Most Queens subway stations are crumbling
DiNapoli report says that age and wear-and-tear are taking their course on many stations
BY MARK HALLUM
State Comptroller Tom
DiNapoli issued a report on a
declining state-of-good-repair
across all subway stations that
is not surprising anyone — not
even the MTA.
The report derived MTA
data from 2017 that showed
that of the 15,500 components
across all 471 stations in New
York City Transit, 29 percent of
them were worn or damaged,
an increase of two percentage
points from 2012 numbers.
Things are particularly
bad in Queens, according
to DiNapoli’s findings, as 44
percent of all subway stations
in the “World’s Borough” were
found to have “worn or damaged
structural components.”
The Flushing-Main Street
Station of the 7 line stood out in
the report as the most heavily
used stop in the borough,
but also sporting a dismal
45 percent of the structural
components worn or damaged.
Platform edges, ventilators and
other structural components
had seen the greatest spike
in poor repair between 2012
and 2017.
But the MTA claims that
while the data is correct,
the comptroller’s office may
have misrepresented the
data. One transit expert who
weighed in claimed anyone
with familiarity with city’s
transit system is already
aware of these problems and
the government’s priorities
may be misplaced in
addressing them.
“Years of underfunding 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,” DiNapoli said.
“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. It is up to the
MTA to prioritize its limited
resources to ensure its next
capital program improves
service and conditions
for riders.”
The MTA defended the state
of its infrastructure claiming
that the data oversimplifies
different types of issues, with
some components not posing
any sort of safety issue.
“As the comptroller
notes in his report, NYC
Transit has made significant
strides at station repairs
systemwide thanks to a
station maintenance program
that focuses on addressing
individual components
with serious defects,” MTA
spokesman Tim Minton said.
“This is in lieu of performing
major structural work
throughout a station – work
that often requires closures or
bypasses that inconveniences
customers. 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. Those stations are
understandably not prioritized
for immediate repair.”
Larry Penner, a transit
historian who spent 31 years
with the U.S. Department
of Transportation Federal
Transit Administration’s New
York office, told QNS that the
figures came as no surprise.
“This is nothing anyone in
the transit industry did not
already know,” Penner said.
With the state focusing on
widespread improvements
across all systems and lines
while facing a $1 billion deficit
by 2022, Penner said other
improvements such as Phase 2
of the Second Avenue Subway
should be placed on hold.
“At the end of the day,
it is a question of available
funding to keep the 471
subway stations in a state
of good repair. You also
have the added challenge of
making many more stations
ADA compliant by adding
elevators,” Penner continued.
“The challenge facing the
MTA as it develops the next
2020 – 2024 Five Year Capital
Plan which may be between
$30 to $40 billion is dependent
upon how much funding
is raised from Congestion
Pricing which does not kick
Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
in until January 2021.”
In Woodside, local leaders
have watched as the 61st Street-
Woodside Station has fallen
into a state of ruin. Debris
has been seen falling from
elevated tracks near stops
which documentation is clear
have declined, striking cars
and nearly causing injury.
The MTA has claimed that
it has crews walking the 7 line
on the ground and at track
level, on foot, twice a week.
QNS has filed a Freedom of
Information request with
the agency in March seeking
documentation from these
inspections, but has not heard
back from the MTA since April
regarding the inquiry.
Reach reporter Mark
Hallum by email at mhallum@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4564.
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