Report: Woman, 73, killed by M14D on East Houston

A woman died after being hit by an MTA bus as it passed Columbia Street and East Houston this morning around 9:45 a.m., according to published reports.

The victim, whose identity has not been released, was 73, according to ABC-7. None of the passengers on the M14D were apparently injured. The investigation continues.

Updated 5:30 p.m.

Streetsblog has more details on the deadly collision.

Anna Colon, 73, was crossing East Houston Street north to south at around 9:50 a.m. when the driver, who was also southbound, hit her while turning left from Avenue D onto East Houston, according to NYPD.

And...

East Houston at Avenue D is a wide two-way street with concrete medians in the crosswalks. Drivers injured 15 people walking at the intersection between 2009 and 2015, and had injured one other person there this year as of August, according to city crash data.

Residents told the Daily News that this intersection is dangerous.

“I feel afraid every time I cross that corner. I hold my breath and keep an eye out for a bus," said Rosalind Collazo, 49. “The buses go fast and don't stop. It's not the buses, the cars go fast too. They do U-turns when they are not supposed to.”

Colon had nine children, according to the Daily News.

Bus service shutting down beginning at noon

[10th and C this morning via Bobby Williams]

The buses were in service this morning... but not much longer, in case a trip via a bus was in your Saturday (today!) plans...take it away, Andrew!

.@MTA is suspending all NYC bus service beginning at Noon this morning. Go to https://t.co/TacCnDFyNi for real-time info & service updates.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 23, 2016

We'll always have the L train

The MTA is reportedly mulling over plans to repair Sandy-damaged tunnels on the L train between Manhattan and Brooklyn ... including one scenario that shuts them down entirely during the duration of the repairs — roughly three years.

That was one eye-opening takeaway from a report published at Gothamist, who noted that the MTA is also considering keeping one tunnel open during the process.

Richard Barone, the director of transportation programs for the Regional Plan Association, told Gothamist:

"It really depends on how quickly it takes the MTA to get the job done versus the severity of the shutdown. So if they can get it done in a year, but they have to shut both tunnels down, it's one thing. If it takes them three or four years to do it, and they have to alternate shutting down the tunnels, you have to question, which is better? Is it better to get it done faster but with massive disruption? Is it even possible to do that? Is there an another alternative that these folks can take to get to Manhattan for work?"

In the shutdown scenario, Manhattan-bound L trains would terminate at Bedford Avenue, the line's busiest station, per Gothamist. More than 300,000 people take the L on an average weekday.

Thoughts on how a prolonged L train shutdown would impact this neighborhood...?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Is an Avenue A entrance for the L train in our future?

Avenue A L train entrance closer to a reality … some day

City council members talk up new L train entrance coming to Avenue A

Avenue A L train entrance closer to a reality … some day

[Those 1st Avenue L train entrances]

An observant EVG reader spotted the following in the 237-page PDF of the 2015–2019 Capital Plan that the MTA board approved last week…



So there's budgeted $$$ for a second set of entrances for the L stop at First Avenue. A news release via the MTA from last December suggested the following scenario:

At the 1 Av station, new fare control areas at Avenue A would double capacity – a 100% increase – up to the street from each platform. The Avenue A entrances would serve 60% of the station’s ridership, thus eliminating a 500-foot walk (from First Avenue to Avenue A) for 31,000 weekday customers entering or exiting the station.

According to Sen. Brad Hoylman's office, use of the station at East 14th Street and First Avenue has increased by 30 percent from 2007-2012. (Seems like 300 percent.)

And the L train only promises to get more crowded with the arrival of the 150 residential units in the two new 7-floor buildings on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B that Extell is developing. (Not to mention the residential building replacing the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office.)

In February 2014, Holyman asked Extell Development to "contribute toward the construction of a second entrance to the 1st Avenue L train subway station." (You may read his letter to Extell here.) Not sure how that ask went.

Regardless, the money is in the MTA budget to make this new L train entrance/exit dream happen.

The Extell developments are expected to be complete in early 2017. No word on a timeline from the MTA on when any of this L train entrance work might happen. (Given that the 2015-2019 Capital Program finally got the OK so close to 2016…)

Previously on EV Grieve:
A Davey Drill and a dream

Is an Avenue A entrance for the L train in our future?

Hey, the MTA upped the cost to ride subways and buses today

[EVG file photo]

From The Times:

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted [today] to raise the base fare on subways and buses by a quarter, to $2.75, and the cost of a 30-day MetroCard by $4.50, to $116.50.

The new fares, which will take effect on March 22, were part of a package of increases approved for the system’s trains, buses, tunnels and bridges.

Read the whole article here.

Is an Avenue A entrance for the L train in our future?

[Photo from September by EVG reader stickmanpk]

Back in September, EVG reader stickmanpk spotted a crew with a Davey drill taking some soil samples on East 14th Street near Avenue A. At the time, we thought it was something to do with the new development in the works for the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office across the street.

