L train tunnel will get wifi hookups
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Can’t stand losing your phone
call while riding the subway under
the East River? The MTA’s
looking to expand its underground wifi
connection in one of its many tunnels.
The authority announced Friday that
it’s seeking proposals to license out a
broadband wireless connectivity infrastructure
for the Canarsie Tube —
which is currently in the midst of reconstruction.
According to the MTA, the request
for connectivity proposals is being
made now to take advantage of ongoing
outages along the L line and “minimize
the impact to customers.”
“Providing full connectivity to our
millions of customers is a part of our
continued push to modernize the MTA
system,” MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick
Foye said on Dec. 27. “We’re working
to deliver full connectivity across
our system and allow our customers to
use their commuting time to meet their
needs, whether it’s texting with friends
and family or communicating with coworkers.”
The Canarsie Tube connects L train
riders between the Bedford Avenue
stop Brooklyn and the First Avenue station
in Manhattan. Since 2018, much of
the line has been closed as MTA crews
reconstructed critical infrastructure
damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
Work on the Manhattan-bound tunnel
has already been completed, and
construction on the Brooklyn-bound
side has been progressing since October.
The MTA already has wifi service in most of its underground stations,
and it announced Friday it intends to add broadband connections to the
under-construction Canarsie Tube on the L line.
The full tube is scheduled to
reopen in April 2020, three months
ahead of schedule, Governor Andrew
Cuomo reported in September.
To date, the MTA said, it’s working
with a consortium of wireless carriers
to expand broadband connectivity
at all underground subway stations in
New York City and within the Metro-
North and Long Island Rail Road systems.
That includes the LIRR tunnels
being constructed in the East Side Access
FILE PHOTO/AMNEWYORK
project, and expected to open in
2022.
The MTA has also helped drivers
stay connected by similarly adding
broadband connectivity to the Queens
Midtown and Hugh Carey (Brooklyn
Battery) Tunnels. It’s illegal for drivers
to hold their phones while behind
the wheel, but they can still make a call
through hands-free devices mounted in
their vehicles.
Thieves hit three Upper West Side restaurants
BY GABE HERMAN
Cops are searching for two men
who stole thousands of dollars
during a series of restaurant
burglaries in the Upper West Side–all
within an hour last Monday, police offi
cials said.
The fi rst incident was around 11
p.m. on Dec. 23, when the two men
gained access to Bistro Cassis, at 225
Columbus Ave. between West 70 and
71 streets., through a back door, according
to police. Once inside, they
allegedly took $3,000 and four cable
modems.
Then, just 15 minutes later, the
thieves struck again a couple of doors
down at Pomodoro Rosso, at 229 Columbus
Avenue. Once again, they entered
through a back door and then
allegedly took $1,800 and two cable
modems.
The third incident happened at 11:55
p.m., inside Shalel Lounge at 65 W.
70th Street., at the corner of Columbus
Avenue. The two men allegedly entered
by breaking a lock on an emergency
A surveillance image from the second restaurant burglary.
exit door, then took $417 before fl eeing
in an unknown direction.
Police released surveillance video of
the two suspects, taken from the second
incident. All of the burglaries occurred
COURTESY NYPD
in the NYPD’s 20th Precinct.
Anyone with information about the
identity of the males is asked to call
the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at
1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
85-year-old
woman pushed
to ground in
Greenwich
Village assault
COURTESY NYPD
The suspect behind a recent
assault in Greenwich Village.
BY GABE HERMAN
An elderly woman was assaulted
last Wednesday,
Dec. 18, while walking in
Greenwich Village, police said.
Around 12:30 p.m., an 85-yearold
woman was walking in the area
of 781 Broadway, between East 9th
and 10th Streets, when an unknown
man approached her from behind.
The man then intentionally pushed
the woman, offi cials said, causing
her to fall to the ground. The attacker
fl ed the area on foot.
The woman suffered minor lacerations
to her head and leg from
the incident. She was taken to NYU
Langone Health medical center for
treatment of her injuries.
Police released a surveillance image
of the suspect wanted for the
assault in the 6th Precinct. It was
taken at the location of the incident,
just before it occurred. He is
described as 20-30 years old, and
last seen wearing a blue cap and all
white clothing.
Anyone with information about
this incident is asked to call Crime
Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS or for
Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA, visit
nypdcrimestoppers.com, or send a
direct message on Twitter @NYPDTips.
All calls and messages are
kept confi dential.
Schneps Media January 2, 2020 3
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