A perhaps surprising measure of success has been achieved by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
"The MTA’s dreaded repairs to the L train’s East River tunnel were completed ahead of schedule, despite the coronavirus pandemic," reports Caroline Spivack.
The news came in an announcement by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday, April 26. The governor caused a stir in back in January 2019 with last minute changes for plans to shut down the L Train between Brooklyn and Manhattan to repairs fix damages caused by Superstorm Sandy. Spivack explains more about what the project has accomplished in wrapping up repair work ahead of schedule.
Work on the Hurricane Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel was initially scheduled to wrap up in July 2020 at the earliest to the tune of $500 million, but MTA officials said last year that the rehab was going so well that they expected to wrap up work by April. Transit officials say the project is being finished for nearly $100 million less than the original price tag.
The news about a transit project outperforming expectations in New York City is a notable change from years of delays and record costs. The worst effects of the once-dreaded L Train closure also seem to have been avoided.
Read the full story: L train tunnel repairs completed ahead of schedule
Breaking News: 10-Point Plan to Restructure the MTA Announced
Local and state leadership finally agreed on a plan to fix the city of New York's struggling transit system.
How the New L Train Repair Plan Will Work
After the initial shock of Governor Andrew Cuomo's cancellation of the planned L Train closure subsided, analysis and commentary rolled in.
Gov. Cuomo Promised a Plan to Fix the New York Subway; Critics Say it's MIA
Earlier this summer, the governor of New York promised an ambitious plan to fix the MTA subway system. Now, at the end of the promised timeline for that plan, critics are saying that the city is left with more of the same.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority