NEW YORK—“This is a subway system at its breaking point,” Council Member Daniel Garodnick said of the Lexington train line.
Any passenger who has suffered riding one of the Lexington line trains during peak hours will agree that something is wrong. “The [Metropolitan Transit Authority] MTA is not a healthy agency and the situation is dire” Garodnick said.
The 4, 5, and 6 trains move 1.3 million people daily; that’s more passengers than the transit systems of Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco combined. The overcrowding of the cars regularly surpasses the MTA’s passenger loading guidelines of three square sq feet of standing space per person. Not only is this uncomfortable for passengers, but it raises series safety concerns such as what would happen in an emergency evacuation.
A report was released Wednesday by Councilman Garodnick’s office that laid bare the facts. According to the report, averages of 133 riders per downtown train were left stranded on the 77th Street platform during the morning rush hour this fall. The report showed occasions on two days, within a four day period, where over 400 passengers were left stranded at 77th Street.
You might want to reconsider if you’re taking the line to a Yankees game, the report says at least 75 passengers per train were left by 4 and 5 trains at 59th Street on nights the Yanks had home games. The study suggests that the MTA should increase bus service from Manhattan to Yankee Stadium on game days, possibly in partnership with the Yankees Organization.
“Council Member Garodnick’s report documents what Lexington riders know from bitter daily experience: Riding the Lex during rush hours is maddening” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney of the Straphangers Campaign.
This report was released a day before the MTA’s board is meeting to discuss service cuts and, possibly, fare increases. “The MTA has some difficult decisions to make, but this is an easy one. Reducing service in the Lexington lines would be catastrophic” Garodnick said.
“We’re losing flexibility and alternatives in our transportation system; not because the fiscal crisis alone, but because of massive population growth,” said Wiley Norvell, the communications director of Transportation Alternatives (an advocate group for biking, walking and public transportation).
“We expect the MTA to propose draconian budget cuts tomorrow” said Garodnick. “I do not support a fare increase until we hear what MTA is going to do with it.”
Garodnick closed saying “We need New Yorker’s confidence that they will not have to deal with stop-gap fare increases from the MTA year after year.”
