This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (November 15 - 21) of the Riverdale Review:

The abandoned gas station at West 230th Street and
Broadway has been acquired by Equity One.

* 230th Street mall may expand with key corner > The developer of the yet-to-be-built $54 million Broadway Plaza shopping mall has purchased the adjoining vacant lot--the defunct Getty gas station. The Riverdale Review can reveal that Equity One last month acquired the 7,500-square-foot parcel at 5510 Broadway from a California-based LLC for a hefty $2 million--more than three times the current market value of $630,000.
* Local pols eye Senate leadership battle > Election Day is over, but a few state Senate races upstate are still too close to call, which could have an impact on the careers of some local politicos.
* Board rejects plans for new mansion > Community Board 8 has rejected controversial plans to construct a new mansion in the heart of the Riverdale Historic District. Following fervent opposition, board members last week voted unanimously against a proposal to develop the vacant lot at 5241 Independence Avenue into a four-story, single-family house. Under preliminary plans, the house would boast seven bedrooms, eight and a half bathrooms, an indoor swimming pool, two laundries and a maid's room.
* MTA's Bus Time program will let you track your ride on your phone > Local straphangers can finally track the real-time location of every local and express bus in Riverdale after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority quietly launched its Bus Time program. MTA officials flicked the switch and activated GPS hardware on all 54 Bronx bus routes, inculding the Bx7, Bx9 and Bc10, on Saturday, October 27. However, with efforts underway to restore subway service and repair critical signal and switch components in the wake of superstorm Sandy, the launch has received little fanfare.
* New president a kindred spirit at Riverdale rabbinical school > Open-mindedness, outreach and independent thinking--along with broad-based textual study--will still be the basics at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah when its presidency transfers from Rabbi Avi Weiss to Rabbi Asher Lopatin this July.
* iPhone stolen from woman at gunpoint > The armed serial robbers terrorizing Riverdale have struck again. Police said the two men suspected of carrying out at least five local robberies nabbed yet another iPhone on Sunday.

The Fieldston Lofts apartment tower

* New Fieldston Lofts building on Riverdale Avenue hits market > Luxury condominiums at Fielston Lofts, a boutique apartment building in Riverdale, have been re-listed for a price tag of around $1 million each. The seven-story building, located at 3751 Riverdale Avenue, features 10 three- and four-bedroom units, ranging in size from 1,849 to 2,164 square feet. Each condo boasts high-end finishes including bamboo floors, granite countertops, towering ceilings, marble tiles, custom kitchen cabinets and modern appliances. But it's the asking price--between $899,000 and $1.059 million--that has courted controversy among locals.
* Paradise Theater set to become Creflo Dollar megachurch > The Paradise Theater, an 83-year-old Bronx institution, will soon be home to the World Changers Church of New York. Pastors Creflo and Taffi Dollar reportedly signed the lease on October 20.
* Community leaders get a glimpse of learning at RKA > There was an upbeat vibe at M.S/H.S 141 as community leaders were treated to snapshots of learning in progress as they took a tour of the school on Tuesday morning.

Also, in the Bronx Press:
* Dominic Castore dies > Passionate Bronx resident and longtime Community Board 11 chairman Dominic Castore passed away last weekend.
* Veterans housing opens > At-risk war veterans now have a new, supportive place they can call home. Kingsbridge Terrace, the second of two state-of-the-art Bronx residences created by Jericho Project, will enable veterans to live in affordable, furnished housing.

Henry Hudson Bridge to lose cash tolls by November

By MIAWLING LAM

The Henry Hudson Bridge will become entirely cashless within two months, the Riverdale Review has learned.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority revealed it would push ahead with plans to implement all-electronic tolling and remove all means of cash collection by mid-November.

The MTA’s plan, which was obtained by the Review, was unveiled during a closed private meeting on Thursday, September 20.

Under cashless operations, all tolls will be levied via E-ZPass, meaning motorists will be able to zip through any open lane on the Bronx-Manhattan bridge without stopping.

Those who drive through the toll plaza without an E-ZPass will be identified by license plate images and will receive a statement in the mail. Drivers who pay the $2.20 toll within 30 days of receiving the bill will not be penalized.

However, customers who fail to cough up funds will be sent a second invoice and be slapped with a $5 fine. The penalty then rises to $50 if motorists fail to pay within 30 days of receiving the second bill. Recalcitrant drivers who still refuse to pay the toll and fine could then face civil action.

According to sources, the MTA will work with motor vehicle departments across the country and match license plates with vehicle registration records to track down out-of-state drivers.

A similar cashless system in effect for several years in Sydney, Australia, is serving as a model in the current initiative.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (September 27 -October 3) of the Riverdale Review and Bronx Press.

* SAT scores at RKA drop for second consecutive year > Seniors at the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy scored an overall average of 1,333 on the 2012 Scholastic Aptitude Test, more than 160 points shy of the national mean. New figures released on Tuesday by the College Board, the company that administers the SAT, shows H.S. 141's composite scores took a 34-point dive in 2012. The school's 113 test-takers averaged a score of 438 on critical reading, 455 on mathematics and 440 on writing, meaning it was ranked 64th among more than 470 city high schools.

