Samuel Santaella
@samuelsantaella.bsky.social
420 followers 270 following 1.2K posts
Lifelong outer-borough #NYC resident. 10 years demanding better ways to not drive. Expect posts about NYC transit, modernizing regional rail, #bikeNYC, dangerous streets, undoing car supremacy, and climate change overall. 🌐 nycstreetsutures.wordpress.com
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Reposted by Samuel Santaella
thelirrtoday.com
This whole saga with the downstate casinos (along with cannabis licensing) shows just how ungovernable New York has become.

Is it better than what's going on in other parts of thy country? Probably. But, good heavens, this constant regression to the status quo is certainly frustrating.
rachelholliday.bsky.social
NEWS: The Yonkers casino bid is OUT — the developers just announced they are rescinding their application.

That means the only three casino proposals left are in the boroughs, two in Queens and one in The Bronx.

our guide updated: www.thecity.nyc/2025/10/09/c...
3 NYC Casino Plans Made It to the Final Round. What Happens Now?
Committees gauged local support to determine whether or not projects should advance for further approval. Now, the final decision is in the hands of the Gaming Facility Location Board.
www.thecity.nyc
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
engineerlikeagirl.bsky.social
Remember this when people quote collision data and say that "speed isn't a factor" so reducing the speed limit won't positively affect road safety. It's always a factor, despite what the police write in their incident report.
brenttoderian.bsky.social
Remember, whenever you hear that “speed wasn’t a factor” in a deadly crash, what they mean is that the car involved wasn’t technically speeding. At least “not by much.” It presumes that the speed limit wasn’t too high to begin with.

When it comes to death from collisions, SPEED IS ALWAYS a factor.
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
transalt.org
New York City has the slowest buses in the nation. Automated camera enforcement (ACE) is a key tool to speed them up:

"Routes that use ACE have seen bus speeds increased by 5%, with some corridors experiencing a travel time jump as high as 30%"
Four new MTA buses now have cameras to catch cars illegally parked, improperly using bus lanes
Four more MTA bus routes in NYC have automated camera enforcement to catch vehicles improperly using bus lanes and busways.
www.amny.com
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
londongreens.bsky.social
While he was referring to the waterfront in Kingston, Jamaica, @brenttoderian.bsky.social's comment applies to many cities and their challenges in Canada: "The cost of inaction is greater than the cost of transformation. You can't afford not to act."
brenttoderian.bsky.social
NEW: “The cost of inaction is greater than the cost of transformation,” Toderian said. “You can’t afford not to act.”

This article does a pretty good job capturing the energy, urgency, and (some of the many) ideas in my very blunt “Call To Action” this week in Kingston, Jamaica. Follow-thru is key!
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
misernyc.bsky.social
Many of the traffic lights left over from when cars were allowed in Central Park have been switched to permanent blinking yellows -- great, because peds and micromobility can easily and safely share space.
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
misernyc.bsky.social
"No Kings" has become the rallying cry for the largest demonstrations in US history. That it started with our congestion pricing rallies will never not be funny to me.
samuelsantaella.bsky.social
This is the most out-of-touch bus comment I've ever seen
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
queenslink.org
We can't let this valuable right-of-way go to waste! Tap the 🔗 in byo to tell our leaders to #BuildtheQueensLink now!! 🌳🚉 Queens deserves transit equity!!
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
transalt.org
No new highways! This is a huge victory for our movement.

This structure would have increased toxic emissions for nearly 64,000 residents living along the project area.⁠ The South Bronx will have healthier air, thanks to your advocacy!

But the fight isn't over...
nyc.streetsblog.org
NEW: The NY State Dept. of Transportation announced that it would not build a "traffic diversion" structure — essentially a highway expansion, according to critics — when it repairs an elevated section of the Cross Bronx Expressway. buff.ly/hV6ujZf
State DOT Scraps Cross Bronx Expansion Road On Highway Repair Plan - Streetsblog New York City
The state Department of Transportation will not build a "traffic diversion" structure next to the Cross Bronx Expressway — a highway expansion project that Streetsblog exposed.
nyc.streetsblog.org
samuelsantaella.bsky.social
I'm really glad Streetsblog is exposing this
nyc.streetsblog.org
The MTA would have to spend at least $3 million in contracted union fees to provide the same special game-day service to Citi Field as Metro-North gives Yankee fans to go to the House that Ruth Built, data obtained by Streetsblog shows.
MONEY TRAIN: How LIRR Unions 'Game' The System - Streetsblog New York City
An old work rule means that the MTA would have to pay millions of dollars just to provide a little extra service after special events like Mets games or the Ryder Cup.
buff.ly
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
queenslink.org
Austin Street loves QueensLink! 💕 We recently tabled at the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce Street Fair and met lots of enthusiastic residents! Let's #BuildtheQueensLink !!
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
transalt.org
New Yorkers are craving secure bike parking: this one small station has had 2,000 unique users in just two years!

