Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

Transportation

Coping With The Strike


The Transport Workers Union early Tuesday morning, December 20th, announced a transit strike.

TRANSIT STRIKE INFORMATION AND REGULATIONS -- THE DETAILS

  • DRIVING
  • PARKING
  • TAXIS & CAR AND VAN SERVICES
  • BICYCLING
  • CARPOOLING
  • FERRY SERVICE
  • COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE
  • UNAFFECTED SERVICE
  • PUBLIC SCHOOL INFO
  • FOLLOW THE LATEST ON TRANSIT NEGOTIATIONS

    Metropolitan Transportation Authority
    The transit system's official Web site has official information on contingency plans and how other unrelated trains, bus, and ferries will be affected.

    Transport Workers Union, Local 100
    The Web site of the transit workers' union has official notices, news updates, and a calendar of events.

    Gotham Gazette's Wonkster
    A blog of news and opinion.

    NYCtransitstrike.com
    This Web site is published by Sam Schwartz, "Gridlock Sam," an expert on infrastructure, traffic safety and transportation systems.

    ALTERNATE WAYS TO GET AROUND

    NYC.gov Strike Contingency Plan Information
    Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlined the city's official plans in case of a transit strike. This Web site offers basic information and links to other official Web pages.

    Craig's List Ride Shares
    A bulletin board for New Yorkers looking for rides, or riders (to have the four necessary to be allowed into Manhattan during rush hour.)

    New York Times Guide to Commuting Map (in pdf format)
    This map of the five boroughs shows pedestrian crossings into Manhattan, park-and-ride stations, car pool staging areas, taxi fare zones, and roadways reserved for emergency vehicles.

    Unaffected Transportation Services (Trains, Buses, Ferries)
    See the Web site of each of the following trains, bus, and ferry service for changes meant to ease congestion on these systems, which are not affected by the strike:
    - Long Island Railroad
    -Metro-North Railroad
    -Staten Island Railway
    - PATH
    - Amtrak
    - AirTrain
    - NJ Transit (commuter rail and bus)
    -Long Island Bus
    -Westchester County Bee-Line
    -
    Staten Island Ferry
    -Private Ferries

    Map of Taxi and Car Hiring Zones (in pdf format)
    A map of areas in each of the five boroughs where passengers can hire cars and taxis.

    Map of Parking and Car Pool Locations (in pdf format)
    This map shows designated carpool areas so drivers and riders can share rides to meet the four person per car requirement.

    Map of Pedestrian and Bicycle Access to Manhattan (in pdf format)
    A map of the five boroughs showing where pedestrians and bicyclists can cross into Manhattan.

    Transportation Alternative's Tips on Biking to Work
    Transportation Alternatives, a pedestrian advocacy group, offers tips for new cyclists, suggestions for where to buy a bike, and an outline of "the rules of the road" (like how to avoid car doors).

    TRANSIT STRIKE INFORMATION AND REGULATIONS -- Selective Links

    Public School Information for Strike
    All regular school start times will be delayed for two hours. The end of the school day will not be changed. Teachers are supposed to arrive no later than one hour after their regular scheduled start time.

    Police Department Driving Restrictions
    The city will require four or more passengers in each car entering Manhattan south of 96th Street from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., Monday-Friday. Also certain streets in Manhattan will be reserved for emergency vehicles, buses, and commuter vans only. This link provides a map of all roadways, bridges, and tunnels affected.

    Special Taxi Regulations for Strike
    Taxi and Limousine Commission-licensed taxis and livery cabs will be allowed to pick up multiple passengers in a single trip. They will also use a different fare schedule. Fares will be up to $10 per person for entering a cab and $5 for traveling to an additional zone.

    Strike Parking Regulations
    Alternate side of the street parking rules will be suspended. And to improve traffic flow, weekday "No Standing" and "No Parking" rules will be extended.

    Suggestions for Employers
    The city offers six simple options for employers like "allow workers to telecommute" and "stagger shift schedules to avoid rush hour."