Tulfan Terrace is projected to be completed by March 2013,
nine years after construction began

* Tulfan Terrace apartment project, long delayed, is back on track > Thirty luxury units at Tulfan Terrace, the long-awaited apartment building on Oxford Avenue, may finally hit the real estate market in April next year. A representative from Ox-3620 LLC said the high-rise condo tower remains on track to be completed by March 2013-nine years after construction began. Scaffolding and black safety mesh surrounding the building's facade were torn down earlier this month, revealing a curved wall of windows.
* Boston-based Jewish congregation buys Fieldston Road spy house > A congregation with roots in Chernobyl is planting itself in the shadow of Riverdale's Russian embassy complex. The Talner Congregation Beth Davis relocated to Riverdale from the Boston area last year and purchased 5437 Fieldston Road, the site of a nondescript white house reputed to be an intelligence-gathering venue rather than a residence.
* Co-op board reverses error on canine house rules > A dispute between shareholders and a co-op board over canine guests at 3720 Independence Avenue appears to be resolving after nearly six years. The co-op's board of directors threatened shareholders Rita and Murray Hyman with eviction and terminated their proprietary lease, claiming the couple had breached a house rule about harboring pets. But the fight has concluded, according to board president Bob Moll, who said the case against the Hymans has been dropped and that their proprietary lease would be reinstated shortly.
* Henry Hudson Bridge to lose cash tolls by November > The Henry Hudson Bridge will become entirely cashless within two months, the Riverdale Review has learned. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority revealed it would push ahead with plans to implement all-electronic tolling and remove all means of cash collection by mid-November. The MTA's plan, which was obtained by the Review, was unveiled during a closed private meeting on Thursday, September 20.
* Drivers fight Independence Avenue parking ticket bungle > Local motorists are challenging a series of $60 parking tickets following claims that traffic enforcement officers are unfairly penalizing drivers for parking in front of Riverdale Jewish Center. Department of Transportation crews recently repaved the stretch of Independence Avenue between West 232nd and West 239th streets. However, in the course of putting down new road striping, workers erroneously painted additional lines outside 3700 Independence Avenue to indicate three legal parking spaces. The road markings contradict two signs that bookend the stretch, stating it is a "no parking zone." As a result, drivers who have failed to notice the signs have been slapped with a $60 ticket.
* Bronx unemployment rate still towers over city > The Bronx continues to grapple with high unemployment rates despite a slight decrease in overall unemployment in New York City. The county's jobless rate as of July 2012 stood at 13.9 percent, up from 12.8 percent a year ago, according to a report from CUNY's Labor Market Information Service.

James Downey

* Street renaming sought for James Downey > A slew of sporting and religious organizations have called on city officials to rename a local street in honor of James Downey, a community leader whose passion inspired a generation. The North Riverdale Baseball League, St. Margaret 0f Cortona and the Knights of Columbus Pro-Patria Council have joined forces to lobby for the stretch of Mosholu Avenue between West 254th and West 256th streets to be renamed "James V. Downey Way."
* Timber! Tree limbs coming down on Broadway > North Riverdale residents contacting 311 to report a poorly maintained tree are being told Whalen Avenue is not in the city's records and therefore, does not exist.

Also, in the Bronx Press: 
* Co-op City gives high marks to MTA Metro-North plan > More than 250 Bronx residents, business owners and elected officials piled into a Co-op City Community Center auditorium to hear and respond to a new proposal made by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to expand Metro-North service to the East Bronx. According to officials, the plan would cut average travel time to Manhattan in half, and many Co-op City residents think it's about time.
* Bronx Community College unveils $80 million library > With the gleaming new building as a backdrop, Bronx Community college feted the opening of its North Hall and Library last Friday in a lively ribbon-cutting ceremony.
* Man charged in Bronx Zoo tiger encounter > An Upstate man has been charged with misdemeanor trespassing, after performing a death-defying leap into a tiger enclosure before a crowd of horrified spectators at the Bronx Zoo.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (September 20 -26) of the Riverdale Review and Bronx Press.

