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Dear New Yorkers,

Trees and branches that tumble onto the subway tracks have already delayed nearly 800 trains this year, MTA data shows — far more than in all of 2023.

The impact has been felt most sharply along the Brighton Line, the stretch of open-air tracks south of Prospect Park where B and Q trains run beneath tree-covered Brooklyn backyards.

While the 766 systemwide delays tied to trees so far this year reflect just a sliver of the more than 169,000 subway delays overall, riders and homeowners who live next to the open-trench tracks said their recent frequency reflects the transit system’s vulnerability to tree-rattling wind and storms.

The MTA keeps contractors on call to inspect trees and branches that could pose a risk to subway service, but added that the transit agency needs permission and cooperation from property owners.

“The property rights are real,” said Lisa Schreibman, New York City Transit’s acting head of subways. “We cannot just walk across someone's property line with a chainsaw and chop up a tree.”

One Ditmas Park homeowner said he has called tree trimmers to cut back two maple trees in the backyard. But he said he has never received any notice from the MTA about the trees crossing onto the transit agency’s side of the tracks.

“We’ve had them trimmed over the years but mostly on our side,” said the homeowner said. “We can’t do anything [above the tracks], there is no tree guy that’s going to go work over the tracks.”

Read more here about falling trees and their effect on subway lines.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Friday’s Weather Rating: 10/10. WHAT A TURNAROUND! High temperatures in the low 80s, dew points in the low 50s (!), sunshine and a nice breeze. That’s the secret formula. The vibes are immaculate out there!

Our Other Top Stories

A pair of lawsuits aim to put congestion pricing back on track after Gov. Kathy Hochul derailed the Manhattan vehicle-tolling plan last month. The cases, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by transit advocates and a civic association, are the first that seek to overturn what court papers describe as a “quite literally, lawless” about-face from the governor. The MTA was counting on billions in revenue from the tolling plan. In the fall, public school students across the city will receive free OMNY cards in lieu of student MetroCards, reports Chalkbeat. Their OMNY cards will allow four rides a day, 24 hours a day, including on weekends — a setup that is much more flexible than the three-ride, weekday-only MetroCards.

Reporter’s Notebook

New Biz Surge

New businesses continue to open at an impressive rate in the city, according to data from the New York City Economic Development Corporation released this week, outpacing the usual churn among small businesses.

Just under 25,000 companies opened their doors in 2023, bringing the total created since Mayor Eric Adams took office in January 2022 to 55,000, which represents about 20% of all the firms operating in the city. Some 49,000 businesses closed since Adams came to City Hall in January 2022, including 13,000 of the new startups. Even so, the total number of businesses in the city has increased by 6,000.

In an important sign for Manhattan, the strongest growth was in the borough’s central business districts as well as the Brooklyn and Queens waterfront. Still, since the pandemic hit, the largest number of new businesses chose north Brooklyn, the area in the city that has created the most vibrant live-work zone since the pandemic.

— Greg David

Ask Nellie

Reader Alma H. asked our newsroom on Instagram this week: Are there no more free at-home COVID tests at NYC Health and Hospitals?

We reached out to health officials to find out. They said that Health and Hospitals no longer gives out at-home tests, for free or otherwise. However, they still offer COVID testing by appointment at Health + Hospitals facilities. Schedule with them by calling 844-NYC-4NYC.

The city also no longer distributes at-home tests at places they did previously, including libraries, cultural institutions and many government offices. Why? Because at-home tests are now sold in pharmacies, online and provided by many pharmacies and doctors, the health department told us.

— Rachel Holliday Smith

Have a question for our newsroom? Write to ask@thecity.nyc or submit a query through our Ask Nellie portal.

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Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Saturday, July 27: Historic New York: Mount Morris Fire Watchtower, an educational event hosted by Urban Park Rangers in the recently restored monument. Free from 1 to 3 p.m. at Marcus Garvey Park in Manhattan. Sunday, July 28: An arts trail nature walk hosted by Queens College School of Arts and the Godwin-Ternbach Museum, about how nature and trail-found items can inspire art. Free from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Forest Park, Queens. Sunday, July 28: Haint Blu | Episodic Chapters, a site-responsive dance performance by the Brooklyn ensemble Urban Bush Women. Free at 6 p.m. at Hearst Plaza in Manhattan.

THE KICKER: This summer, the Delacorte Theater was under renovation and the Public Theater’s annual Shakespeare in the Park went mobile. Next summer, they’ll be back in Central Park — with a star-studded, just-announced cast.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday.

Love,

THE CITY

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