NYC Subway Trains Will Now Feature Hidden Cameras

There are now 65 trains equipped with this new technology.

By serena tara

Published on 27/06/2022 at 08:21 PM

New Yorkers will now have more digital eyes watching them. As part of a new initiative to ensure the safety of passengers, the MTA is equipping subway cars with hidden cameras.

The program is in its pilot phase and has already affected 65 train cars across NYC, The New York Post reports. The goal is to reach 100 hidden surveillance cameras during the test run, and if that leads to satisfactory results, the cameras will be installed on the whole fleet.

While the cameras are hidden and cannot be seen by the public, the MTA said that soon signs alerting subway riders of their presence would go up. The hope is that with proper signs informing people of the cameras’ presence, safety aboard the train will increase.

Yet, the cameras are not watched live and are only used so that they can provide the footage or the evidence necessary in case of an incident.

“There are two cameras per car. I’ve actually seen some video from the pilot, and they’re very clear,” New York City Transit president Richard Davey told The New York Post. “It’s a deployable camera. It will record a loop for a period of time, and if there’s an incident on a train, we can get into that camera and get video.”

Whether the pilot program is a success, New Yorkers will soon have to adapt to surveillance cameras on subways anyway. In fact, the latest MTA subway model, dubbed R211, features built-in surveillance cameras, but it is still in its testing phase.

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Serena Tara is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

New York

Get Free Citi Bike Passes This Weekend for the Return of NYC's Summer Streets

The annual car-free event kicks off on August 6.

By serena tara

Published on 05/08/2022 at 05:12

New York’s favorite car-free event is back.

On August 6 and for the next two consecutive Saturdays (August 13 and August 20), Summer Streets will take over Park Avenue for a day of arts, culture, and, most importantly, no cars from 7 am–1 pm. Aimed at encouraging New Yorkers to celebrate the city’s streets in a more sustainable way, the annual car-free event will welcome participants to run, walk, play, and even bike along the route.

For the occasion, Citi Bike will be giving away free day passes on the first day of the event, on August 6. By using the code SUMMER22 in the Citi Bike app, New Yorkers will receive unlimited 30-minute rides on a classic Citi Bike for 24 hours, and will be able to join the Summer Streets celebration while helping out the environment.

Summer Streets will stretch along Park Avenue between the Brooklyn Bridge and East Harlem, and along the route, it will feature several wind-down areas, dubbed “Rest Stops.” Free performances, events, and art installations will take place there, and visitors will get the chance to find their favorite rest stop to have some fun.

At the Lafayette Street Rest Stop, between Duane and Worth Streets, Unlimited Biking will be providing free bike rentals for those participating in the Summer Streets event. There will be 100 complimentary bikes at three rest stops along the way. At Foley Square, a Topo Chico Beverage Zone will take over on August 6, and guests will be able to enjoy a DJ set from 10 am–1 pm for a proper dance party. Visitors can also choose to head over to the Fitness Class Stage in Cooper Square (between Wanamaker Place and 8th Street), where fitness classes will be open to anyone looking to get some movement in.

Summer Streets is free for anyone to attend. For more information and to check out a full list of event and performances, you can visit the Summer Streets website.

Here’s a map of this year’s route: