Hey Guys,
It seems we really have a whole lot we can work with, so we should come together and try narrowing our choices. Some ideas we discussed in class that we can look at are Safety and Public Transportation and the Technological Future of Transportation. Looking at Safety, we can possibly look into Vision Zero, Subway Crime (slashings, sleepers, vigilante justice) and general Station Safety. We can also look into the relationship between Subway crime and overcrowding or delays (if there even is one). Along the lines of technological advances, we can look into the Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar, the updating of train stations and the repercussions of a new line. Some other things mentioned were City Infrastructure as a whole and the quality of the MTA in relation to the rising costs.
In addition to whatever topic we choose to investigate, we need a finite problem relating to our topic, something we should keep in mind.
See you guys in class!
I particularly like the idea of looking at the impact of new subway lines. That would give us concrete research topics of past expansion of train lines and their impact, the current projects, and what possible future projects there could be.
I second this idea. Looking at new subway lines will also examine what parts of the City the government chooses to invest money into- this can uncover any bias the government has to certain groups. For example, the Streetcar would benefit the most affluent parts of Queens and Manhattan, and the extension of the 7 line was to drive more people into the booming Meatpacking District. I think this topic would definitely cover the “practical,” political injustice part of the assignment. This topic would also allow for an examination of the relationship between state and City government. I think the W train was also announced to return recently, so it’s a very hot topic now: http://ny.curbed.com/2016/2/19/11079904/w-train-to-make-triumphant-return-thanks-to-second-ave-subway.
Hey Patrick,
I like the ideas you’re bringing up for transportation. Along the lines of safety, I would like to add in the problems with the new bike lanes that the city is putting in. I agree with the general consensus that bikes are great. They promote healthier bodies and are beneficial to the environment. However, with the way bike lanes are used in NYC, bikes make the streets a much more dangerous place. One of the problems is that bikes don’t always follow street laws like they’re supposed to.
The other thing I also want to focus on is Vision Zero. I personally think that making the speed limit to 25 mph is too slow for some high traffic streets/avenue. The city wants us to have safer streets, but people still have to get from point A to point B. The city should provide an alternate, more efficient transportation method in this case, but has done nothing yet.
Hey guys. Would you like me to put you in touch with Transportation Alternatives: https://www.transalt.org/? They are the city’s leading advocate for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit and do great work on all the topics you’re considering, all across the city. The Deputy Director is a close friend- maybe she could help you narrow your project focus and connect with people who are directly affected by/organizing around it? Let me know!