CityRealty Insider > Subway Maps: A Classic Design Gets an Update

Subway Maps: A Classic Design Gets an Update

JUNE 8, 2010

New York City’s Subway Map gets its first redesign since 1998.

Later this month the Metropolitan Transit Authority will roll out an updated guide to the city’s complex and sometimes infuriating public transportation system. There won’t be any big surprises, just minor changes to the the classic, color-coded layout. A few tweaks spice things up: Manhattan gets girthier (perhaps fittingly, the island is depicted as 83% wider than its actual proportions would be relative to surrounding boroughs), Staten Island experiences some shrinkage, City Island—absent from earlier versions—makes an appearance, and now-defunct lines (like the W) have left the picture.

Subway lines get the drop-shadow treatment to make them easier to see, and colors get a subtle makeover. This New York Times article offers an interesting comparison of past versions, with the 1972 design by Massimo Vignelli representing the most stylized version with its angular lines and minimalist backdrop. For folks on the go, the KICKmap iPhone app keeps up with full 24-hour service including the latest advisories and changes. And if you still think Queens is a hike, this Milky Way Transit Authority map by Samuel Arbesman puts it all into perspective.

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