foxandcity

foxandcity, 7 days ago to random

Things I didn't expect to see today: a normal diesel coach bus with "ultracapacitors."

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foxandcity, 7 days ago to random

Traffic violence truly knows no boundaries.

foxandcity, 17 days ago to random

Was doing some cleaning, and well...

...file these under "things I can't believe that I forgot I own."

Going in my office, for sure

foxandcity, 21 days ago to random

I am here for signs that make "loitering" look cool.

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foxandcity, 21 days ago to random

This is atrocious behavior from the MTA.

Transit users shouldn't be treated as second-class citizens, bombarded by loud announcements and ads at every possible turn.

Sound is inescapable in a way that visual advertisements aren't.

Let. People. Ride. In. Peace.

https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/04/26/subway-voice-announcements-ads-celebrities/

foxandcity, 22 days ago to random

This is ridiculous: this hard to parse statement means that Grand Central North will be closed at night and on weekends again.

The MTA is making a big deal of selling a connection between the LIRR and MNRR at GCT.

It is numerous minutes faster to transfer via North End Access.

foxandcity, 23 days ago to random

As our report @eta_ny shows, it is not only best practices, but common sense to build a short tunnel through All Faiths Cemetery for the IBX.

It is vital NY get this part of this important project right.

Great talking to Dave Colon for this piece!

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/24/mta-plan-to-run-brooklyn-queens-train-line-on-city-streets-a-grave-mistake-advocates

foxandcity, 1 month ago to random

Even as an NYU alum, I've always found this very silly.

It would be a much better program for the university to get every student and staff member and unlimited ride MetroCard/OMNY*.

foxandcity, 1 month ago to random

Something I appreciated when walking around the outskirts of downtown Charlottetown, PEI: utility poles set into the street, not the sidewalk.

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foxandcity, 1 month ago to random

"No joy riding allowed!" might just be one of silliest and most nonsensical transit policies I have ever seen.

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foxandcity, 1 month ago to random

Absolutely fascinating chart.

https://www.resiclubanalytics.com/p/remote-work-continues-wreak-havoc-san-franciscos-office-marketthese-markets-arent-far-behind

foxandcity, 1 month ago to random

This is me in just about every city I travel to.

How have all of you people not learned how to cross streets?

foxandcity, 1 month ago to random

This is very much my opinion that started as a joke but I now hold kind of seriously.

Fix every other station, but keep the Cathedral of Decay that is Chambers St as it is, a constant reminder of what comes when we don't maintain our transit systems.

foxandcity, 2 months ago to random

Windy day at LGA = single runway ops = a wee little line for takeoff from 31...

foxandcity, 2 months ago to random

Years are a touch off for the US context, but close enough that this fits perfectly!

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foxandcity, 2 months ago to random

How is this still possibly happening!?

OMNY has been available for years at this point. Fare control teams should be able to read OMNY taps with portable devices—just like they do in every other city with proof of purchase fares.

This is inexcusable, and I don't say that lightly.

https://hellgatenyc.com/the-mtas-farebeating-crackdown-on-buses-is-a-mess

foxandcity, 2 months ago to random

Yes, yes, we should all dump on the poor Hampton Jitney riders, but messenger aside: private Intercity & regional buses should not be forced to pay to congestion charge.

Doesn't seem like a sane policy decision: these services get cars off the road.

foxandcity, 2 months ago to random

These numbers (courtesy of @yfreemark) are something else.

On the one hand, I think they do represent different shifts in the economic and demographic realities of both cities.

But those are nothing that providing adequate, high-quality service couldn't overcome.

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foxandcity, 2 months ago to random

On a non-family holiday like today—it is Presidents' Day in the US—with libraries closed, I am always reminded just how few public places we really have.

And if the number of people in this coffee shop with me is any indication, I'm not the only one seeking quality public space.

foxandcity, 3 months ago to random

No 5 trains.
4 trains running local every twenty minutes.
No L train in Manhattan.
No 7 train in Manhattan.
No Q train.

Looks like I picked the wrong day to try to go to Brooklyn.

More seriously, how is any human being who is not a subway expert supposed to navigate this?

foxandcity, 4 months ago to random

On January 10 161 years ago, the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground urban transit system, opened in London. A momentous day in the history of cities.

Many, many years later (although now not as many as I'd like), on the same day, a certain foxy urbanist was born. That's just as momentous, right?

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foxandcity, 4 months ago to random

I've talked about this again and again, but every time it's worth repeating.

GCT's lower level, with its open seating, is a huge part of what made the Terminal one of NYC's great public spaces.

By removing it, the MTA has hobbled the public realm (and hurt businesses, to boot)

foxandcity, 4 months ago to random

Dear Metro-North: breaking up half-hourly service with a random hour gap between trains on a Saturday evening is not a good way to win over riders.

Service consistency is vital; when people have to wait, they begin to choose other modes.

foxandcity, 4 months ago to random

The MTA: ride transit!

Metro-North, part of the MTA: also, I'm only going to open four cars of a ten car train on the last shopping evening before Christmas.

The little things that push people away from riding...

foxandcity, 5 months ago to random

I'm on a Metro-North M8, and they've replaced all the regular outlets with USB ones.

I don't like this at all: not only are normal outlets far more durable, but people sometimes charge other things like laptops.

Adding USB is fine, but taking away regular outlets is a bad idea.