More of these units — and larger facilities — will mean that more New Yorkers will have the peace of mind to try biking, without having to worry about theft.
shabazzstuart.bsky.social
Last month we celebrated the two year anniversary of Oonee Hudson Square with local BID.

Personally, on this journey I am most proud of the way that NYC communities have embraced our initial bike parking stations-- hard 2 believe that ppl were once skeptical bc they were afraid of blowback.
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
thelirrtoday.com
They do things like this at WTC all the time and it works out fine.
thefoxandthecity.com
"Oh no, we can't have any seats in the main concourse lest it mess up circulation"... but a piano is okay.

I'm not bitter.
A piano in Grand Central's Main Concourse behind ropes.
samuelsantaella.bsky.social
Doomscrolling isn't good for me. I need to do something about that long-term.

Every time I open any social media now, it's either doomer vibes or addictive brainrot. It's making me wanna delete everything.

I have an app blocker on my phone and a site blocker on my PC browser. It's been good for me
samuelsantaella.bsky.social
The three-station pilot for platform screen doors, first announced in 2022, is nowhere to be seen.
A NotifyNYC alert that I received on my smartphone. It reads: "Due to a person struck by a train, L train service is suspended between Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs and Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy. Consider alternate routes and allow for additional travel time."
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
etany.org
The region's commuter railroads should move towards a proof-of-payment fare system to reduce operating costs and thus allow more frequent service.

Without service improvements, however, customer-unfriendly ticket policies simply punish riders for an antiquated fare system.
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
etany.org
It is good that the MTA has reduced the proposed weekly fare cap to $35 instead of $36 and will make commuter railroad tickets expire at the end of the day instead of after four hours.

However, the MTA's current fare plans are far from ideal:
mta.info
Today, the MTA Board approved changes to fares, tolls, and ticketing policies, all to take effect in 2026.

Read all the fare and policy changes across the subway, buses, Access-A-Ride, @mtalirr.bsky.social, and @mtametronorth.bsky.social here: mta.info/fares2025
Changes to MTA fares and tolls in 2025
mta.info
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
transalt.org
Can't find parking? Blame larger cars.

"Expanding the average car length from 5 meters (16.4 feet) to 5.5 meters (18 feet) decreases street parking spots by 9.3%... The growing share of larger vehicles has caused many on-street parking spots to effectively disappear."
Meet the Montreal Mayor Who Declared War on SUVs
Oversized vehicles are devouring street parking spaces in the Canadian city. So one borough’s mayor is fighting back with bigger fees for hefty trucks and SUVs.
www.bloomberg.com
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
queenslink.org
✨ Excitement is in the air! ✨ This weekend, we tabled at the Richmond Hill Block Association Street Fair and met tons of enthusiastic residents! Let's #BuildtheQueensLink to give these neighborhoods #BetterTransit AND #BetterParks !! 🚉🌳
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
marygillis.bsky.social
"People have the right to privacy when they're driving a 3,500 pound tank at twice the speed limit through a school zone" is just a strange privacy hill to die on.
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
marygillis.bsky.social
Any driver who has a problem with traffic cameras wants to put other people in danger without having to suffer any monetary consequences for their recklessness. It's really that simple.
Reposted by Samuel Santaella
modacitylife.com
Setting 2037 as the target date, which will mark Midosuji’s 100th anniversary, the City of Osaka has revealed plans to fully pedestrianize its main arterial—shifting it from car-centric to a world-leading people-centric street that gives new space for residents to connect and create value together.🧵
Photos of an orange and white exhibition consisting of photos and Japanese characters, on the theme “Dutch Cycling Culture”, set up along a busy foot and cycle path in the centre of Osaka. Photos of an orange and white exhibition consisting of photos and Japanese characters, on the theme “Dutch Cycling Culture”, set up along a busy foot and cycle path in the centre of Osaka. Photos of an orange and white exhibition consisting of photos and Japanese characters, on the theme “Dutch Cycling Culture”, set up along a busy foot and cycle path in the centre of Osaka. Photos of an orange and white exhibition consisting of photos and Japanese characters, on the theme “Dutch Cycling Culture”, set up along a busy foot and cycle path in the centre of Osaka.