NFT: 14 giant infrastructure projects reshaping the world

will be perhaps the biggest undertaking in the city's history. The reason we don't have signals for arriving trains in most stations is because the initial infrastructure was simply designed to eliminate collisions. So the folks directing the trains don't even know what train is where at any given time. They just know this spot is occupied by a train.

You'll notice the 4/5/6 is one of the few train lines that we get actual updates on specific trains while we wait. This is because in the early 90s there was a train derailing where 4 people were killed. So they had to re-do that line anyway, and it was re-built with the proper notification system in place.

But doing it across the rest of the city and all subway lines is going to be absolutely insane when that day comes.

Too expensive, and any interruption in service causes a shitstorm.

fixing in most instances. No major city in the world is served by worse roads, bridges, and tunnels. Unfortunately, everything was built so long ago, that the volume of traffic just overwhelms it all. It would cost trillions and take a century to properly update it all.

Call me crazy, But I'd have a tough time putting my employees on the 300th floor of an Iraqi skyscraper.

is building two new bridges right now (Tappan Zee and Goethals) so that's something. The Subway is a much bigger undertaking.

In comment 13012369 Pete in MD said:

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is building two new bridges right now (Tappan Zee and Goethals) so that's something. The Subway is a much bigger undertaking.

I've seen the construction on the new tap, and it is a major improvement that looks to be completed way ahead of schedule. NYC needs a severe facelift in bot the subways and streets. Best thing to do is shut down Manhattan to passenger traffic altogether until the streets can be redone. WTF wants to drive in Manhattan anyways?

the initial DOT engineers that said it would take 15 years, yes. And I also think that if they move the way they did with the TZB, more of these issues could be resolved, design-build or outside sourcing of engineering. Just makes it all a bigger think tank for solving the problems.

everything.

Today it's just a never ending cycle of band aids on everything.

I can't wait to change offices and stop commuting everyday into this giant bowl of piss.

It's just about how much money/time people are willing to sacrifice to make it happen.

Also, there's a reason many of these projects are in the Middle East and China. There is much less oversight. By US standards the environmental impact statements alone for some of those projects would take decades.

The number one priority project in the NYC area right now has to be the rail tunnel project under the Hudson. That shit needs to be fast tracked at every opportunity.

In comment 13012555 Go Terps said:

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The number one priority project in the NYC area right now has to be the rail tunnel project under the Hudson. That shit needs to be fast tracked at every opportunity.

The tunnels in general. It's scary how little attention that's receiving. It's like they're waiting for a catastrophe to even address it.

I'm beginning to think that a Subway system is inadequate for moving a population of that size. The more efficient people-mover is probably above ground using existing highway right-of-way. It would cover the routes with the heavy traffic. Maybe even take advantage of MagLev technology.

In comment 13012555 Go Terps said:

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It's just about how much money/time people are willing to sacrifice to make it happen. Also, there's a reason many of these projects are in the Middle East and China. There is much less oversight. By US standards the environmental impact statements alone for some of those projects would take decades.

Something tells me at least a couple environmental groups would take issue with redirecting the Mississippi...

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The number one priority project in the NYC area right now has to be the rail tunnel project under the Hudson. That shit needs to be fast tracked at every opportunity.

I think top priority was maintenance/repair (extension?) of the primary aqueducts, though de Blasio might've changed that. Next up, in addition to the Tappan Zee and 2nd Ave line, looks like essentially a complete makeover for LaGuardia.

In comment 13012562 Named Later said:

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I'm beginning to think that a Subway system is inadequate for moving a population of that size. The more efficient people-mover is probably above ground using existing highway right-of-way. It would cover the routes with the heavy traffic. Maybe even take advantage of MagLev technology.

They could get some of these:

In comment 13012562 Named Later said:

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I'm beginning to think that a Subway system is inadequate for moving a population of that size. The more efficient people-mover is probably above ground using existing highway right-of-way. It would cover the routes with the heavy traffic. Maybe even take advantage of MagLev technology.

That's the kind of thing I'd love to do in SimCity, but in practice the costs (in an urban environment certainly) would likely be more than people would bear. Imagine shutting the FDR down for a couple years to construct such a line. Relatively speaking the NYC subway is incredibly efficient and successful. I have a hard time ever seeing it made obsolete unless perhaps due to sea level rise.

From a purely transportation planning perspective I think the answers lie much more in demand management. Eventually you may not even be allowed to drive a car into Manhattan.

A seismic increase in telecommuting options would be a big help, but then what are the economic effects if fewer workers are actually entering the city?

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where is the funding coming from? That's seems like a risky investment to me.

At what point is Dubai overbuilt?

In comment 13012369 Pete in MD said:

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is building two new bridges right now (Tappan Zee and Goethals) so that's something. The Subway is a much bigger undertaking.

No love for the new Kosciusko Bridge that's under construction? (One set of towers is done already.) Definitely no love for the old one ...

In comment 13012588 giants#1 said:

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Something tells me at least a couple environmental groups would take issue with redirecting the Mississippi...

Along with at least half the other projects.

And that Iraqi skyscraper may as well have a target painted on it's side. We'll need to start a pool on when the first suicide bomber hits it.

In comment 13012611 Del Shofner said:

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In comment 13012369 Pete in MD said: Quote: is building two new bridges right now (Tappan Zee and Goethals) so that's something. The Subway is a much bigger undertaking. No love for the new Kosciusko Bridge that's under construction? (One set of towers is done already.) Definitely no love for the old one ...

I forgot all about that one and I actually drive over it a few times a year.

-Juba

In comment 13012630 Pete in MD said:

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In comment 13012611 Del Shofner said: Quote: In comment 13012369 Pete in MD said: Quote: is building two new bridges right now (Tappan Zee and Goethals) so that's something. The Subway is a much bigger undertaking. No love for the new Kosciusko Bridge that's under construction? (One set of towers is done already.) Definitely no love for the old one ... I forgot all about that one and I actually drive over it a few times a year.

It's actually going to be two bridges, one eastbound and one westbound. They are doing the eastbound first, presumably because that's the worst bottleneck. It will be five lanes eastbound when done (rather than three, or actually two at the moment). Just four lanes westbound, which is not as bad. The eastbound is scheduled to open in early 2017. It will be a great improvement.

Eastbound is always backed up.

In comment 13012339 Crispino said:

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. Call me crazy, But I'd have a tough time putting my employees on the 300th floor of an Iraqi skyscraper.

LOL. I was thinking the same thing. Maybe a Target will open on the top floor

In comment 13012603 AP in Halfmoon said:

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BS

Is about to be down for repairs for like a year. The rest of the system is going to be crazy to upgrade.

people came around to the L being closed after the MTA explained the options a little bit.

The subway is an integral part of NYC, and I don't see how they could really modernize it. There was an interesting video on Youtube about the technology being used, and it's legit archaic. It's from the 1930s. There is an actual grid at W4th with lights on a switchboard track indicating that a train is somewhere within a 90 foot area (as someone posted above).

Investing in infrastructure is a pipe dream, but a fun one to think about with regards to NYC.

The economy would not just be boosted by building the damn thing, but for centuries to come if we can improve access across the tri-state area (including NJ).

With the MTA being controlled by Albany and PATH being a separate entity that (from my outsider point of view) seems to be at odds with the MTA often, it's unfeasible, but could you imagine...

- A tri-boro subway that served the outerboroughs without going into Manhattan (and not just the outer-boroughs, but the outskirts)

- Viable and modern Hudson tubes that could actually get trains onto Northeast Corridor and other NJ lines at something closer to a 20 minute schedule consistently

- PATH connection to the subway

- A bridge from Jersey City to Brooklyn (or rail!!! which is impossible, shit, I'll take a ferry). I truly feel that out of all of the suggestions (other than the Hudson tubes which are a neccesity), this would be the biggest gamechanger. If you can connect Jersey City/Hoboken to Brooklyn in a manor that would allow more people to not just commute but travel, I think the economy would boon within both those areas.

And this is without even touching Long Island/CT, considering I really know nothing about those areas.

The Hudson tubes have to be the biggest priority. This is going to be a major issue that will create an unfathomable financial issue in NYC.

You cannot cut off NJ from NYC to fix these tubes, and they are going to crack and break soon. I don't know what the answer is, and maybe the Gateway project wasn't the best plan, but it was a lot fucking more important than fixing the god damn Pulaski skyway (which was closed for 2 years)