* Educrats at PS 24 defend 50 percent cut in music program > Officials at PS 24 continue to defend their controversial decision to downsize the school's cherished music program. Despite widespread outcry from local parents, elected officials and community members, PS 24 interim acting assistant principal Emanuele 'Manny' Verdi last week said he stood by a move to excess the school's vocal music teacher.
* Skating rink details: Recycled shipping containers; loss of parking > Around six parking spaces along Broadway could be temporarily lost during the winter months every year so that a designated drop-off zone can be established at the Van Cortlandt Park ice-skating rink. Concessionaire officials announced plans to submit an application for a street activity permit during last Wednesday's Community Board 8 parks committee meeting.
* Manhattan College hosts education session on Islam on 9/11 anniversary > September 11 this year at Manhattan College's Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center was marked by a panel discussion on the need for Americans to reach an understanding of Islam. 
* Projects in some local parks still lag, as others near completion > Local residents are finally beginning to catch a break with local parks projects. After years of enduring repeated delays, construction woes and issues with private contractors, parks in the Riverdale/Kingsbridge area are getting spruced up. We look at a list of current parks projects, including Ruth MacLaughlin Playground; Conrad Grauer Field; Sid Augarten Field; Van Cortlandt Park; Ewen Park, and their status.
* SAR calls for traffic calming measures > Officials at Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy are urging that speed bumps be installed on streets surrounding the school in order to increase student safety. In a letter sent to Community Board 8 and obtained by the Riverdale Review , SAR High School principal Rabbi Tully Harcsztark said traffic calming measures were desperately needed along West 259th Street.
* Mace and Taser used in Kingsbridge melee > A fun-filled night came to an abrupt end when security guards allegedly Tasered patrons and sprayed mace inside a popular upscale Kingsbridge restaurant. Police said a brawl involving at least six people broke out at Silhouette Restaurant & Lounge, located at 5668 Broadway, around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 9.
* New roof to be constructed at PS 24 > Students at PS 24 will lose a small section of their playground while construction crews perform much-needed repairs to the school's roofs and parapets. Workers have begun replacing two roofs--a 12-year-old roof and a 48-year-old roof--on the main school building as part of the $5.2 million capital improvement project.
* Man dies in crash on Deegan > A 35-year-old man was killed in an early-morning car crash on the Major Deegan Expressway in North Riverdale last Thursday. Police said Brian Mills was driving his black 2004 Hona Accord northbound on the Major Deegan when he slammed into the back of a construction truck near Exit 12 just after 6 a.m. on September 13. Exit 12 is the intersection where the expressway meets an extension of Mosholu Parkway.
* Scandal-scarred assemblywoman crushed in adjoining district > The residents of Tracey Towers propelled Bronx real estate agent and property manager Mark Gjonaj to a historic victory during last week's four-way Democratic primary. According to unofficial results released by the New York City Board of Elections last Thursday, Gjonaj trounced scandal-plagued Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera by 513 votes.

Also, in the Bronx Press:
* Plan for commuter rail through Morris Park gets thumbs up > A plan to expand Metro-North service into four neighborhoods in the East Bronx could slash travel times to midtown Manhattan in half, according to officials. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled details of the long-awaited proposal during the first of four information sessions at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Morris Park on Monday, September 10.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (September 6 -12) of the Riverdale Review and Bronx Press.

Chris Lighty's body is removed from the crime scene

* Suicide of rap mogul shocks Riverdale neighbors > Chris Lighty, the influential hip-hop music mogul who fatally shot himself at his $1 million-plus Riverdale home, kept such a low profile in the neighborhood that many locals were unaware of his celebrity status. 
* New draft city council district will look a lot like the old city council district > City Council District 11 is set to gain small parts of Woodlawn and Williamsbridge, and lose tiny sections of Bedford Park and Kingsbridge Heights under preliminary draft maps released by the New York City Districting Commission.
* MTA removes trash cans in new cleanup effort > A pilot program championed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to remove trash cans from subway stations has expanded to The Bronx. Authorities announced all means of garbage disposal were removed from two Bronx stations--the 238th Street No. 1 and the East 143rd Street No. 6 platforms--on September 2
* Slow zone unrolls, very slowly > Speed bumps will be added to certain Riverdale streets by November as part of a staggered implementation of the city's Neighborhood Slow Zone program. Department of Transportation officials have confirmed they are currently evaluating streets for possible future speed bumps near P.S. 24 and M.S/H.S 141 in a bid to improve pedestrian safety. It is unknown how many speed bumps are being considered or where they will be located.
* Man injured in North Riverdale shooting > Police are on the hunt for two suspects who struck and injured a man during a possibly drug-related shooting in North Riverdale. Investigators said two men approached Edwin Figueroa, 31, outside his 6687 Broadway apartment just before 7:50 p.m on Friday, August 31.
* Horace Mann alumni return diplomas over sex abuse scandal > Fresh from organizing diploma returns, the Horace Mann Action Coalition now plans to organize forums to discuss child abuse in schools and is considering creating a fund to be held in escrow until the school does the right thing.
* Former Hebrew Institute rabbi reaches new milestone in New Orleans > Life hasn't been easy lately in The Big Easy, but former Riverdale rabbi Uri Topolosky managed to accomplish his mission there in the lingering wake of Hurricane Katrina. He left his post as assistant rabbi at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in 2007 and headed down to New Orleans with his wife, Dahlia, a psychologist, and their two sons to rebuild Congregation Beth Israel and serve as its spiritual leader.

