LHaus
Jun 28 2010

MTA to Long Island City: Kiss the V train goodbye, the M train replaceth

It’s alphabet soup for us this morning, as our favorite transportation authority (yes, that’s you MTA) has cut and pasted a few letter trains, effective yesterday. The V train is out, replaced by the M train (though not entirely) and the G train now ends at the ‘new Court Square terminal’ in LIC. Which is not finished yet? Oh, and the W train’s gone too, though that doesn’t really effect LIC too much, save for a few local stops in LIC/Astoria. Which the N still covers…

The V train turning into the M train however, does have an impact on commuting from LIC into lower Manhattan. Though it really appears to be just the loss of the V train stop at 2nd Ave & Houston (a very useful stop for some us), since the replacement M train now skirts around it on its way into Brooklyn. But an easy shift to the F train will still get you there. Thanks MTA, for making the subway commutes a little more transfer heavy. At least there wasn’t a concurrent rate hike. Woo and Hoo.

Commuting

12 Comments

Leave Your Comment Comment Feed

I wouldn’t be surprised if there was another fare increase in the next 6-12 months.

#1 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

There is another fare increase scheduled for January but there is already talk of moving it up to a date in the winter.

#2 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

Need a WAH-bulance to carry your fat butt to 2nd Ave?

#3 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

You forgot to mention that the 7 train is getting some major cutbacks as well. Rush hour is gonna be limited to less trains now…

#4 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

Put tolls on the goddamn East River bridges already!

#5 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

Why would they put tolls on the East River bridges to subsidize subway riders? I take the subway to and from the city every weekday and most weekends. While I’m not looking forward to another fare increase – especially after being 30 minutes late for work today becuase of subway delays – I don’t see why drivers should have to pay towards my commute.

#6 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

6, where do you think the money comes from to operate the bridges? Drivers should pay to use a bridge just like we have to pay to ride a mass transit service.Why should car drivers get a free service (while they pollute and clog the roads and suppress economic activity) but the rest of us mugs have to pay to get into Manhattan?

Are we going to get into another tiresome free market-libertarian argument here?

#7 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

#7 – While I am an advocate of tolls on all roads going into Manhattan, its to reduce traffic and properly allocate our road resources, but I do not say the reason for this is because drivers get a “free service”, as you say. Generally cars more then pay for the roads and bridges they use. The gov’t actually funnels the various fuel taxes, tolls and fees into general revenue and do not use the money fully for highways. So drivers are paying for the bridges and are actually indirectly subsidizing subways and other general revenue items for the gov’t. They more then pay for the bridges, its subway riders who get the big subsidy for not paying for the cost of the system (which is mainly because of the bloated gov’t run MTA, but that is another story!).

#8 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

Why is the city not subsidizing public transit in someway? Especially in lieu of this whole ‘greening nyc’ initiative of bloomberg’s. The MTA cuts make me think I should GET a car because this is ridiculous. If they are serious about greening, tons of money and organizing needs to be put into public transit, not cutting a $100M and making it more expensive for riders. That’s just stupid, and the most un-green thing I’ve ever heard.

Also, have you ever seen the subway workers at work? One person works while 3/4 people watch. I have witnessed this firsthand and it explains why the MTA has such a big budget gap. Utter insanity. Maybe this will piss people off enough for a public transit strike to demand better service and no fare hikes. If bloomberg can spend $100M to buy HPS they can spend $100M to keep our subway and buses running adequately. The 7 train is barely running after 8pm now. It’s gross. I had to wait almost 40min last night in the hottest platform from hell.

#9 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

NYC is fast becoming a city in decline. All the leading metropolises around the world heavily subsidize their mass transit systems. But corporate-wanking Republicans like Bloomberg and our morons in Albany would never make that happen. God forbid if the subway reverts to the way it was in the “The Warriors” days.

#10 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

Thanks #10. I also think we’re moving in a bad direction here. In the last several months I’ve been seriously wondering about continuing to live in a city where it’s getting harder and more expensive to get basic human needs met. Not to mention that we’re still a huge terrorist target, and I don’t really feel like we’re in safe hands with the City.

#11 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

Memories are very short in New York. Most people living here now have no idea how decrepit the subway system used to be. I think they would be shocked to see how utterly Third World we can get in this city with the right combination of neglect. I’m convinced we can easily find ourselves in the same mess again if we continue to starve the subway of the funding it needs.

#12 Anonymous / 1 year, 7 months ago

Leave Your Comment

Some HTML Allowed

Your e-mail will not be shown. Although if you have a Gravatar it will be shown here. Otherwise, anonymous comments are welcome.