Gothamist crunched the numbers on the deadliest year in Mayor de Blasio's tenure.
- Meanwhile, two women were struck in a crosswalk by a hit-and-run driver in The Bronx, and one died. (NYDN, NY Post) And a motorcyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Brooklyn. (NYDN, NY Post)
- City Lab took a look at our new all-day rush hour.
- And the Wall Street Journal, which has abandoned its city coverage, gave a cursory look at why economist love congestion pricing.
- Gothamist is the latest outlet to credulously report on a Council Member's bill to use automated enforcement to ticket noisy dirt bikes and motorcycles (though the outlet did point out that such machines rarely have license plates).
- The Times did a solid look back at the 1991 Union Square train derailment.
- Want to learn more about NYC Transit President Craig Cipriano? Read his op-ed in amNY.
- And, finally, years from now, no one will believe that we allowed a shady developer to tear down the Grand Prospect Hall, a venerable meeting and celebration place for so many diverse communities, and the recent home of the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival. Makes you wonder if the National Register of Historic Places is worth the tin its designations are minted on (Gothamist). In case you never got there yourself, here's what you missed from last year's Golden Fest (including a blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearance of our old man editor):