    TRANSIT STRIKE INFORMATION AND REGULATIONS -- THE DETAILS

  • DRIVING
  • PARKING
  • TAXIS & CAR AND VAN SERVICES
  • BICYCLING
  • CARPOOLING
  • FERRY SERVICE
  • COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE
  • UNAFFECTED SERVICE
  • PUBLIC SCHOOL INFO
  • DRIVING

  • Some streets in Manhattan are reserved for emergency vehicles only, and others are reserved for emergency vehicles, buses, commuter vans with passengers, motorcycles and paratransit only, Mon - Fri, 5am - 8pm. (Click here for a list of streets)
  • Four or more passengers are required for vehicles traveling into Manhattan south of 96th Street, Mon - Fri, 5am - 11am. (Click here for a list of streets)
  • Central Park Drive will be open to traffic 24 hours a day, Mon - Fri. Enter at W59th St and W110th St only. Vehicles traveling south are required four or more passengers.
  • Rush hour lane reversals will be implemented on the: Manhattan Bridge Queensboro Bridge/59th Street Williamsburg Bridges Brooklyn-Battery tunnel Holland Tunnel Lincoln Tunnel Queens-Midtown Tunnel It will be in effect Mon - Fri, 5am - 11am & 2pm - 8pm.
  • No commercial vehicles, including trucks, vans, and passenger cars with commercial plates, will be allowed entry into Manhattan south of 96th Street Mon - Fri, 5am - 11am
  • PARKING

  • Alternate SIde Parking will be suspended Citywide.
  • Certain streets will have additional parking regulations: no parking in the inbound direction between 11am - 8pm, no parking in the outbound direction between 5 am to 2 pm, and no standing is allowed between 5am - 11am & 2pm - 8pm.
    Click a link below for a list of regulated streets in that borough. Manhattan The Bronx Brooklyn Queens Staten Island
  • Carpool staging areas will have free parking, and are open 24 hours. They are available as first come first serve, and will be staffed with security. (Shea and Yankee Stadiums will only be available as carpool staging areas until Wed around 3am, but are available as Park and Ride - for LIRR and Metro-North respectively - throughout the duration of the strike. They require a 4 person minimum.)
  • Park and Ride locations at SI Yankee Stadium, Cromwell Center, or St. George Ferry Terminal will be restricted to vehicles with four or more passengers only.
  • Parking meters remain in effect, and certain streets will have signs posting additional restrictions.
  • The strike will not qualify as a "special occasion" for parking garages to charge special rates. Call 311 with complaints
  • TAXIS & CAR AND VAN SERVICES (rules only in effect Mon - Fri during strike.)

  • Taxi fares will be changed to travel by zone. It will cost $10 to travel anywhere within the first zone, and $5 for each zone entered thereafter. Click here for a pdf map of zones.
  • Taxis will be allowed to pick up multiple fares.
  • Commuter vans will only be allowed to charge up to $5, and taxis up to $30 between Manhattan and JFK, and $20 between Manhattan and LaGuardia.
  • Commuters can be picked up by Taxis, livery cabs, and commuter vans from bus stops.
  • (File complaints about taxis here)
  • BICYCLING

  • Temporary bike storage will be offered at : Washington Square Park
    Tompkins Square Park
    Union Square Park
    Madison Square Park
    Bryant Park
    They will be staffed between 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.
  • Click here for a maps of bike lanes. Some of the bike lanes will have orange cones for added protection.
  • For businesses in need of bike racks, contact the DOT at 718-433-3340.
  • CARPOOLING

  • Carpool staging area are located here. (Note, Shea and Yankee Stadiums are only available as a staging area until Wed around 3am.) The parking is free and open 24 hrs a day. Available first come first serve. Also visit CommuterLink, a non-profit transportation management organization. Commuterlink is an independent organization not affiliated with or sponsored by the City of New York.
  • FERRY SERVICE

  • The Staten Island Ferry will extend peak hours in the morning from 6am - 10am and in the evening from 2:30pm - 8pm. Park and Ride locations at SI Yankee Stadium, Cromwell Center, or St. George Ferry Terminal will be restricted to vehicles with four or more passengers only.
  • Click here for a list of Ferry Services.