The fire at 5213 Broadway

* Manhattan College hires two locals > The commute to work will now be very brief for Dr. Joe Cutbirth and Dr. Val Kolesnikov, two new Riverdale residents who have joined the faculty at Manhattan College this semester. 
* Blaze engulfs Marble Hill  discount store > A severe two-alarm fire engulfed a local discount store early Tuesday morning, officials said. The blaze started at 2:48 a.m. at EZ 99 Cent Store, a single-story commercial building at 5213 Broadway in Marble Hill, an FDNY spokesman said. Officials said more than 100 firefighters from 25 units fought to control the blaze and eventually extinguished it by 3:57 a.m. There were no fatalities or injuries. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Also, in the Bronx Press:
* As Naomi Rivera probes grow, Mark Gjonaj becomes frontrunner in hot Assembly seat > At least five government agencies have launched investigations into Bronx Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera following allegations she used taxpayer funds as her personal expense account and awarded cushy jobs to two lovers.

This week's Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

Here are the stories in this week's issue (July 26 - August 1) of the Riverdale Review and Bronx Press

 Bronx residents flocked to Van Cortlandt Park for New York
Philharmonic's 2012 Concerts in the Park series on July 17.

* Parents demand restoration of PS 24 music program > Parents at PS 24 have stepped up their efforts to restore the school's cherished music program and are preparing to take their fight to the Tweed Courthouse. A group of more than 70 concerned parents and residents last week sent a letter to Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott pleading with him to save the school's music department.
* Eleanor McGrath, former school board member, passes away > Eleanor McGrath passed away surrounded by her loving family on the afternoon of Sunday, July 22 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was a lifelong Bronx resident and settled in Riverdale in 1954 after marrying Philip McGrath.
* Local activists protest anti-Israel billboard in Metro-North station > A provocative anti-Israel billboard greets locals as they start and end their daily commutes at the Spuyten Duyvil and Riverdale Metro-North train stations. Described by Isaac Geld as "a real poke in the eye," the ad uses a series of four color-coded maps to illustrate a progressive "Palestinian loss of land" from 1946 through 2010 and to support the statement, "4.7 million Palestinians are classified by the U.N. a refugees."

The controversial anti-Israel billboard

* PS 24 ratings fizzle while PS 81 soars > Satisfaction ratings at PS 24 have plummeted, Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy has lifted its game and PS 81 has retained its title as the local school darling among its parents and teachers. Results from the fourth NYC School Survey, released by the Department of Education this week, reveals Riverdale's three schools recorded mixed results. PS 24 was the only school to record a drop in all four assessed categories--academic expectations, communication, engagement, and safety and respect.
* Few local kids excel on state tests > Just 1 percent of Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy students exceeded the state's proficiency level on this year's standardized English test. A special analysis of data from the state's English and math exams found results varied across Riverdale's three public schools when the number of students scoring at Level 4 was taken into account.
* Famous local figure hooks up with the Glee gang > Archie Andrew, one of Riverdale's most famous residents, will be introduced to the cast of Glee in an eagerly awaited collaboration announced by the comic book's publishers. Archie, along with Betty, Veronica, Dilton and Jughead, are slated to meet their match in the crew from McKinley High in an upcoming storyline to hit bookstore shelves next year.
* Koppell reports progress > Department of Transportation crews are currently repaving a section of the Henry Hudson Parkway service road, following a request from Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. Koppell lobbied for the measure after constituents complained about the poor conditions along the busy road, particularly between West 227th and West 232nd streets.

And, in the Bronx Press:
* Bloomberg forces new homeless shelter in Wakefield > City officials are forging ahead with plans to transform the Muller Army Reserve Center into a 200-bed homeless shelter and have negotiated a $91 million contract with a social advocacy group. The Mayor's Office of Contract Services blindisded Bronx residents and held a public hearing on Thursday, July 19, to discuss a proposal to award The Doe Fund, a $91.27 million contract. According to the negotiated contract, the social advocacy group would be charged with developing and operating a "stand-alone transitional residence for homeless adults." The proposed agreement would be retroactively dated and run from July 1, 2012, to December 31, 2033, authorities said.
* MTA caves to politicos and community to restore transit service > Relief is finally on the way for thousands of Bronx bus and Metro-North commuters. As part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's sweeping $29.5 million package, weekend bus service on the Bx34 will be restored, while service on the Bx13 will be extended from East 161st Street to the Gateway Mall. Officials will also establish a brand-new bus route that connects the booming neighborhood of the South Bronx to the commercial areas of Hunts Point.
* Cabrera fights mayor on proposed super-sized ban > Bronx merchants fear their businesses will be driven to the ground if the city approves plans to ban the sale of super-sized sugary drinks. Merchants raised their concerns about shrinking profit margins to Councilman Fernando Cabrera during an impromptu neighborhood walking tour around University Heights last Thursday. Cabrera said many owners pleaded with him to fight the health policy. Although many acknowledged it was proposed with good intentions, they said the plan would adversely affect their bottom line.
* City unveils latest healthy eating plan in The Bronx > Fresh produce will be shifted to grocery entrance areas and water will be displayed at eye level in hundreds of coolers as part of the city's latest healthy eating plan to debut in The Bronx. Authorities unveiled the Shop Healthy NYC Initiative during a news conference outside the C-Town supermarket on Crescent Avenue in Fordham last Wednesday. Under the voluntary pilot program, bodega and supermarket operators will be asked to display a range of healthy foods including fresh fruits and vegetables in prime areas like entrances and checkout aisles, to relegate junk food to the back of their store and to post signs identifying nutritious choices.

MTA releases first-ever Late Night Map

Although the map won't be accessible to everyone--the MTA is releasing it first in a collectible series--here is a Late Night Map, perfect for when you have to find your way back to the Bronx from Brooklyn.

You can download a PDF of the map at the MTA website.

The map shows the scheduled overnight service of the subway system, when three subway lines don’t run, three lines become shuttle trains, six express trains run as locals, and a night-only shuttle appears. The map has a gray background color to prevent confusion with the normal subway map.

The New York City Subway is the only large subway or metro system in the world to maintain service to all its stations around the clock. The overnight service shown in the night map runs generally from midnight to 6 a.m., although certain lines’ overnight service patterns depicted in the map may begin or end slightly earlier or later than these times.

The MTA has printed 25,000 copies of the map in tandem with its normal press run of a million copies of the standard subway and railroad map. The night map is available free of charge while supplies last at the New York Transit Museum, at Boerum Place & Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn, and at the Transit Museum Annex in Grand Central Terminal.

The night map, developed in-house by the MTA, is the same size as the standard map and similarly folds into a handy pocket-sized document. In addition to the folded version, 300 pristine, unfolded press sheets of the night map are available for purchase at the Transit Museum Annex for $20 each.

“The standard subway map depicts morning to evening weekday service,” said MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota. “This companion night map will, for the first time, depict service for a particular portion of the day. This is the latest effort we’ve taken to improve the availability of information and detail we provide to our customers.”

The following details the major differences in service shown on the night map, as compared with the standard subway map:

·         Three subway lines (the B, C and Z) and the 42^nd Street Shuttle do not operate overnight and are not shown on the map.

·         Five subway lines offer shorter service than usual:

o   The 3 terminates at Times Square.

o   The 5 runs as a shuttle in the Bronx between E. 180 St and Dyre Av

o   The M runs as a shuttle between Myrtle Av, Brooklyn, and Metropolitan Av, Queens.

o   The Q terminates at 57 St/7 Av in Midtown Manhattan.

o   The R runs as a shuttle in Brooklyn between 36 St and 95 St.

·         Six lines make additional stops they don’t make during the daytime.

o   The 2 makes all local stops in Manhattan.

o   The 4 makes all local stops in Manhattan and Brooklyn and is extended to New Lots Av, Brooklyn.

o   The A makes all local stops in Manhattan and Brooklyn; it runs to Far Rockaway but not Lefferts Blvd or Rockaway Park, which are served by shuttle trains.

o   The D runs local via Fourth Av in Brooklyn.

o   The E runs local via Queens Blvd.

o   The N runs local via the Financial District.

·         There is no skip/stop service on the J, which terminates at Chambers St on weekend overnight periods

·         Six subway lines (the 1, 6, 7, F, G, and L) and Franklin Avenue Shuttle run their normal routes as local trains. (There is no 6 or 7 express service.)

Throggs Neck or Throgs Neck?

The Throgs Neck Bridge, with one 'G.'
Photo courtesy of MTA Bridges and Tunnels.

"There's always been a controversy," Bronx Historian Lloyd Ultan says of the preference to use one 'G' or two in the name.

The bridge is Throgs Neck--one 'G'--that's for certain. But for fans of history and the way things used to be, Throggs Neck is the name of the community.

The name Throggs is originally named after John Throckmorton, who came to the Bronx in 1642 with a party to settle down. However, a Native American uprising started almost immediately, and they were saved by a passing English boat. The Native Americans slaughtered their cattle and burned their houses.

"But the name of Throckmorton was stuck to that neck of land," Ultan said.

Over time, people simplified the Throckmorton name, eventually having Throggsmorton, which then eventually became Throggs. "Some maps labled it Frogs Neck," Ultan said.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the older, more established people in the area spelled it with two 'G's. Some businesses, and even the area's post office, use two. But there were people who, for no reason in particular, had shortened Throggs to Throgs.

Today, the reason so many people only use one 'G' is because of, but who else, 'master builder' Robert Moses.

When the Throgs Neck Bridge opened in 1961, Moses used the one 'G' because he wanted to save money with sign costs. "It would take less paint to make all the signs leading to the bridge," Ultan said.

The 'Lost Subways' of the Bronx

The Bronx has two 'lost subways.'

The MTA had plans for much greater subway lines, but ultimately ran out of money to complete some of them. Included in that are two in the Bronx. The first was the extension of the D Train, which would have continued beyond Norwood all the way to Eastchester, ending at Boston Road and Baychester Avenue. The second was more complicated, having the 2nd Ave. Subway split into two, with one line running all the way to Throgs Neck and another cutting right up the middle of the borough within the right-of-way of the Metro North to Wakefield.

