Although I'm lucky enough to live close to work in a long island exurb, I go to the CBD about 4 times a week. And I usually end up driving due to slow and expensive public transit.
It takes me 55-100min to drive to midtown depending on traffic (I typically drive in in the evening). I would love to take the LIRR, but it usually doesn't make sense;
I drive a moderately fuel efficient car, and end up using about 3 gallons of gas roundtrip, or about $7. I take the tolled midtwon tunnel, and (with ezpass) pay another $11 in tolls. Parking is free and plentiful in the evenings. Coming back home there is almost never any traffic, so it takes a reliable 50min. So total is $18 and 105-150min.
If I take the LIRR, the ticket cost (off-peak) is $11 each way. the train takes 63min. Time to drive to the station is 10min, and you need to get to the station at least 5 min early to make sure you catch the train. So $22 and 156 min. The train also only comes once an hour (but that's just a minor added difficulty).
Driving wins, and that's with taking a toll bridge (you can take a free one if traffic is light), and driving alone. Once you have a passenger, car costs almost drop in half, while train costs double.
Until the train is cheaper or faster, why wouldn't I drive?
Abosutely, switching to the train is worth it if it's faster, or cheaper, but doesn't seem to be worth it if it's neither of those things. I looked at page 3 of the MoveNY plan (which I support, by the way), however, it only mentions extending cityTicket to weekdays; which doesn't help if you live outside the 5 boros. There is some hope with the east side access project, which should allow an increase in train frequency someday, but as I understand it, train speeds would be unaffected.
The LIRR/metrocard fares will only increase over time, so it's hard to see the sitation improving in the short to medium term.
There are several neighborhoods in Manhattan where on-street parking is restricted to commercial vehicles only between 7am-7pm: the area between the empire state building and the central library, for example.
Using this as a case study, are the goals set out in the car free plan from restricting parking acheived there?
Although I'm lucky enough to live close to work in a long island exurb, I go to the CBD about 4 times a week. And I usually end up driving due to slow and expensive public transit.
It takes me 55-100min to drive to midtown depending on traffic (I typically drive in in the evening). I would love to take the LIRR, but it usually doesn't make sense;
I drive a moderately fuel efficient car, and end up using about 3 gallons of gas roundtrip, or about $7. I take the tolled midtwon tunnel, and (with ezpass) pay another $11 in tolls. Parking is free and plentiful in the evenings. Coming back home there is almost never any traffic, so it takes a reliable 50min. So total is $18 and 105-150min.
If I take the LIRR, the ticket cost (off-peak) is $11 each way. the train takes 63min. Time to drive to the station is 10min, and you need to get to the station at least 5 min early to make sure you catch the train. So $22 and 156 min. The train also only comes once an hour (but that's just a minor added difficulty).
Driving wins, and that's with taking a toll bridge (you can take a free one if traffic is light), and driving alone. Once you have a passenger, car costs almost drop in half, while train costs double.
Until the train is cheaper or faster, why wouldn't I drive?
View this comment in the discussion thread
Abosutely, switching to the train is worth it if it's faster, or cheaper, but doesn't seem to be worth it if it's neither of those things. I looked at page 3 of the MoveNY plan (which I support, by the way), however, it only mentions extending cityTicket to weekdays; which doesn't help if you live outside the 5 boros. There is some hope with the east side access project, which should allow an increase in train frequency someday, but as I understand it, train speeds would be unaffected.
The LIRR/metrocard fares will only increase over time, so it's hard to see the sitation improving in the short to medium term.
View this comment in the discussion thread
There are several neighborhoods in Manhattan where on-street parking is restricted to commercial vehicles only between 7am-7pm: the area between the empire state building and the central library, for example.
Using this as a case study, are the goals set out in the car free plan from restricting parking acheived there?
View this comment in the discussion thread