Transportation in New York (state)
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Transportation in the State of New York | |
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Overview | |
Locale | The Taxicab, bicycle, pedestrian |
Transportation in New York is made up of some of the most extensive and one of the oldest transportation infrastructures in the country. Engineering difficulties because of the terrain of the
History
Transportation was used early on to support industry and commerce in the State of New York. The
By the American Revolutionary War, the colonial
The other major contribution to New York's transportation system was its extensive railroad network. The
Canals
Early transportation in the State of New York was primarily by rivers and canals. Today, the canals are primarily used for recreation.
- Erie Canal
- New York Barge Canal
Urban mass transit
One of the most famous urban mass transit systems in the world is the
Besides New York City, many of the other cities have
Buffalo Metro Rail serves Buffalo, the second largest city in the state. However, this service also resembles a light rail system.
Defunct
Rochester had a subway system, although it is mostly destroyed. Only a small part exists under the old Erie Canal Aqueduct. In its day, the system would carry people underground on what were essentially streetcars. If the system still existed today, it would probably be described as a light rail service.
Rochester,
Commuter railroads
NJ Transit and Amtrak also serve New York City and its suburbs.
Intercity and International rail
Like most of United States, the only intercity rail passenger service is provided by Amtrak. New York City's
Recently, the state has taken more interest in increasing the frequency and speed of intercity rail, going so far as to propose the creation of a statewide high-speed rail network.
Intercity Bus
New York City is a hub for intercity bus networks in the northeastern United States. The rest of the state is served by intercity buses run by companies such as Megabus, Greyhound Lines, Trailways of New York, OurBus,[2] North Fork Express,[3] Hampton Jitney, Coach USA Short Line and others.
Automobile transportation
New York Thruway
The largest single artery in the State of New York is the New York State Thruway, which is more than 400 miles from
Parkways
New York is home to many parkways built by
Other parkways include the Cross County Parkway and Saw Mill River Parkway in Westchester, the Taconic State Parkway, the Palisades Interstate Parkway, the Northern State Parkway and the Southern State Parkway (the latter two both in Long Island).
Bridges
New York City
- George Washington Bridge, spanning the Hudson River between New York City and Fort Lee, New Jersey, the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge.[4][5]
- Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Manhattan Bridge
- Williamsburg Bridge
- Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge
- Triborough Bridge
- Bronx–Whitestone Bridge
- Throgs Neck Bridge
Elsewhere in the State of New York
- Tappan Zee Bridge
- Peace Bridge
- Lake Champlain Bridge
Tunnels
Most tunnels in the state of New York are within New York City.
- Holland Tunnel - a partially tolled tunnel that connects Lower Manhattan to Jersey City across the Hudson River
- Lincoln Tunnel - a partially tolled tunnel that connects Midtown Manhattan to Weehawken, NJ across the Hudson River
- Battery Park to Brooklyn
- Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan
Interstates
North-South Interstates
The principal north–south highways are as follows:
Interstate 81 has two auxiliary routes, Interstate 481 and Interstate 781.
Interstate 87 has three auxiliary routes:
Interstate 95 has three auxiliary routes: Interstate 295, Interstate 495, and Interstate 695.
East-West Interstates
The principal east–west highways are as follows:
Interstate 78 has four auxiliary routes:
Interstate 84 has one auxiliary route, Interstate 684.
Interstate 86 and Interstate 88 have no auxiliary routes.
Interstate 90 has nine auxiliary routes:
Other highways
Safety
Between 2010 and 2014, NYS has between 1039 and 1202 yearly road traffic fatalities, that is between 8 and 8.3 fatalities by billion miles traveled. Pedestrian fatalities are between yearly 263 and 336.[6]
In the NY state, pedestrians are one out of 4 fatalities, each year. Those fatalities are due to unsafe actions both from motorists and from pedestrians.[6]
NY state is one of the fives US states with the most pedestrian fatalities: 879 fatalities of which 294 (33%) occurred at intersections.[7]
Bicycle
New York has a system of numbered state
Transportation in New York City
New York City boasts one of the most extensive urban transportation systems in the world, including two distinct mass transit systems:
- New York City Subway - by some measures, the most extensive rapid transit system in the world
- Staten Island Railway - not technically part of the Subway, but serves a similar purpose on the Borough of Staten Island; isolated from the national rail network and the New York City Subway
- Port Authority Trans-Hudson - rapid transit between Manhattan and New Jersey
New York City's automobile network is also extensive. It includes many bridges and limited access highways built by Robert Moses, and is integrated with a street grid that dates to the early 19th century.
While extensive, much of New York City's infrastructure is aging and in need of capital investment. Despite the lack of expansion and investment during the past few decades, many infrastructure projects including the Second Avenue Subway, 7 Subway Extension, Fulton Center, and the East Side Access have already started construction during the 2000s.
Transportation on Long Island
Every major form of transportation serves Long Island, including
The
There are currently ten road crossings out of Long Island, all within New York City limits at the extreme western end of the island. Plans for a Long Island Sound link at various locations in Nassau and Suffolk Counties have been discussed for decades, but there are currently no firm plans to construct such a crossing.
The Long Island Rail Road is the busiest commuter railroad system in North America, carrying an average of 282,400 customers each weekday on 728 daily trains. Chartered on April 24, 1834, it is also the oldest railroad still operating under its original name.[9]
Proposals
Commuter rail
See:
Mass transit
- The Second Avenue Subway is under construction in New York City.
Proposed light rail systems
New York presently only boasts the Buffalo Metro Rail, which is arguably a light rail system. Proposals include:
- Capital district light rail (with former State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno voicing support)
- 42nd Street Light Rail
- Staten Island light rail proposals
- Rochester is entertaining the idea of getting light rail service. The city has been discussing what to do with the subway system. The city wants to use the right of way, which used to be the route of the Erie Canal, for light rail, recreate the canal, or fill the trench.
See also
- New York State Department of Transportation
- New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
- New York City Department of Transportation
- Plug-in electric vehicles in New York (state)
References
- ^ "Heads of Families at the First Census : 1790" (PDF). 2.census.gov. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "OurBus- the Smart Commuter". ourbus.com. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ "North Fork Express". Northforkexpress.com. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - George Washington Bridge". Panynj.gov. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ^ George Washington Bridge turns 75 years old: Huge flag, cake part of celebration, Times Herald-Record, October 24, 2006. "The party, however, will be small in comparison to the one that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey organized for 5,000 people to open the bridge to traffic in 1931. And it won't even be on 'what is now the world's busiest bridge' for fear of snarling traffic."
- ^ a b "New York State : Highway Safety Strategic Plan" (PDF). Nhtsa.gov. 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State : Preliminary Data" (PDF). Ghsa.org. 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "New York State Bicycle Maps". New York State Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
- ^ "LIRR General Information Page". mta.info. Archived from the original on 22 June 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2022.