NYC Transport by Alex Petrosian '07

As we all know New York City is one of the most popular and visited cities in the world. One of the characteristics that makes New York City one of the most efficient cities in the whole world is their resourceful transportation tactics.

Obviously one of the ways to get in and around the city is by car. Although this is probably the most convenient and comfortable, this is certainly not the most practical. As we all know gas prices are absurd, and thus a trip to the city by car would just be prodigal considering the myriad of ways in and around. In addition, New York City is flooded with visitors. Therefore the roads are obviously jam-packed with cars, taxis, pedestrians, bike-messengers, and even the occasional bike taxi!

The best way to get into the city is by train. But once in the city, subways and MTA buses are favorable.
Subways are the fastest and most inexpensive ways to get around the city. The Subway system is operated by the MTA New York City Transit. It serves 3.5 million people everyday! Believe it or not, it is inexpensive too. A subway ride costs $2, regardless of where you are going, even if it’s from downtown Wall Street to uptown Washington Heights!

If the Subway is not your thing, and you don’t want to spend your money on a taxi, MTA buses are another viable option. This also costs $2, but it is slower and uncomfortable. Although many people would prefer the comfortable atmosphere of a car or taxi, busing provides an efficient way to get around the city.
Despite the ongoing success of New York City transportation, we are always looking for improvement. As a result, several proposals for expanding New York City transit system are in stages of discussion, planning, or initial funding.

• In January 2007, Port Authority approved a plan for the 78.5 million dollar purchase of a 4th airport for New York in Newburgh.
• The PATH terminal at the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in 2001, is being reconstructed. It will be ready in 2009, and it will serve about 250,000 travelers daily!
• Penn Station is being expanded into the James Farley Post Office across the street.
• The Second Avenue Subway is going to start to run from 125th Street in Harlem to Hanover Square in lower Manhattan.
• The East Side Access project will send many LIRR trains into Grand Central Station instead of Penn Station. This will make the city less congested and placate man workers’ trips to the East Side.
• The Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel plans to add a second pair of railroad tracks under the Hudson River, connecting an expanded Penn Station to NJ Transit lines.
• There are plans to make an aerial gondola system linking Manhattan, Governors Island, and Brooklyn.

As you can see there are a myriad of ways to get in and around the city. In the near future we will start to see more options as the population continues to grow. Subway systems are becoming more complex as they are adding multiple tracks underground. In addition, the city has recently approved a plan that will spend $212 million on putting security cameras and motion detectors on subways to ensure the safety of the people riding.