Coverage, writing, and public conversations on regional rail, infrastructure governance, and the records behind transportation decisions.
BQE corridor concept for Off-Ramp NYC.
Cindy McLaughlin’s article features Liam’s BQE corridor visualization to illustrate an alternative to highway reconstruction.
Read the coverageRelated research: BQE corridorLiam explains how through-running could connect changing job centers and provide more regular service in both directions.
Read the coverageRelated research: Penn StationLiam’s op-ed connects through-running, housing at Sunnyside, and regional rail governance.
Read the op-edSubscription may be requiredBrowse by subject, publication, or Liam’s contribution.
CHEKPEDS
CHEKPEDS cites Liam’s explanation of the operating changes examined in a federal Penn Station capacity study.
High Speed Rail Alliance
The alliance’s overview of the federal capacity study links to Liam’s analysis in its further reading.
New York Daily News
Cindy McLaughlin’s op-ed features Liam’s concept rendering of the Gowanus Expressway and Hamilton Avenue corridor.
Gothamist
Liam discusses how through-running could connect the region’s changing job centers and provide more regular service in both directions.
Hunter College / CityNerd
Off-Ramp NYC’s BQE alternative, using Liam’s corridor visualizations, was featured at Ray Delahanty’s live event.
Streetsblog NYC
A corridor rendering by Liam illustrates the argument for replacing the BQE with transit, public space, and connected neighborhoods.
New York Daily News
Liam’s op-ed argues for linking Penn Station through-running, Sunnyside housing, and regional rail governance.
The Architect's Newspaper
Liam distinguishes the need for new Hudson River tunnels from the separate debate over Penn Station expansion.
Gateway Development Commission
Liam’s written public comments ask the commission to evaluate Penn Station alternatives against operating, construction, and governance risks.
Lackawanna Coalition
Liam presents the history of the failed 1958 bi-state transit compact and its implications for regional rail governance.
Bloomberg CityLab
Liam is quoted on underinvestment and reliability.
Gateway Development Commission
Liam’s public comments call for evaluating through-running inside Penn Station alongside the new Hudson River tunnels.
Commercial Observer
Liam explains how regional train operations could improve access and reduce reliance on storing empty trains in central yards.
The Architect’s Newspaper
Liam comments on Andy Byford’s appointment and the need to coordinate Penn Station’s railroads.
West Side Spirit
Liam is quoted on Andy Byford’s experience and the potential for through-running at Penn Station.
Chelsea Community News
Liam responds to criticism of through-running advocacy and clarifies the case for improving Penn Station without demolition.
New York Daily News
Liam and Robert Previdi argue for coordinated management of Penn Station’s railroads, schedules, fares, and passenger experience.
West Side Spirit
The article discusses Penn Station alternatives based on the Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s regional rail proposal, developed in Liam’s 2022 report.
Midtown South Community Council
Liam’s statement for the City Club calls for improving Penn Station’s rail service while protecting the surrounding neighborhood.
Rail Passengers Association
Links to the Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s regional rail report while examining the federal takeover of Penn Station planning.
West Side Spirit
Liam is quoted on the governance changes needed to coordinate Penn Station’s railroads.
New York Magazine
Nolan Hicks examines the Penn Station alternative presented in the Tri-State Transportation Campaign report authored by Liam.
Curbed New York
Liam comments on preventive maintenance and the condition of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor power system.
New York Post
The investigation discusses and illustrates the 2022 Tri-State Transportation Campaign regional rail report authored by Liam.
The City Club of New York
Liam and Layla Law-Gisiko answer audience questions about Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, and Northeast Corridor rail.
NYC City Council – Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchise
Liam testifies before the City Council on Madison Square Garden’s special permit and the future of Penn Station.
Streetsblog NYC
Liam is quoted on all-door boarding and the delays facing the MTA’s bus-service pilot.
Greater Greater Washington
Author David Edmondson credits Liam for feedback on his map of the Northeast’s connected commuter rail systems.
Newsday
Liam comments on ending HOV-lane access for single-occupant clean-fuel vehicles and prioritizing shared travel.
Philly Voice
Liam is quoted questioning whether mandatory bicycle helmets address the causes of dangerous street conditions.
Streetsblog NYC
Liam comments on the political mandate for reliable transit following New York’s 2022 gubernatorial election.
Construction Dive
Liam is quoted on the Hudson River tunnel project’s importance to the Northeast Corridor.
Streetsblog NYC
Liam is quoted on the MTA’s disclosure of infrastructure costs and spending decisions.
Curbed
Liam comments on NJ Transit’s response to leaf-related delays and options for keeping tracks clear.
New York Daily News
Liam is quoted on the omitted Sunnyside station and the need to plan for through-running.
New York State Legislature
Liam’s written testimony calls for strengthening New York’s Complete Streets Act to protect people walking, biking, and using transit.
NBC 4 New York
Liam is quoted on residential parking permits in reporting about congestion pricing and neighborhood traffic.
