MTA: Living on crumbling edge
Stand clear of the platform edge.
A report from the state released Friday shows city subway stations are increasingly in need of repairs even as the MTA’s ability to keep up with maintenance is deteriorating.
The report from the controller’s office reveals that 441 of the city’s 472 subway stations — a staggering 93% — were not in good repair, with 65% of platform edges virtually crumbling.
Also, about 24% of all structural components — stairs, platforms and ventilation — in Manhattan’s 150 stations were in poor condition, and those in about 94% of Brooklyn’s 170 stations were in less than desirable shape, the controller found.
None of the Bronx’s 70 stations were up to snuff, the report also concluded, and structural components in 45% of stations in Queens showed apparent wear and tear.
When it comes to the most rickety stations, the Transit Authority’s top five offenders were Cypress Ave. and Westchester Square in the Bronx, 90th St. Elmhurst and 36th St. in Queens and the 207th St. stop in Manhattan, all of which have seen a rapid deterioration in structural components since the last transit survey in 2012.
“Years of under-funding for the MTA capital program has translated into a longer list of needed repairs in New York City’s subway stations, fewer stations in good condition, and ever-increasing rider aggravation,” New York State Controller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement. “The rising number of potentially hazardous worn or damaged platform edges is particularly troubling.”
“On the plus side, the MTA has been able to reduce the number of the most serious station defects, but a lot more needs to be done to address declining station conditions,” he added. “It is up to the MTA to prioritize its limited resources to ensure its next capital program improves service and conditions for riders.”
The findings, which are based on the MTA’s 2017 transit survey conducted once every five years, also revealed that 29% of the 15,000 structural components surveyed system-wide were considered worn or damaged, including 17% of station stairs. Tiles and other finishing adorning platform floors, walls and ceilings — categorized as architectural components — were also in a state of disrepair. Nearly all station lighting was found to be in good condition.
Yet according to MTA spokesman Tim Miton, those findings are flawed.
“The comptroller’s conclusion about the number of stations in fully repaired condition is flawed in that many more stations contain only minor issues, affecting neither safety nor the customer experience,” he said.
The transit authority is expected to release its proposed 2020—2024 capital program, which includes cost estimates for repairs, in September.