Here’s how New York intends to improve liveability and transportation

The New York City skyline is changing as the city’s transportation infrastructure faces a huge upgrade. Change in a city like New York is commonplace, and expected whether in an attempt to add new life to old neighborhoods, or because it is simply necessary for the city to function correctly.

A perfect example of this is the Calatrava metro station in New York. Created by a Spanish architect named Santiago Calatrava and built on the foundations of a past terminal which was severely damaged during the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and is an incredibly impressive addition to the city’s skyline. It looks like a huge white bird about the take flight into the city’s sky and is almost a symbol of the hope and positive changes taking place in New York City.

If you have visited New York in recent years you have probably already heard of the High Line. It was once a freight railway line but became disused and in the early 1980s and has since been made into a spectacular pedestrian park space which attracts millions of visitors per year.

Continuing with the theme of “high” structures- we are talking about New York City after all- there is also the High Bridge. This bridge connects three of New York’s most important neighborhoods- The Bronx, Manhattan and Washington Heights. This is another example of the upgrade of an old infrastructure taking new form. In fact, it was originally built as a support to an aqueduct and is actually New York’s oldest bridge still standing. Since 2015 its use has changed slightly becoming a bridge for cyclists and pedestrians- which is certainly a positive step forward for those who are green conscious in the city.

These completed structures are not the only examples of upgrades in the city. There are some even more vital public works in process regarding the City’s transport system. In 2017 there was a derailment of one of the city’s metro trains which injured 34 people. This proved the point of the many arguing that New York’s aging metro system was in dire need of an upgrade. The New York state governor Andrew Cuomo is supporting the project of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority which entails 1.5 billion dollars to create a third rail track on the Long Island Rail Road’s main line. There is also another 750 million dollar investment for improving 32 of the city’s subway stations, as well as an extension for East Harlem.

One final example of how New York is improving its transportation systems and consequently its liveability is the renovation of JFK airport. At a cost of more than 10 billion dollars, the ten-year plan’s goal is to improve JFK’s functionality, especially seen the increasing number of visitors it receives on a daily. This ambitious, yet much needed, project also includes the construction of new terminals, the improvement of all access roads to the airport, as well as an AirTrain for passengers.