Let’s get together to map edit NYC subway stops from 14th Street to 34th Street or a half mile walk. This is necessary to add accessibility information on Google Maps for our elderly and physically challenged neighbors, multiple station entrance locations, station attendant/booth clerk availability and Metrocard machine access. The fun part of this maps editing is learning from NYC Subway Gurus little known facts about the subways such as what IRT, IND and BMT stand for. We will split into teams to map each of the more than 5 train lines that travel from 14th Street to 34th Street. Each team will be provided with a Subway Line Logo Shirt, to be worn by the designated team lead. On the day of the event, directions and instructions of what to capture and what not to capture will be given to each local guide/participant to make this a safe and fun event. Also, directions to the location of the organic restaurant/bar where we will meet up afterwards to trade notes and wind down with finger food and drinks.
Here is one of the reasons why we are doing the Google Maps editing of the NYC subway system. Here is one of 6 subway entrances for the Jay Street Metrotech subway stop. Each of these station entrances have a metrocard entry system and machines and the main station entrance on Willoughby and Jay Streets has metrocard machines and token booth clerks/attendants an escalators for entry, which are always broken. This is the premier station for the NYC transit system since this location used to house the NYC Transit Authority’s main headquarters at 370 Jay Street.
Here’s the link again. Its a Saturday afternoon. Come out, have some fun, meet other local guides and cool people and compare notes at our after meetup location.
Hi @TraciC (sorry yes, tagging you again but this time you’re uniquely qualified as you’ve kudoed and are attending)
DallasP wrote: Let’s get together to map edit NYC subway stops
I’m wondering what edits LGs can make to subway stops since they are part of the transit layer? Photos and reviews are of course possible, but entrances can’t be mapped and accessibility information can’t be proactively added, only responded to if a question happens to be asked, is that correct?
There will be one or two Googlers at the Meetup on both a #localguide and personal mission. I believe that once they see the challenges, they can can propose a better solution. In furtherance of making a subway station/entrance a category, on the L line, the First Ave stop has 4 entrances: two for going towards 8th Ave and two for going towards Brooklyn. If a tourist, physically challenged or adolescent passenger does not know their way around and want to go to Union Square or towards 8th Ave but enter using one of the two entrances for Brooklyn, they must take that train to Brooklyn and at Bedford Ave stop, cross over and take the train going towards 8th Ave. You see, there are literally hundreds of NYC subway stations that do not have a passageway to the both the uptown/downtown platforms. You either take the train in the opposite direction to a stop where you can cross over or you leave said station, cross the street above ground and pay another fare.
@Pea The idea for this event came up on Google+ by @user_not_found and I think it’s great which is why I am participating and why this meet-up was approved by the team. Transit stations in NYC can have the following information updated which help those with accessibility needs as well as the general public:
We can answer questions for places (yes, as you noted, you can’t force these questions but we’ll be at these stations and hopefully these will trigger)
We can write reviews of stations and leave accessibility-specific information in the reviews
We can add photos of entrances, elevators and more
We can adjust the pin when the Map Marker is in the incorrect location, something I’ve come across quite often
On top of this, we can use uncover missing info to add any other missing information to the stations or in the areas we explore, so this is just like any other map editing meet-up and will be quite great.
It does sound great, I was just wishing that expectations would be managed as it may not have been clear to all that transit features are not like normal POIs. Particularly new entrance locations should not be added
We can adjust the pin when the Map Marker is in the incorrect location, something I’ve come across quite often
Actually have you ever successfully moved a subway pin? Although the map will allow you to move the marker and a Pending notification will be received, I believe that if location is part of the data feed then the edit will be Not Approved even if it’s correct? My experience in such situations was that the only way to fix the issue was to contact the relevant transit authority directly so they could correct the data supplied to Google
A few weeks ago in the NYC Local Guides Google + group, we had a robust discussion and @TraciC recommended that we do a meetup to update the transit map where we could. The points you bring up are completely valid and are not being dismissed. I am doing this meetup more so to alert people where subway entrances are since this is where they will enter the system. If an old person goes down 2 flights of steps to find out that that entrance has no metrocard machine or token booth, wouldn’t a review or map edit showing this information be useful for the betterment of the riding public of which there are 6-10 million daily? I think as we do the map edits and take the photos, panoramic views, selfies, etc, it will be apparent that maybe more information or categories are needed. A subway entrance is an above ground structure and it can be edited as far as the location is concerned. I just believe that the number of entrances should be increased because very, very few subway stops in the NYC transit system have one entrance. I believe the vast majority of LocalGuides in NYC will see the information that we cull from this as news to them and maybe it will generate more interest to make the subway system references such as stations, stops, etc better and up to date. Im also trying to make it interesting and fun. Such as whoever brings in an authentic $.35 cents subway token at the event for all to see, will get a prize. LOL.
@Pea I didn’t see your response as I wasn’t tagged, but I have moved map pins for transit stations here in NYC and if information is incorrect that I can’t fix, I think I’m in a pretty good position to share feedback both to the MTA (who runs our transit stations) as well as with Google Maps, particularly if it impacts accessibility. We’re doing a great thing and I’m glad people are interested in learning more.
On 3/11, I went to the station on the J/M, which is Flushing Avenue where I grew up. The map marker location for the subway station entrance or the main stop was completely wrong and I edited it and sent it along to Google Maps. This is what I received today from Google Maps (I did not contact NYC Transit):
I think that it was approved because of the data. Its an accessibility station and the location of the station was based upon a panoramic view taken on the platform. We should compare notes after this meetup. I wished you could have attended.
I cant wait to reconnect. I have a few ideas up my sleeve about accessibility information on NYC subways via Google Maps but there are other rail concerns that Im looking to pursue that will actually save lives.
On 3/11, I went to the station on the J/M, which is Flushing Avenue where I grew up. The map marker location for the subway station entrance or the main stop was completely wrong and I edited it and sent it along to Google Maps.
Hey Dallas, I was just thinking of your NYC Meet Up today (wishing I were there) and I got a notification that a transit feature marker I moved was approved! I’ve been trying this edit every few months for literally years (in MapMaker and more recently on Maps) and it was always denied. Hope it’s not an April Fools.
Here is the link to the photo album of the hundreds of photos that the Localguides, Googlers and friends of this Meetup took. I does not go without saying that Dan, Nick, Sasha, Becky, Traci, Joshua, Ron, Mike, Corrie, the two young ladies from Philadelphia and Delaware and our tireless videographer made this a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon in NYC. I will add their names as I remember them or when someone adds them in. I was simply running around everywhere and also having fun taking photos. We will do this and other meetups again.
