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NYC Transit Boss Unveils Sweeping 10-Year Subway Modernization Plan (nbcnewyork.com)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping plan to modernize the city's subway system over the next 10 years. From a report: The proposal, which new New York City Transit President Andy Byford called "Fast Forward," centers on overhauling the mass transit network's signaling system -- some of which dates back to the early 20th century -- 30 years sooner than current Subway Action Plan.
But it won't come without a good bit of pain: sources told News 4 that Byford's plan would require entire lines to be taken out of service during overnight and weekend hours for extended periods. Byford -- who took over the task of running the city's subways and buses earlier this year -- said in an MTA meeting Wednesday that the work would be split into two five-year chunks. Over the first five years parts or all of the 4,5, 6, E, F, M, R, A, C, E and G lines would receive modern signaling systems. That would include the entirety of the Lexington Avenue line, which carries the 4, 5 and 6 trains and is the most-used mass transit line in the United States.
But it won't come without a good bit of pain: sources told News 4 that Byford's plan would require entire lines to be taken out of service during overnight and weekend hours for extended periods. Byford -- who took over the task of running the city's subways and buses earlier this year -- said in an MTA meeting Wednesday that the work would be split into two five-year chunks. Over the first five years parts or all of the 4,5, 6, E, F, M, R, A, C, E and G lines would receive modern signaling systems. That would include the entirety of the Lexington Avenue line, which carries the 4, 5 and 6 trains and is the most-used mass transit line in the United States.
The CBTC (aka the signal improvements) on the 7 train, which were supposed to take 7 years (chosen because it was the 2nd easiest line to do) has taken 10 years (aka 3 years late) and STILL not working
The 7 train extension, started in 2007, supposed to be finished in 2013 had one station dropped, and STILL took till Sept 2015 (aka about 50% over)
We won't talk about the fact that the Second Ave Subway took 99 YEARS from when it was first proposed till when it opened, and was "fully funded" by bond issues at least 3 times
NOTHING gets done in 10 years by the MTA
-- 73 de KG2V For the Children - RKBA! "You are what you do when it counts" - the Masso
Compared to Europe, Australia, and I imagine most developed countries, riding the subway in New York feels like you're in a 3rd world country. I get that "cars are king" for most of the US, but in New York City, where there's an obvious need for mass transit, and insanely expensive real estate above those tracks, it's shocking that the state of mass transit below ground seems stuck in the 20th century.
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