3 ms·

In my collection of things I have a NYC Subway Map* from 2017. This one is special because it was commemorating the "opening of the second avenue subway". At th

In my collection of things I have a NYC Subway Map* from 2017. This one is special because it was commemorating the "opening of the second avenue subway". At the bottom corner in big fat font is the signature of then Governor Andrew Cuomo. For those unaware, the second avenue subway has been planned since the 1930s. In 2017 they opened phase 1, which consisted of 3 new stations stretching from 63rd St to 96th St. Maybe sometime this century phase 2 and 3 will open. I for one am not optimistic. Its not for lack of investment that this project has been delayed over 100 years. Plenty of money has gone down that pit. There is a cost disease afflicting infrastructure in the US (and health care, and education). *technically what I have is a transit diagram, not a map. The difference being it abstracts away the geography and angularizes all the lines.

bombcar 4y ago
When the US needs to build infrastructure, they can build it incredibly fast. The replacement I-35 bridge [34] and the fix to the Oroville Dam Spillway [6] are examples. Usually it gets tied up in years or decades of various fights like the St Croix Crossing which required federal action: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Croix_Crossing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Croix_Crossing [34] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Saint_Anthony_Falls_Bridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Saint_Anthony_Falls_Brid... [6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekUROM87vTA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekUROM87vTA
bobthepanda 4y ago
To clarify, when I say "investments", I mean the number of distinct improvements, not $ spent. I'm a big transit nerd and it's very disappointing. As what should be table stakes, there is no realistic plan to get to 100% accessibility in NYC.
- bluGill 4y ago
  The ADA messed up by not specifying allowed existing buildings have to have a 30 year plan in place to become accessible, with a requirement that if they put this off they place into escrow that years part. (I'm not sure how to write this, but essentially either upgrade 1/30 of your buildings each year, or place in third partt escrow that money). If you own a building you need to do a major remodel every 30 years anyway just to keep it safe and in good shape so for landlords keeping their property up this isn't really much different than what they would do anyway)
  - bobthepanda 4y ago
    I mean, there are definitely stations that the MTA has not rehabbed in the last 30 years. There’s also no realistic plan to renovate every station either. (And they do need it, many stations have water damage and the like)

bombcar 4y ago

When the US needs to build infrastructure, they can build it incredibly fast. The replacement I-35 bridge [34] and the fix to the Oroville Dam Spillway [6] are examples. Usually it gets tied up in years or decades of various fights like the St Croix Crossing which required federal action: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Croix_Crossing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Croix_Crossing [34] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Saint_Anthony_Falls_Bridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Saint_Anthony_Falls_Brid... [6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekUROM87vTA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekUROM87vTA

bobthepanda 4y ago

To clarify, when I say "investments", I mean the number of distinct improvements, not $ spent. I'm a big transit nerd and it's very disappointing. As what should be table stakes, there is no realistic plan to get to 100% accessibility in NYC.

bluGill 4y ago
The ADA messed up by not specifying allowed existing buildings have to have a 30 year plan in place to become accessible, with a requirement that if they put this off they place into escrow that years part. (I'm not sure how to write this, but essentially either upgrade 1/30 of your buildings each year, or place in third partt escrow that money). If you own a building you need to do a major remodel every 30 years anyway just to keep it safe and in good shape so for landlords keeping their property up this isn't really much different than what they would do anyway)
- bobthepanda 4y ago
  I mean, there are definitely stations that the MTA has not rehabbed in the last 30 years. There’s also no realistic plan to renovate every station either. (And they do need it, many stations have water damage and the like)