Transportation

UPDATE: DOB/DSNY Issue Advice to New Yorkers after Historic Citywide Flooding

By SÍLE MOLONEY
NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) advised building owners and property managers on Thursday, Sept. 2, to take added precautions when surveying damage at their properties, after historic and deadly floods inundated neighborhoods across the city overnight.   Officials said heavy flooding conditions have the potential to cause structural damage, undermining concerns, hazardous mold, and deterioration of building electrical and gas plumbing systems, all of which can pose a serious hazard to New Yorkers entering flood-damaged buildings.   Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca said that while the worst of the flooding has thankfully subsided, it doesn’t mean that the potential


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FURTHER UPDATE Acting MTA Chair: New Yorkers Should Not Attempt to Travel Amid Tropical Storm Ida

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Janno Lieber, acting MTA chair and CEO has instructed New Yorkers not to attempt to travel until further notice amid Tropical Storm Ida, while Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency, as did New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The mayor made the announcement late Wednesday evening, while the governor confirmed the announcement via Twitter shortly after midnight on Thursday, Sept. 2. Later, on Thursday morning, Lieber provided a statement on the impact of the storm, which was also classified as a hurricane that hit Connecticut and New Jersey on Wednesday.   I am declaring a state of


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MTA Shares Preliminary Findings of Recent Subway Power Outage Investigation

By SÍLE MOLONEY
    The MTA shared its preliminary findings on Wednesday, Sept. 1, of its investigation into the recent power outage which caused widespread subway service disruption on Sunday evening, Aug. 29, with half of the subway network impacted, including subways lines 1 through 7, as well as the LIRR.   Newly appointed New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul provided a brief overview of the situation, which she described as an unprecedented system breakdown, on Monday morning at a press briefing. The service disruption which caused substantial panic among New York City commuters, as reported by various news outlets. She said


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Pending Arrival of Tropical Storm Ida Tail End, Travel Advisory in effect Sept. 1 to Sept. 2

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Emergency Management (EMS) is issuing a travel advisory for Wednesday morning into Thursday morning. According to the National Weather Service, remnants of Tropical Storm Ida will track near the region Wednesday afternoon into Thursday, bringing a period of heavy rain and potential flash flooding to the region, the bulk of which will occur overnight.   The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for New York City from 8 a.m. Wednesday, September 1, until Thursday, September 2, at 2 p.m. A total of 5 to 6 inches of rain is expected, with higher amounts of


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UPDATE: DOT Calls for Expansion of Speed Cameras in School Zones following Bronx Fatal Crash

By SÍLE MOLONEY
NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Hank Gutman is calling for the expanded use of cameras in school zones, following two fatal crashes which occurred over the weekend, one on East Fordham Road in the Bronx and one in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.    Under prevailing State legislation, cameras in school zones can only legally operate between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., Monday to Friday.   “This weekend saw two high-speed, fatal crashes on our streets, both of which occurred within school zones, near speed cameras we aren’t legally allowed to operate,” said Gutman. “Once again, we urge the


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DOT Announces Launch Date of E-Scooter Pilot Program in the East Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Thursday, Aug. 12, the official launch of the city’s e-scooter pilot program in the East Bronx. Bird, Lime and Veo, the three companies participating in the pilot program, will bring up to 3,000 e-scooters to the East Bronx during Phase 1 which starts Tuesday, Aug. 17, with an increase to as many as 6,000 in the second phase next year.   According to DOT officials, both the department and each e-scooter company underwent an extensive community engagement process to locate sites for the e-scooter parking corrals and to educate the public about


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Neighborhood Notes on School Reopening, Alternative Vax App, Arts Recovery Funding

COVID-19 Updates Transmission Rates & Trends  As of August 9, all five New York City counties have community transmission considered substantial or high by the CDC. On July 27, the CDC issued an updated recommendation that all people, regardless of vaccination status, should return to wearing masks in indoor, public spaces in areas of high COVID-19 infection rates. To see the risk of transmission in your area, visit covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view.   Delta Variant An internal CDC document leaked by The Washington Post revealed that further research proved that the Delta variant causes more severe illness than other variants and is as


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Metro-North Bus Service Continues Monday, Parking Lot Upgrades Planned at Three Hudson Line Stations

By SÍLE MOLONEY
MTA Metro-North Railroad announced on Sunday, Aug. 8, that buses that have been substituting for the train service on the Port Jervis Line this weekend, Aug. 7 and 8, will continue to operate in place of trains on Monday, August 9.   Buses are substituting for trains following the New York State Thruway Authority’s announcement late Thursday evening that, out of an abundance of caution, the agency should not operate trains on tracks that run below the Arden Valley Road Bridge, near Harriman, until repairs can be made to the bridge.   Service Alternatives Port Jervis Line tickets will be


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Op-Ed: NYC Department of Transportation, Stay Out of Parks!

By ROXANNE DELGADO
Two months after New York State legalized e-bikes and e-scooters, the City Council passed a bill, on June 5, 2020, to create a pilot program for the operation of shared electric scooters to exist for a duration of no less than one year and no more than two years. Earlier this year, NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the East Bronx as the program’s pilot zone and selected three companies, Bird, Lime and Veo, to participate in the pilot project, starting with 3,000 e-scooters. Why NYC DOT chose an area that lacks biking infrastructure is so confusing.   NYC DOT proposed 24


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