The Interborough Express project is advancing through its engineering and design phase, with transit officials seeking public input through a series of pop-up workshops scheduled across Brooklyn and Queens through September, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Charlie Gans, senior vice president and project executive for the Interborough Express, states that these events allow riders living along the proposed route to participate in activities designed to gauge community priorities for the new service.
Interborough Express Public Workshop Schedule
Pop-up workshops give community members a direct channel to provide feedback during the ongoing design phase. The MTA website lists the full schedule of upcoming events across multiple boroughs. Sessions are scheduled throughout late summer and early September at transit stations and local bus stops.
Upcoming workshop dates and locations include:
- Wednesday, July 29, 4-7 p.m.: Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy (L), Brooklyn
- Thursday, July 30, 4-7 p.m.: Avenue H (Q), Brooklyn
- Wednesday, August 5, 8-10 a.m.: Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue (M), Queens
- Thursday, August 6, 4-7 p.m.: Bus stop at Eliot Ave/74 St (Q14, QM24, QM25, and QM34), Queens
- Tuesday, August 11, 8-10 a.m.: Junius St (3), Brooklyn
- Thursday, August 13, 4-7 p.m.: 62 St (D), Brooklyn
- Tuesday, August 18, 4-7 p.m.: 18 Av (F), Brooklyn
- Wednesday, August 19, 8-10 a.m.: New Lots Av (L), Brooklyn
- Tuesday, August 25, 4-7 p.m.: Bus stop at Remsen Avenue/Ditmas Av or Remsen Ave/Ave D (B17), Brooklyn
- Wednesday, August 26, 4-7 p.m.: Bus stop at Utica/Farragut Rd or Kings Hwy/Foster Av (B46), Brooklyn
- Tuesday, September 1, 4-7 p.m.: Bus stop at Grand Av and 74 St (Q58, Q59, Q98), Queens
- Thursday, September 3, 4-7 p.m.: 59 St (N/R), Brooklyn
Did You Know? The visual identity of the New York City subway system evolved significantly over decades. Early maps used different colors to distinguish among three separate systems before system unification occurred under city control in 1940.
Evolution of New York City Subway Line Colors
Subway line nomenclature and color identification have changed dramatically since the rapid transit system opened in 1904. Following the 1940 system unification, transit leaders explored various proposals to simplify rider information, including a color scheme based on the Munsell color system.
Major changes occurred in the 1960s when the New York City Transit Authority hired Unimark International. Designers Massimo Vignelli and Bob Noorda created a visual identity assigning 22 distinct colors to individual services. In 1979, John Tauranac, Michael Hertz, and other planners streamlined the palette to eight colors and two shades of gray by grouping routes sharing major Manhattan trunk lines, according to Jodi Shapiro, curator at the New York Transit Museum. That enduring color palette forms the basis of the modern subway map debuted by the MTA last year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current status of the Interborough Express?
According to transit officials, the IBX is in active development during the engineering and design phase, with pop-up workshops running through September to collect customer feedback.
How can riders find the workshop schedule?
The full schedule of upcoming events is published directly on the MTA website.
Who designed the current subway map color system?
Jodi Shapiro, curator at the New York Transit Museum, notes that John Tauranac and Michael Hertz were among the individuals who developed the 1979 simplified color palette of eight colors and two shades of gray.
What specific transit improvements would you most like to see implemented along the proposed Interborough Express route?
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