Later, though, we heard this was for the MTA... to explore a new Avenue A entrance for the L train.

Now, via a reader, here's an MTA press release dated last Thursday that discusses the possibility of a new entrance here.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is seeking federal funding toward approximately $300 million in infrastructure improvements for the Canarsie L Subway Line, which runs from Manhattan to the Canarsie section of Brooklyn through neighborhoods that have seen the largest increases in population in New York City.

Proposed infrastructure improvements include adding three power substations to allow for two additional trains per hour, a 10% increase in service, which could carry 2,200 additional customers per hour. Other elements include installing elevators at the 1 Av and Bedford Av stations to make them fully compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and adding new street-level entrances at both stations to make it easier for customers to enter or exit the stations and alleviate platform crowding that can delay trains.

“More than 49,000 customers use the 1 Av and Bedford Av stations on an average weekday, and the stations experience overcrowding during peak periods. The area around the Bedford Av station has been rezoned to allow for almost 10,000 new residential units, and ridership is expected to continue to rise,” said New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco. “We have to increase capacity on the Canarsie Line and improve customer flow at stations to meet this increasing demand, and securing federal funding for a project of this magnitude will go a long way toward achieving that goal.”

At the 1 Av station, new fare control areas at Avenue A would double capacity – a 100% increase – up to the street from each platform. The Avenue A entrances would serve 60% of the station’s ridership, thus eliminating a 500-foot walk (from First Avenue to Avenue A) for 31,000 weekday customers entering or exiting the station.

Partial funding for the Canarsie improvements has been included in the MTA’s proposed 2015-2019 Capital Program, per the release.

According to the MTA, the L line first opened as a segment on June 30, 1924, a time when men also wore suspenders without irony.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A Davey Drill and a dream

Reminders: The M8 weekend service resumes TODAY

[EVG file photo from May 2009]

It's true! The M8 will now run from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Starting today. Right now!

The weekend service was discontinued in June 2010 to help ease the MTA's $400 million financial shortfall. This route and others came back via NYC Transit's "2013-14 Service Enhancements Program."

Here is the M8 route...



Previously on EV Grieve:
M8 weekend service resumes next Sunday (13 comments)

Reader report: Small track fire at the Delancey/Essex Street station this morning

Waiting for the uptown F at at the Delancey/Essex Street station provided some photo ops this morning ... EVG reader David Shankbone shares these photos of a small track fire... no word on what caused it...



Updated 12:59
Gothamist has more on the fire here.

Take these old MTA benches off of LaMaMa's hands — or they'll be chainsawed!

An EVG reader passed along this Craigslist post…

We payed full price, $650 each — you can have them for free, you just have to pick them up. We will even help load them into your truck. They weigh ~500# each. We used them in a show and the show will be done. You MUST pick them up Sunday night or early Monday morning at LaMama theater. Otherwise they will be chainsawed...

FYI: they are 10' plus long, so you would need a box truck, not a cargo van.

Seriously, haven't you always wanted one of these in your back yard? Or you artist loft?

Noted

I read about this last week... but just saw it for myself tonight... last Thursday, Uniqlo opened a pop-up shop selling puffy jackets and non-puffy parkas in the Union Square subway station ... part of a new MTA program to bring businesses into vacant retail subway spaces.

From the official MTA news release:

The shops will receive month-to-month leases from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for small retail spaces that are temporarily vacant while the agency is arranging long-term leases.

And!

The pop-up store initiative allows small entrepreneurs, online businesses and established corporations to rent space in generally “as-is” condition to provide high visibility exposure for products or services where the emphasis is on displaying merchandise as much as actually conducting on-site transactions. In some cases, retail customers would be encouraged to make their purchases online or at larger stores off site.

And!

“Pop-up stores will provide a fresh and beneficial element to our stations while also improving the image and desirability of retail space in the subway,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. “This is another example of the MTA working to make better use of its real estate portfolio and improving the subway environment for customers at the same time.”

The store will be open through the December holidays...

Soooo... what kind of pop-up shop would you like to see from the MTA in the future? (To get you thinking about it...) Egg shop? Zine store?

Bus fire this morning on Astor Place

An MTA bus caught fire this morning around 11:20 on Astor Place... EVG reader Riian McCormick provided these photos... the bus was apparently empty and idling at the time of the fire... Riian says the FDNY was on it in a hurry... quickly extinguishing the fire... but it did provide for a few dramatic moments...

Middle Earth has resumed with residual delays

EVG regular William Klayer spotted one of designer William Puck's "Lord of the Rings"-style mock MTA posters while waiting for the R on Broadway and East Eighth Street...



Now we should likely make some Frodo Baggins joke, though we don't know any.

