At the moment, Mr. Byford will have to hope for protection from Joseph J. Lhota, the chairman of the M.T.A. Their success is essential for anyone who plans to live or work in the New York region, home to 23 million people. They account for 10 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to Carolyn Grossman Meagher, of the department of city planning. A powerful interactive map of people, jobs and housing in the region was released Tuesday morning by Ms. Grossman Meagher. That reality drives nearly every major crisis the city faces, whether housing shortages or a transit system strained to its limits.

Source: New York Times May 23, 2018 09:00 UTC