Check out the map at WNYC to see the two Bronx lines and all the other lost routes. Here is a screenshot of the Bronx, where you can see the two extended lines, in orange and light blue.

Poor 1 Train, still left all alone in the west.

MTA was going to try and restore service, until the State took away $250 million

The new tax plan that's been presented as a victory for the 99 percent actually isn't that great of news for straphangers.

According to MTA board member Charles Moerdler, $250 million won't be coming to the MTA through the mobility tax this year because of the State's new plan. While legislators say they'll find a way to make sure the MTA gets that money back, Moerdler says he's skeptical, because he doesn't know how they will be able to do that with such a tight budget.

Here's the kicker: according to Moerdler, the MTA was going to make an effort to save around $20 million to restore some of the service that has been cut over the last year. Now that they're not getting that $250 million, plus another $85 million they're not getting in other taxes he added, those plans are out the door.

He made it a point to add that cuts to the budget will be cuts to service, not new fare hikes to keep service.

"I'll be damned if they're going to increase fares while I'm there," he told Community Board 8, of which he is a member of, earlier this week.

Jump below to see the Straphangers' Campaign Top 10 best and worst lists of events that happened to commuters this year, which include the loss of millions in funding.

Henry Hudson Bridge turns 75 years old

Here's a story from this week's Riverdale Review.

By Brendan McHugh 

The Henry Hudson Bridge has hit the diamond anniversary. 

The Henry Hudson Bridge turned 75 years old on Dec. 12. All photos courtesy of the MTA.

On Monday, Dec. 12, 1936, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and master-builder Robert Moses cut the ribbon on the Henry Hudson Bridge.

Exactly 75 years later, the New York Public Library’s Riverdale branch has begun showing a month-long photo exhibit, highlighting the construction and life of the bridge. 

The exhibit includes more than a dozen photographs from the MTA Bridges and Tunnels Depression-era collection and will include a section for schoolchildren, focusing on different types of bridges and the building of the Henry Hudson, and another geared to the community before the bridge was built.

Jump below for the full story and some fascinating photos from the 1930s when the bridge was being constructed.

Officials, agencies react to Cuomo's tax plan

City Comptroller John Liu, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, the MTA and the Alliance for Quality Education have all released statements complimenting Governor Andrew Cuomo on his leadership in tax reform. More statements will flow in, so I'll post them all below the jump.

Here's part of Cuomo's press release from today. Read the whole thing here.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced that they have reached a proposed three-way agreement on legislative and executive proposals to create jobs and cut taxes for middle class New Yorkers. The agreement includes support for a comprehensive New York Works Agenda that will create thousands of jobs with new investments in New York's infrastructure, passing a fair tax reform plan that achieves the first major restructuring of the tax code in decades resulting in a tax cut for 4.4 million middle class New Yorkers taxpayers, approving $50 million in additional relief for areas devastated by recent floods, and reducing the MTA payroll tax to provide relief for small businesses. The leaders will now present the agreement to their members for approval.

"Our state government has come together in a bipartisan manner to create jobs, grow our economy and, at the same time enact a fair tax plan that cuts taxes for the middle class," Governor Cuomo said. "We are investing in projects that will restore our state's infrastructure and put thousands of people to work. We are cutting taxes on middle class New Yorkers and small businesses, which will inject nearly $1 billion into our economy. We are targeting new tax credits to hire inner city youth and reduce unemployment in some of the poorest areas of our state, as well as providing direct aid to communities struggling to recover in the wake of this year's severe storms. This would be lowest tax rate for middle class families in 58 years. This job-creating economic plan defies the political gridlock that has paralyzed Washington and shows that we can make government work for the people of this State once again."

Jump below for the statements.

MTA Service for Thanksgiving Weekend

If you manage to get through the possible school bus strike next week, expect to be rewarded with increased MTA service for Black Friday and the weekend.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) services will operate on special schedules on Wednesday, Nov. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 27, in honor of the Thanksgiving weekend.

New York City Subways and Buses

MTA buses and subways will operate on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day. On Black Friday, service will operate on a weekday schedule with some exceptions.  The closest subway stations to the start of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are the 1 at 79th Street and the B, C, at 81st Street. Selected north and southbound A and D trains will operate as locals and extra trains will be made available as needed. There will be additional service on the 42nd Street S shuttle as well as increased early morning service on the 1 line. A number of bus routes will be impacted by the parade.

Long Island Rail Road 

The LIRR will operate additional trains on Wednesday, Nov. 23, and on Thanksgiving. Off-peak fares will be in effect for the entire four-day holiday weekend. On Black Friday, Nov. 25, traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year, the LIRR will run a full weekday train schedule even though off-peak fares will be in effect all day. 

Metro-North Railroad 

MTA Metro-North Railroad will operate extra trains on Wednesday, Nov. 23, departing Grand Central beginning at 1 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, Metro-North will operate a holiday schedule with extra AM inbound service for those going to see the Macy’s Parade, and extra late morning and early afternoon outbound service. And for the first time this year, Metro-North is providing train service to a popular annual five-mile road race in Southport, Conn., on Thanksgiving morning.

