As the MTA's budget continues to look grim, they've begun taking steps towards massive layoffs. They've allegedly filed a required alert with the Labor Department about plans for 750 layoffs, including a majority of workers from the bus division. The bus worker layoffs would go into effect on June 27th, the same day the "doomsday" service cuts are implemented. The rest of the layoffs, mostly subway car inspectors, would be finalized on July 4th. more ›

Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health says that your daily subway commute can be hazardous to your hearing. Dr. Robyn Gershon announced the findings of a study which found that noise from the platform and inside cars exceeds safe limits. We suppose that listening to intense jackhammering and construction while waiting for weekend subway service also puts us at risk. Here's some interesting news from the study:

Average and maximum noise measurements were made using a precision sound level meter on subway platforms located in the four New York boroughs with underground subways (Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens). The average maximum noise level on subway platforms measured was 94 decibels (dBA). The average maximum inside of subway cars was 95 dBA, and at bus stops, the average maximum was 84 dBA. For comparison, approximate levels of familiar sounds are: 45-60 dBA for normal conversation, 100 dBA for a chainsaw and 140 dBA for a gunblast. The logarithmic nature of decibels means that every 10 dBA equals a 10 fold increase in intensity. Thus a 90 dBA sound is 10 times as intense as an 80 dBA sound. more ›

Last November, Gothamist marveled that part of 6th Avenue near 13th Street had been paved over, but today, the Washington Square News tackles construction woes on West 13th Street. Some students are complaining about the noise and congestion outisde the Thirteenth Street dorm.

New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority began the project in April 2002 to improve the ventilation on the F, V, L, 1, 2 and 3 subway lines near the 14th Street station was schedule to be completed by July 2005. more ›

Instead, in this case, an unknown male remaining on the platform approached the subway and started to rifle through his victim’s bag. He held onto the handbag, opened it and removed her property—all while the woman was trying to pull her pocketbook to safety. Before she managed to free it, the thief absconded with a $100 Vidal Sassoon gift card, a $120 Metro-North 10-pack of tickets and her ladies’ Cole Haan wallet, in addition to her driver’s license and credit cards.That is just stonecold! If only there was an intrepid fellow straphanger who could take a photograph of the thief - maybe the NYPD could cross check that with anyone getting a new coif at Vidal Sassoon. more ›