TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2025
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Dear New Yorkers,
Drivers heading to LaGuardia Airport or CitiField may not know it, but they could face greater concerns than missing their flight or the first pitch.
On a single stretch of highway in Queens, seven parts of roadway or ramps were deemed in poor condition last year, according to an NYCity News Service analysis of state bridge inspection data.
These are far from isolated issues. Despite increased spending for aging infrastructure, 118 sections of New York City bridges were found by inspectors to be in poor condition in 2024, slightly more than the previous year.
That represents nearly 8% of bridge segments citywide — and almost one-fifth of the total roadway of the city’s bridges, NYCity News Service’s analysis found.
Meanwhile, experts say tens of billions of dollars in repairs are needed, but uncertainty stemming from the Trump istration’s battles with the state over congestion pricing and more leaves long-term plans for fixes in flux.
NYCity News Service and THE CITY have put together a map from state bridge inspection data — plus, scouring public records and talking to engineers about what this means for the city’s bridges.
Read more here to find out the quality of bridges near you.
Weather 🌤️
Mostly sunny with highs in the mid-60s. Get your outdoor activities out of the way — we’re in for more rain starting tomorrow.
MTA 🚇
In Brooklyn, the Coney Island-bound N and Bay Ridge-bound R skip Union Street, 4 Ave-9 Street, Prospect Ave and 25 Street overnight all week. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.
Alternate side parking 🚙
It’s in effect today, May 20.
By the way…
Fleet Week, a celebration of the floating armed forces, begins May 21. Catch the annual Parade of Ships to kick off the festivities tomorrow morning.
Our Other Top Stories
- Accessory dwellings like garage, backyard, basement and attic apartments were among the most eagerly anticipated elements of Mayor Adams’ City of Yes housing plan. But when it comes to the first plans for newly-legalized apartments in Staten Island, the City of Yes is more like the City of Not Yet.
- Last Tuesday, the chief district judge for Manhattan federal court finally ruled to appoint an outsider to help run Rikers, to the excitement of jail reform advocates and former Department of Correction commissioners. But top officials say her ruling is “unbelievably confusing and unclear:” Who has ultimate authority?
- On the latest episode of FAQ NYC: Time’s running out for the other mayoral candidates to catch up to Andrew Cuomo. Meanwhile, the former governor is happy to stay out of the fray, trusting that Democratic primary voters are more conservative than most of the party’s other candidates. Listen here as the hosts discuss that and much more.
Reporter’s Notebook
Empire Strikes Back
The Trump istration on Monday lifted the stop-work order it had issued in April for New York’s first major offshore wind project, Empire Wind.
Equinor, the company developing the project, will resume its construction work after pausing when the order came down. Company executives had considered abandoning the project, which is about one-third completed, in the wake of the uncertainty.
In a statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul took credit for the Trump istration’s about-face, saying she had “spent weeks pushing the federal government to rescind the stop work order.”
Empire Wind is expected to power about half a million New York City homes after an expected 2027 completion. Offshore wind is a key part of the state’s plan to get electricity from renewable sources, in line with its climate goals.
Hochul said she would work with the Trump istration on “new energy projects that meet the legal requirements under New York law.”
— Samantha Maldonado
Things To Do
Here are some free and low-cost things to do around the city this week.
- Tuesday, May 20: See a screening of the documentary The Holocaust, 80 Years On, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. Center for Jewish History in Manhattan, 7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, May 20: Go for a run with the New York Road Runners club in Brooklyn Bridge Park. 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 21: Learn about the math behind how we measure the cosmos, featuring a screening of The Cosmic Distance Ladder. The National Museum of Mathematics, 7 p.m.
THE KICKER: Last year, a nonprofit gave young people who were at risk of becoming homeless $3,000, no strings attached, to see if it could keep them housed. So far, it’s working.
Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.
Love,
THE CITY
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