In an average week, people board public transportation about 35 million times each weekday. The invention of public transportation and the wide utilization of it has helped to transform the way people can travel to and from work, and how far across the country people can travel.

On this day in history, March 24, 1900, the first New York subway plans were put into place for workers to begin building.

The first section of track was to be placed from City Hall to the Bronx. The transit of New York financed this — it was such a large undertaking that no other company wanted to risk the possible loss of large sums of money. Ideally, the new subway was supposed to alleviate congestion in the streets during peak hours of travel. This would give people more venues to get to work or home each day.

The railway was made with the same idea as the elevated railways, which already were running throughout the city. They were to help operate the subway with a starting fare fee of five cents. Today, the average cost of a ride on the subway in New York is roughly $2.75; however, the charge is more likely to be $3 if you purchase a paper ticket to get on and off the train.

A celebration of the commencement of the railway plans was held at 1 o’clock on this day in history. A bulletin was made for attendees who came for the occasion. Many addresses were made to spectators about the magnificent day in history that marked the possibility of people being able to travel underground. Though the track was small and just between two places, it marked the beginning of our ability to travel on subways underneath the state of New York.

With so much already being known about the subway in New York, certain facts and information are not as commonly known to the public. For instance, there is an unwritten rule in New York that connects economic principles together. The New York Pizza Connection states that the average slice of pizza must match the cost of a ride on the subway. Normally, when one increases or decreases, the other tends to follow. It is also illegal to put your feet on the seats in the subway cars! The police can arrest you if you do.