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Originally Posted by Crawford
I'm not sure any of this is true. I live in Brooklyn, and have worked in Midtown and Lower Manhattan, and they are about equal commuting distance.
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But it is true though.
Brooklyn is way closer and more accessible to Downtown than Midtown. That is a fact and I didn't think it was even possible to deny that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crawford
The trains that run express in Brooklyn (like the N and the F) run to Midtown, not Downtown. So, for example, if you live in Bay Ridge, or Park Slope, your commute to Midtown is about the same as Downtown.
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The N and the F do in fact pass through Lower Manhattan first on their way from Brooklyn to Midtown. If you mean the Financial District or WTC directly, it's true that neither of those trains go directly there, but they don't go directly to HY either. If you take the N from Brooklyn you can also take the R since they run on the same line for a good portion of BK. If you take the F you can transfer to the A/C. Since neither the F or the N go to HY anyway, transferring while still in BK is much easier than having to go all the way to 42nd and get the 7. Also if you live in Bay Ridge, you have the R. If you live in Park Slope, you also have the R along with the 2,3,4, and 5, which each go directly to the WTC.
So not only is it easier to get to the WTC from the N and F, but also they aren't the only express trains in Brooklyn (does the F express even exist anymore anyway?). There's also the 4,5, and A which run express regularly and go directly to the WTC. Also the J/Z which have an express portion which go directly to the WTC as well. Plus the D which runs on the 4th ave line with the R, and the B which provides a very easy connection to the R at Dekalb.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crawford
The Jersey waterfront has PATH to both Midtown and Downtown, so the same. Ferries and express buses go to both locations too, but more go to Midtown.
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The key difference here is that the PATH goes directly to the inside of the WTC Lobby. It really doesn't get any easier than that. True it goes to Midtown, but not to HY directly. The closest you can get is Herald Square
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crawford
For Staten Island, most people take express buses, which serve Midtown and Downtown. Midtown is probably a few more minutes, but overall not a huge difference. And SI doesn't have a large population.
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I did forget about express buses, but slight edge to WTC on that, although it's not a huge difference as you said (traffic aside). The ferry does provide a very easy commute from Staten Island to the WTC and I would imagine it would be favorable to the bus for many. Not to mention it is free. I'm not sure how many people in SI take the bus over the ferry, but having the ferry is a huge advantage for people working Downtown. If nothing else, it's an extra transportation option.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crawford
Overall, Midtown is the center of the region, and accessible to more people. I prefer working in Lower Manhattan, BTW, but it's pretty clear that the region's transit centers on Midtown.
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Yes. I never once disagreed with the fact that Midtown has the regional transit hubs, and is way more accessible for suburban commuters throughout the Tri-State region. In fact I believe I've said it about 3 or 4 times already. I'm specifically talking about subway and PATH rapid transit, and other forms of transit for
urban commuters where WTC may have an edge over HY for a few million people across multiple areas (Brooklyn, Jersey City, the rest of Lower Manhattan).
Now just to be clear I'm not saying that HY is easier for
everyone in NYC. For example someone living in Queens or the Upper West Side would have an easier time getting to HY. I'm just saying that WTC has more Urban and rapid transit options available in general, and is easier for
urban commuters in certain areas.