NYC subway map. Credit: Instagram @MTA
For the first time in more than 45 years, New York City’s iconic subway map has undergone a major redesign. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has officially replaced the version that has been in use since 1979 and has announced a new, improved map.
NYC Subway Map Upgrade
“This is a lynchpin moment,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber, as the first copy of 22,000 paper copies were installed at Times Square Station. These maps will soon be displayed on all trains and stations in the city.
The new design pays homage to Massimo Vignelli’s 1972 layout, bringing back bold colours to the lines and wider strokes of each subway to improve visibility. According to NBC New York,feedback from public focus groups affected updates. It’s particularly clearer markings on the transfer hub. For example, it has become more obvious that riders can switch from the R-Train to 5 without leaving the station.
“There’s a lot of things on this map that can be made easy for people to see,” said Andrew Albert, an MTA executive who worked directly with the graphics team to reflect rider concerns. One such modification involved adjusting the L-Train path to better represent the direction to Canarsie.
Lieber said the final product “contains all the enhancements we’ve done over the years” and is “easy to read” than the older version (quoted CBS New York).
Mixed reactions from longtime users of New York subways
Many people welcomed the update, but not everyone was impressed. said Kathleen McCabe of Manhattan. NBC New York“I hope they didn’t spend a lot of money on this.” However, MTA officials quickly reassured that the cost of the redesign was “Nexththing” and was completed using in-house staff.
“You could see it better and more clearly,” he said, Flatbush’s commuter Wells Brown. NBC New York.
Rider Mari Moss praised its readability CBS News New York, “This would have been my dream when I was starting my career…it would be bigger, brighter, easier to understand.”
You can view the digital version of the map at www.mta.info/maps.
What do you think? The new NYC subway map is a long upgrade or perhaps a misstep
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