Part I: Rethinking NYC's Public Transportation - Subways

Subway at 86th and Lexington, Mon. night at 10:22 pm

NEW YORK—The crude, terrorist explosion at the Port Authority Bus Terminal subway station on Monday reminded the city of its enormous dependence on buses, subways and trains.

In 2016, the MTA subway ridership exceeded 1.7 billion annually, with 5.6 million for the average weekday.

The low-tech bombing attempt sparked reports, including by Newsweek, evaluating the safety of New York’s public transportation. Subways and buses have also been the focus of recent reports on declining ridership, the need to improve services and to replace old, run-down infrastructure.

On Nov. 30, the Regional Plan Association, a non-profit urban research and advocacy group, issued the “Fourth Regional Plan.” As public transportation can define a city, and is an inherent component of commercial real estate, the organization’s leadership brings together corporate and community leaders. Scott Rechler, chairman and CEO of RXR Realty, chairs the RPA.