New NYC subway map unveiled by MTA. Here's what has changed.
A new New York City subway map has been unveiled by the MTA.
A lot has changed on the subway in the last 45 years, including stations, train cars, platforms, and even how we pay.
But one thing that stayed the same was the subway map.
That is, until now.
The tweaking phase is over
The MTA on Wednesday unveiled a new map of the subway system, replacing the old one that had been in use since 1979.
There is a noticeable difference.
"The result is a map that is much easier to read and includes all the enhancements we've made throughout the years," MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said.
The transit agency believes the new design makes key things easier to find, like express service versus local, transit hubs for connections, and Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, accessibility guidelines.
If the new map looks familiar -- even though it was just unveiled -- you're not crazy. It has been on the MTA's digital screens since late last year. Transit officials say they used that time to make tweaks.
But now that it's on paper, Lieber said the tweaking phase is over. The MTA says all the old maps will be replaced within weeks.
"Bigger, brighter and more understandable"
It didn't take CBS News New York long to test out the new one at the Times Square station, where tourists were in search of the Downtown 1 train.
When asked if the new map is easier to understand than the old one, they said it definitely is.
"This would have been a dream for me when I was starting out my career and my aunt had to take me around and show me how to take the subway," rider Mari Moss said. "This is bigger, brighter and more understandable."
The most necessary change is still ... change. MTA officials acknowledge the power of the nostalgia attached to the old map.
"Keep your copy of that. It can always be framed in your home. But the reality is this map just gives better information to customers," New York City Transit President Demetrius Chrichlow said.