    NOTE: If a vessel operator is offering ferry service from an unusual location, you should ask about the vessel's inspection status and may ask to see the Certificate of Inspection or the operator's license. Large vessels must meet special safety and security requirements. If you are in doubt about a vessel's inspection status or have concerns about its safety or security, call the Coast Guard at (718) 354-4353 and ask to speak to the Sector Duty Officer.

  • COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE

    Long Island Railroad(NOTE: modified service does not begin until WED around 4am)

  • Penn Station contingency plan map.
  • Seven regular AM peak and seven regular PM peak trains will be canceled to provide for Queens shuttle train service. See canceled trains list for details.
  • Parking for LIRR shuttles, Park and Ride is available at Yankees Stadium. It's free, 24 hrs, and first come first serve. There is security hired for the parking.
  • Regularly scheduled trains will serve Queens riders from hub stations 6am-9am and 4pm-7pm. At all other times dedicated shuttle trains and/or regular trains will provide service at all stations in Queens.
  • A strike fare of $4.00 (each way) will be charged for travel within the city at all times.
  • Regular LIRR customers who commute to or from Queens stations other than Jamaica may have to change trains to reach their destinations. See table below for details.
  • LIRR commuters at Jamaica, Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, and Woodside will be served by special shuttle trains.
  • To ease crowding, there will be street-level queuing at Penn Station, Flatbush Ave, Jamaica, and many Queens stations.
  • Reverse peak service will run on a regular schedule.
  • Bicycles will not be permitted on LIRR trains.
  • Metro-North Railroad(NOTE: modified service does not begin until WED around 4am)

  • All regularly scheduled trains will have fewer cars. Some Hudson and Harlem Line trains will skip their regular Bronx station stops. New Haven Line trains will make all regularly scheduled stops, including Fordham. Please see Canceled Train list for information.
  • Dedicated shuttle trains will operate between the Bronx and Manhattan.
    West Bronx Shuttle (Hudson Line) will serve Morris Heights, University Heights, Marble Hill, and Spuyten Duyvil at all times. West Bronx Shuttle will also serve Riverdale in the PM peak, off-peak, and on weekends.
    East Bronx Shuttle (Harlem Line) will serve Melrose, Tremont, Fordham, Botanical Garden, Williams Bridge, Woodlawn, Wakefield, and Mount Vernon West. However, during peak hours, shuttle will not stop at Melrose (use temporary station at Yankee Stadium) or Tremont (use Fordham).
    Yankee Stadium Shuttle will serve a temporary Yankee Stadium Park-&-Ride facility. Trains will operate between Yankee Stadium, Harlem-125th Street, and Grand Central Terminal.
  • A strike fare of $4.00 (each way) will be charged for travel within the city at all times.
  • Parking for Metro-North shuttles, Park and Ride is available at Yankees Stadium. It's free, 24 hrs, and first come first serve. There is security hired for the parking.
  • Regular Metro-North customers who commute to or from Bronx stations may have to change trains to reach their destinations.
  • There will be a special entrance to Grand Central on 43rd Street between Madison and Vanderbilt Avenues designated for Bronx shuttle train service.
  • Bicycles will not be permitted on MNR trains.
  • Expect delays and crowded conditions on all trains due to anticipated ridership increases and many trains with fewer cars.
  • UNAFFECTED SERVICE

    Staten Island Railway PATH Amtrak AirTrain NJ Transit (commuter rail and bus) Long Island Bus Westchester County Bee-Line

    PUBLIC SCHOOL INFO

  • All regular school start times, and school bus times will be delayed for two hours. The end of the school day will not be changed. For more information, visit the Department of Education site.
  • Despite the two-hour delay, school staff should report as early as possible, but no later than one hour after their regular scheduled start time.
  • The majority of after-school programs will be open; please confirm your child's particular program with your principal. However, all PSAL after-school sports and recreational programs will be canceled.
  • For half day pre-kindergarten programs, the morning (am) session will be canceled for students, but all staff are to report.
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