Straphangers feeling the effects of the MTA reducing sign and tape budgets

Oh, and no L train service between Lorimer and Eighth Avenue until Tuesday morning at 5. Really.

What color would you like to see the MTA adopt for their flashing lights on Select buses?

Last Tuesday, we had that post about the MTA discontinuing the flashing blue lights on the M15 Select buses on First and Second Avenues... apparently there were complaints because people thought the bus was an emergency vehicle.

We had a discussion about it in the comments.

Well, EVG regular Spike, who told us about all this in the first place, received an email from the MTA with some clarification:

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law restricts the use of flashing blue lights to emergency-response vehicles only.

Per Spike: "Sounds better then 'stupid people couldn't tell the difference between a bus and an ambulance.'"

And now the MTA is testing new colors for the Select buses.

Spike is pulling for abalone shell or mother of pearl. And we're going with caput mortuum — Latin for "worthless remains," which captures how we feel riding the bus at times.

What color would you like to see the MTA adopt for their flashing lights on Select buses?

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP M15 Select bus flashing blue lights

This likely makes sense to some city administrator

This past summer, workers tore up First Avenue between First Street and Second Street to put in sidewalk extensions (bus bulbs!) for the M15 and the Select Bus Service.

Flashback!

In August, the MTA added the M15 Select Bus ticket machines on First and First. All good, right?

Apparently not. Today, workers were back ripping up the freshly repaved Avenue...

[Updated] And how was your commute? Confusion on First Avenue as Select Bus service moves to different stop

Readers and patrons of the M15 Select Bus service on First Avenue are noting a lot of confusion this morning... on Saturday, the MTA removed the M15 Select Bus ticket machines from the stop at First Avenue between Second and Third streets ...

...and moved them to First Avenue at First Street... where the new bus bulb thingy is...

[A more tranquil yesterday]

All fine. Except that the MTA apparently didn't tell anyone that this was happening.

Per a reader, waiting for a bus:

"People who usually catch the select bus on 3rd and first are all confused this morning. machines are gone other commuters informed us they were moved here to first and first. lots of people dressed for work and running down first ave."

Welcome to the newly placed machines...

Any other Select Bus stories to share today? (Or any other day...)

Updated 9:27 a.m. — @Newyorkist said that the M15 drivers had continually announced the coming changes ...

Previously on EV Grieve:
On First Avenue, the machines are taking over!

Report: M9 service will be restored, expanded

[Avenue B, June 2010]

The Daily News is reporting that the M9 service will be restored and expanded starting in January ... this coming from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver... and all thanks to the MTA's improved budgetary outlook ...

The MTA slashed the M9 service back in the summer of 2010. The M9 previously traveled from Union Square, east along East 14th Street, down Avenue B, then Houston, Essex, blah, blah, before ending up in Battery Park City.

Then came the eliminated lines and rerouting and lord knows where the M9 starts now (23rd Street?) ... but it eventually travels south down Avenue C, across Houston, down Essex ... before dumping everyone off at City Hall. (Hello Mr. Mayor!)

The article doesn't mention which part of the M9 service the MTA will restore... and what this really means for East Village residents who use the bus...

Meanwhile, there's also no word on whether Silver will restore service to the Rusty Knot Party Bus.

Previously on EV Grieve:
If you depend on the bus around here, then you're kinda screwed now

East Villagers face busageddon

East Village student aspires to redesign the MetroCard

Melanie Chernock, an East Village resident who is a graphic design student at SVA, recently launched a site titled The MetroCard Project. It's an ongoing project that aims to redesign the the Metrocard, which the MTA put into full usage on May 14, 1997. (Fast Company featured her work last Friday here.)

For example...

We asked her about the project.

[It] stemmed from an assignment to "create a deck of cards." I knew that I did not want to do something expected, so I immediately started to think of all the different types of cards there are. The concept of redesigning the MetroCard felt natural to me ... The card gets so much exposure and should be something thoughtfully designed. Creating the cards is an experimental process for me. I found that the first few cards I made were very conventional and as the project progressed they became more unusual. The purpose of the project is to show the many ways there are to design a better MetroCard and to promote better design within the city.

You can visit her site here.

Meanwhile, let's bring back the subway token!

Legalese: The MetroCard Project is in no way associated with the MTA. It is a school project intended only for creative purposes.

Your weekend MTA planner!

Posted this factoid via Gothamist a little bit ago on the EVG Twitter feed...

Only the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, D, E, F, G, J, N, Q, R, and S lines will have service disruptions this weekend.

Amazingly enough, as @andytabb pointed out, the L will be running...

[Image via QuarterSnacks]

Your chance to buy a Union Square subway sign for just $12,500!

Something for all you MTA nostalgists/bargain hunters out there... Look what you can buy now for a mere $12,500 on eBay...

That will be about a quarter of your legal fees fighting the MTA... Thanks to Shawn Chittle for the tip.