An urban archipelago, New York's 5 boroughs are separated by the harbor and the Hudson, Harlem, and East Rivers. Four of New York’s 5 boroughs are on islands, and water was an early barrier to development. But the area boomed, thanks to its ice-free harbor, the Erie Canal, and waves of immigrants.

By 1900, the city’s population was about 3.4 million, and the lack of an efficient mass-transit system limited the city's growth potential. The subway handily solved that problem, replacing the city’s extensive system of elevated lines, especially in Manhattan.

Clifton Hood underscores the importance of the subway in his book, 722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York:

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“Conceived by mercantile leaders … who had a far-reaching vision of New York as a commercial metropolis that would dominate world trade, the subway was a political masterpiece that combined business and government in an innovative partnership.

"The subway remade New York City’s landscape by stimulating real estate development in upper Manhattan and the outer boroughs. It changed the way New Yorkers experience their city by moving passengers below ground, shortening distances, and quickening the pace of urban life.”

For most, that's ancient history. Welcome to the future: We’re now faced with the prospect of Columbus Circle -- brought to you by Coca-Cola (KO) -- and South Ferry, brought to you by Intel.

But what the heck -- New York's the media and advertising capital of the world. And the MTA needs the money.