On Black Friday, Metro-North will operate a Saturday schedule with a lot of extra service during the AM and PM peaks. Metro-North is also operating weekend Shoppers’ Specials service on the New Haven Line and Hudson Line from Nov. 19 to Dec. 17.

West of the Hudson River, bus service has replaced Port Jervis Line trains between Suffern and Harriman. Shoppers’ traffic jams around the Woodbury Common outlet center mean Metro-North is allowing more time in the Port Jervis Line bus schedule to ensure that buses make their train connections in Ramsey/Route 17.

Off-peak fares will be in effect for the entire four-day holiday weekend.

Staten Island Railway 

Staten Island customers looking to get a head start on their holiday weekend will be able to catch earlier afternoon express train service on Wednesday, Nov. 23, with extra SIR trains added earlier in the afternoon beginning at 2:31 p.m. from the St. George Ferry Terminal. There will be one express train and one local train awaiting every boat until 7:50 p.m.

On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, SIR will operate a Sunday schedule, while on Friday, Nov. 25, trains will run on a regular weekday schedule.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels

To ease travel for its customers this Thanksgiving, routine maintenance and temporary construction work at all MTA Bridges and Tunnels crossings will be suspended beginning Noon on Wednesday, Nov. 23, until early Monday morning, Nov. 28.

3 billion people have used EZ-Pass

The MTA announced today that they recorded its three billionth E-ZPass transaction some time Tuesday morning, which leads me to not praise their success, but ask: HOW THE HELL DO YOU LOSE MONEY WHEN THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE USING BRIDGES, TUNNELS AND HIGHWAYS???

The MTA is touting this milestone "that illustrates the enthusiastic acceptance by motorists of an easier and more convenient way to pay tolls," they said in a press release.

“This is an exciting benchmark and shows how popular E-ZPass has become,” said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Jim Ferrara. “Using E-ZPass not only saves motorists time and money, it helps keep traffic moving and benefits the environment by reducing vehicle emissions.”

Based on traffic data, the milestone transaction was reached sometime Tuesday morning. An average 800,000 vehicles use MTA crossings daily. And yet for some reason, it still costs $9.50 per car to cross the GW Bridge.

By the way, according to an MTA board member, bridges and tunnels is the only MTA service that actually makes money. Subways, buses and whatever else they have lose money.

Jump below for the rest of the MTA's release.

Diaz and MTA's Prendergast tour 149th Street-Grand Concourse subway

The 149th Street-Grand Concourse station
is one of the worst in the city.

Earlier this week, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. met with MTA President Thomas Predergast in one of the worst subway stations in the Bronx, if not the city, to discuss much needed improvements to the station.

In September, Diaz announced that the MTA had agreed to major renovations at the station. The 138th Street-3rd Avenue subway stations will also undergo major renovations. They are scheduled to begin in Spring 2012.

The 149th Street-Grand Concourse station will get a new paint job, reconstructed platform edges, special grouting to prevent leaks and ventilation repairs. Repairs to the 138th Street-3rd Avenue station include reconstructing the east mezzanine passageway and an interior stairway. The work should be completed by early 2013.

Lhota, raised in Pelham Bay, named head of MTA by Cuomo

Former Bronxite and current Madison Square Garden Inc. executive vice president Joe Lhota has been named chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by Gov. Andrew Cuomo today.

"Joe Lhota brings one-of-a-kind managerial, government, and private sector experience to the job and a lifelong commitment to public service that will benefit all straphangers," Cuomo said. "I look forward to working together as we continue to reform the MTA, reduce costs, and improve service for New Yorkers. I thank the members of the MTA Search Advisory Committee for their diligent work and thorough review."

Current MTA chairman, Jay Walder, announced in July that he was leaving to run an international transportation company based in Hong Kong. Tomorrow is his last day.

"Millions of New Yorkers depend on the MTA every day and they deserve the most efficient and effective service," Lhota said in a statement. "Throughout my career in both the public and private sectors, I have initiated reforms that are performance-based and that cut costs, and I look forward to bringing this same approach to the MTA. I thank Governor Cuomo for this exciting opportunity to serve the people of New York."

Lhota, now a Brooklyn resident, received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and graduated cum laude from Georgetown. He has New York in his blood; he is the son of a retired NYPD lieutenant and the grandson of a FDNY firefighter.

New York City Council Transportation Chair James Vacca applauded the decision, citing Lhota's experience in city government. 

"The MTA will face a number of challenges in the years ahead, from preserving service for straphangers to completing many of the mega-projects across the city, all under the threat of further budget cuts. This is one of the most difficult jobs in the country,” Vacca said. “Joe Lhota’s successes as a Deputy Mayor for Operations and City Budget Director mean that he has the expertise and leadership needed to weather the storm ahead.

