Special Reports
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Top Legal Expert Concludes NYC Has Power to Toll Its Own Roads and Bridges
One of New York City’s preeminent jurists, Frederick A.O. Schwarz Jr., affirmed today that the city possesses full legal authority to toll its own roads and bridges and thus does not require state approval to implement congestion pricing.
July 6, 2017
Stuy-Town Property Manager: 14th Street Needs Efficient Bus Service to Handle L Train Commuters
An internal study estimates Stuy-Town/Peter Cooper Village residents account for at least 7,000 daily L train riders.
June 14, 2017
Will Brooklyn Streets Get the Transit Priority They Need During the L Train Shutdown?
During the L shutdown, the MTA plans to run shuttle buses at rush hour connecting Williamsburg to Manhattan. Some sort of transit priority treatment is on the table for Brooklyn streets where buses connect to the bridge, but what DOT has in mind isn't clear.
June 9, 2017
MTA and DOT Are Weighing a River-to-River Busway for 14th Street During L Train Shutdown
DOT and the MTA may go beyond typical bus lanes in their plan to keep people moving on 14th Street during the L train shutdown, which will suspend service west of Bedford Avenue for 15 months starting in April 2019.
June 6, 2017
Trottenberg Offers Congestion Solutions, But de Blasio Administration Won’t Touch Toll Reform
In light of a new legal analysis that concluded NYC can toll its own streets without waiting for Albany, the Move New York campaign has proposed a "home rule" version of its road pricing plan that would charge $2.75 to drive across the four East River bridges and a 60th Street cordon and tax for-hire vehicle and taxi trips in the densest parts of Manhattan. But despite a supportive City Council, the de Blasio administration isn't adding road pricing to its agenda.
June 5, 2017
There’s Got to Be More to the L Train Shutdown Plan Than What the MTA and DOT Have Shown So Far
Starting in January 2019, service on the L train west of Bedford Avenue will be suspended for 15 months to allow for Sandy-related repairs. The only way to keep hundreds of thousands of people moving is to dedicate significant street space to buses on both sides of the East River. But at a presentation to elected officials on Friday, the MTA and DOT did not indicate that bus lanes are part of their plan, except on the Williamsburg Bridge itself.
May 24, 2017
Here’s the DOT Plan for a Delancey Street Bike Lane — Coming in 2018
The Delancey Street approach to the Williamsburg Bridge bike path is slated for a two-way bike lane linking to Allen Street, as well as an eastbound connection from Chrystie Street.
April 6, 2017
Dreaming Up a PeopleWay for 14th Street
While we're waiting to get a look at DOT and the MTA's forthcoming plans for the L train shutdown, Gothamist and Transportation Alternatives put on "L-ternative Visions" -- a design competition to envision 14th Street "as a people-first transit corridor." On Wednesday the winner was revealed.
March 31, 2017
DOT Plans Better Bike Connections for Brooklyn Side of Williamsburg Bridge
At Brooklyn Community Board 1, DOT will present a plan to improve bicycle connections on the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge, including protected bike lanes on the blocks approaching the bridge's bike path.
March 13, 2017
There’s a Big Red Flag in the MTA’s Ridership Projections for the L Train Shutdown
Preliminary travel forecasts for the looming L train shutdown suggest the MTA and DOT are aiming too low with plans to provide bus service for affected transit riders, according to Walter Hook of BRT Planning International.
March 8, 2017