New York Daily News
Liam is quoted urging New Jersey leaders to focus on regional transit improvements alongside congestion pricing.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Liam testifies in support of congestion pricing and addresses potential effects on outer-borough communities.
Office of the Mayor of New York City
Liam’s statement supports expanded car-free streets and more public space in the city’s Summer Streets announcement.
Transportation Alternatives
Liam’s statement calls for removing limits on the operating hours of New York City’s speed cameras.
Streetsblog NYC
Liam is quoted on how hybrid work changes weekday subway commuting patterns.
The American Prospect
Liam is quoted on the implications of Uber’s partnership with New York City yellow taxis.
New York State Association of Chiefs of Police
A quoted statement on safer intersections appears in the March 2022 issue, on page 37.
Streetsblog NYC
Liam comments on alternatives to fare enforcement and ways to make bus service more useful.
NJ Star-Ledger
Liam cites Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s commuter analysis in reporting on New Jersey’s objections to congestion pricing.
New York State Legislature
Liam’s testimony connects Gateway investment to through-running and coordinated regional rail service.
New York State Legislature
Liam answers Assemblymember Robert Carroll’s questions about the MTA capital program at a public hearing.
NYC Department of Transportation
Liam’s statement supports dedicated bus lanes on Hylan Boulevard and investment in Staten Island’s bus network.
Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC)
Liam’s statement supports expanding affordable commuter rail fares and frequent, all-day regional service.
Streetsblog NYC
Liam explains Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s analysis of New Jersey commuters affected by congestion pricing.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Liam comments on the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge’s protected bike lane and safer travel between the boroughs.
The City of New York Office of the Mayor
Liam’s statement supports round-the-clock school-zone speed cameras in a City Hall announcement about traffic safety.
2nd Ave. Sagas
The article cites Liam’s public commentary on MTA leadership and the Empire Station Complex proposal.
Long Island City Post
Liam is quoted on returning road traffic and the need to rebuild transit ridership after the pandemic.
CBS New York
Liam is quoted on induced traffic and the conflict between highway widening and congestion pricing.
Brooklyn Paper
The article quotes Liam’s objections to highway widening and his call to prioritize transit.
New York State Legislature
The Senate release names Liam as a participant in the press conference calling for public review of the Empire Station Complex proposal.
Fox Business
Liam is quoted calling for a broader transportation plan before Penn Station expansion proceeds.
amNY
Liam is quoted on the urgency of bus improvements as New York’s traffic returns.
Regional Plan Association
Liam’s statement supports improvements to New Jersey’s bus network for essential workers.
Streetsblog NYC
Liam is quoted calling for the reopening of the Lincoln Tunnel’s exclusive bus lane.
New York League of Conservation Voters
Liam’s statement supports legalizing e-bikes and e-scooters as alternatives to driving.
The Hartford Courant
Liam and Lauren Bailey argue for transportation investment during the coronavirus crisis.
Providence Journal
Liam’s letter argues against the proposed redevelopment project in Newport’s North End.
WBAI 99.5 FM
Liam discusses the 14th Street Busway in a WBAI radio interview.
City & State NY
Liam is quoted on federal transportation funding and the challenges of implementing congestion pricing.
Gotham Gazette
Liam is quoted in a review of proposals to improve transportation in New York.
NYC Office of the Comptroller
Liam’s statement supports the Freedom Ticket proposal to make commuter rail more accessible to city residents.
NJ Spotlight News
The article features the NJ Transit governance report co-authored by Liam and Janna Chernetz.
Greater City Providence
Liam argues for investment in modern transportation infrastructure to support Rhode Island’s economy.
GoLocal Prov
Liam argues for frequent local rail service that better connects Rhode Island residents to jobs and services.
What’s Up Newp
Liam’s op-ed proposes a transit-based response to Newport’s traffic and parking problems.
NBC New York
Liam is interviewed about NJ Transit’s approved fare increase.
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Talks for civic organizations, universities, and professional groups, grounded in the records, maps, and operating analysis behind the work.
Include the audience, topic, date, time zone, format, and budget if available.
Through-running and the operating and institutional choices that determine whether the region’s railroads work as a network.
Past talk: The Lost Compact · September 29, 2025Using contracts, public filings, and agency correspondence to test the claims driving an infrastructure decision.
Explore the Penn Station & Gateway recordsHow maps, before-and-after views, and 3D models help communities understand what a proposal would change.
See the BQE corridor case studyLiam Blank is a New York-based transportation and infrastructure analyst focused on regional rail, public records, and civic visualization. He chairs the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee of The City Club of New York.
Liam Blank is an independent transportation and infrastructure analyst based in New York. He works on regional rail, public records, and civic visualization, and chairs the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee of The City Club of New York. He is the author of From Here to There: Regional Rail for Metro New York (2022), with previous roles at ReThinkNYC, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, and the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.
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