“I heard from Mr. Lhota today and was encouraged by his enthusiasm and also by the fact that he has roots in the outer boroughs. When I learned that he grew up in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx, in my district, I must confess feeling a sense of relief. This is not an out-of-towner. Mr. Lhota knows New York, he knows the transit system, and he knows the particular needs of folks in the outer reaches of the city. I look forward to working with him to improve service for all residents of this city." 

Former Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer and current MTA board member said Lhota stood out amongst a number of other qualified candidates.

"Following an extensive search process, where we reviewed many top public transportation professionals, it was clear that Mr. Lhota was the best candidate for the position," Ferrer said. "He is a dedicated public servant with unparalleled expertise in business and government who will bring great energy and vision to the MTA."

Crowds pile into local buses (UPDATE: Yelp Review)

Another story from this week's Riverdale Review.

By Brendan McHugh

Even Ms. Frizzle’s magic bus can’t solve this problem. 

Dinowitz is fed up with the MTA's (lack of) bus
service in Kingsbridge.

As fees for bridges and tunnels skyrocket, more and more people have flocked to buses for their main source of transportation. Unfortunately, the cash-strapped MTA hasn’t improved service to make room for the new passengers. 

The issue hasn’t gone unnoticed by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who has requested to the MTA add extra buses during the evening rush hours of 4 to 9 p.m. to run from West 231st Street and Broadway to the city line. 

“This will provide additional service at the most crowded location at the busiest time,” Dinowitz wrote in a letter to Thomas Prendergast, president of the MTA. “It would go a long way towards making the commute of many of my constituents more bearable and would encourage more people to use mass transit.” 

Jump below for the full story.

Two miserable Bronx subway stations slated for fix-up

A story from this week's Bronx Press.

By Brendan McHugh 

Two of the city’s worst subways are getting a makeover.

After months of advocacy by the borough president and two Bronxites on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, the 149th St./Grand Concourse and 138th St./3rd Ave. subway stations will undergo major renovations next year.

“It is time for the Bronx to receive its fair share from the MTA, and the agency's commitment to making these much-needed repairs is a major first step towards that goal," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

The 149th St./Grand Concourse station will get a new paint job, reconstructed platform edges, special grouting to prevent leaks and ventilation repairs. Repairs to the 138th St./3rd Ave. station include the east mezzanine passageway and an interior stairway. The work should be completed by early 2013. 

Jump below for the full story.

MTA unveils The Weekender

OK, here's something new I'm trying out. Instead of uploading these documents as pictures, I wanted to try Docstoc to show you MTA's new pet project, The Weekender. Press the 'expand' button to get a better view of the document.

Launching today, this new feature of MTA.info is intended to transform the way riders navigate the subway system on weekends. It will take over the front page of MTA.info each weekend beginning this afternoon, making it easy for subway riders to visualize exactly how weekend work will affect subway service.

What appears to be the best feature of The Weekender is that it allows you to view only one line at a time, so you won't get confused with all the irrelevant information about Queens and Brooklyn. Stations impacted by service diversions are highlighted by blinking icons. Users click to choose one of three ways to view the map:

• Service by Line: Click on a subway line symbol to get a line diagram showing an overview of the line’s service changes, as well as text summaries of the changes. 
• Service by Borough: Click on a borough for text-based information about any service changes impacting a borough. 
• Service by Station: Select a station for details on any service changes impacting that station, or click on the map to zoom to a detailed area.

Supplementing the base diagram, The Weekender provides for the first time an electronic venue for the popular Neighborhood Maps that are posted inside subway stations. These maps show the precise locations of subway station entrances within the street grid, along with locations of popular area destinations.

Weekender images

 

Jump below for some quotes from MTA officials, as well as where the design's inspiration came from.

Cuomo declares state of emergency in preparation for Irene

This is the fifth hurricane named Irene since 1971, and only 1999's Irene caused considerable damage to the US ($800 million to Florida, so...yeah).

Gov. Cuomo has declared a state of emergency to prepare for the potential storm (But like I said in an earlier post: Just head to Riverdale, where Mother Nature probably has a house in Fieldston, to find shelter).

Meanwhile, the MTA--always looking to save money--released a statement relating to their service and maintenance plan for the weekend:

The MTA is actively preparing for the impact of Hurricane Irene, coordinating with the Governor's Office, Mayor's Office and regional OEMs consistent with our Hurricane Plan. We are making arrangements to bring in extra personnel over the weekend, preparing our facilities and infrastructure by clearing drains, securing work sites against possible high winds, checking and fueling equipment, stocking supplies, and establishing plans to move equipment and supplies away from low-lying areas as needed. Because of the severity of the wind and rain associated with a hurricane, there may be partial or full shut down of our services to ensure the safety of our customers and employees. The good news, however, is the above ground train stations will finally be cleaned. We haven't cleaned some of the No. 1 train stations all summer, so this is a welcome relief for us. We are also prepared to implement evacuation plans if the Mayor and Governor decide that is necessary. We urge our customers to check mta.info frequently and to consider the impacts of this storm when making travel plans through the weekend.

OK, so two of those sentences I made up. But is it that far fetched to believe?