Anyone who regularly commutes via the New York City subway is familiar with the borough map that shows all the possible lines one can take to reach a destination. Likewise, riders are also very acquainted with the major delays and/or line shutdowns that frequently plague the system. In an effort to alleviate the major headaches that can come along with commuting, a team of web developers has created the Real MTA map, which provides up-to-the-minute data on any delays, service changes, or planned work for subway lines.
Developer Eric Markfield from Unfounded Labs is known for his data-driven visualizations that provide users with real-time information. His recent project, Real MTA map, uses constant tracking updates provided by mta.info to make traveling throughout the city much easier. Only lines that have “Good Service” are visible, whereas any that are experiencing delays, service changes or planned work are invisible.
The map is easily navigable: it includes a sidebar that lets you select hidden lines to view exactly what is going on with the trains that are reportedly experiencing problems. By clicking on the hidden lines, users are redirected to a MTA Service Status report. For those who don’t have the time to check the website repeatedly, the map also has an associated Twitter account, @realmtainfo, which posts an image of the Real MTA map twice a day. While this web application has only been live for a few days now, there have been rumors that there will soon be an additional feature that encourages riders’ input on other subway details, including information about crowded stops or stations with good live music.
