The feature is intended to transform the way riders navigate the subway system on weekends.
The new feature, which will take over the front page of MTA.info each weekend, makes it easy for subway riders to visualize exactly how weekend work will affect subway service.
"In order to keep our 24/7 subway system running reliably, we do an incredible amount of construction work on the subway every weekend," said Thomas F. Prendergast, President of MTA New York City Transit. "This work is critical, but we also know that even the most veteran subway riders can be frustrated and confused when service is reconfigured and information is hard to find. That's why we created The Weekender, which will revolutionize the way riders use the subway on the weekend."
The centerpiece of The Weekender is a subway diagram that displays the service to be provided each weekend, including all service changes. Stations impacted by service diversions are highlighted by blinking icons. Users click to choose one of three ways to view the map:
- Service by Line: Click on a subway line symbol to get a line diagram showing an overview of the line's service changes, as well as text summaries of the changes.
- Service by Borough: Click on a borough for text-based information about any service changes impacting a borough.
- Service by Station: Select a station for details on any service changes impacting that station, or click on the map to zoom to a detailed area.
The diagram used as the base of the Weekender is designed to illustrate service diversions at a glance. It is inspired by the 1972 New York City subway map designed by world renowned map maker and designer Massimo Vignelli and was designed by Vignelli, Beatriz Cifuentes and Yoshiki Waterhouse.
"With The Weekender, we are presenting weekend service diversion information in a visual way and an interactive way for the first time," said Paul J. Fleuranges, Senior Director of Corporate and Internal Communications for the MTA. "We're very excited to introduce this new feature for our customers today, but we also know it's going to evolve over time. We hope people will share their experiences with us at mta.info, or through Twitter or Facebook."
Supplementing the base diagram, the Weekender provides for the first time an electronic venue for the popular Neighborhood Maps that are posted inside subway stations. These maps show the precise locations of subway station entrances within the street grid, along with locations of popular area destinations.
