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Ridgewood: Home to the Worst Subway Station <em>Ever</em>


By

Jen Carlson

Published Sep 25, 2009

Modified Sep 25, 2009


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By

Jen Carlson

Published Sep 25, 2009

Modified Sep 25, 2009


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MTA surveys are so fun, because we pretty much just find out that everything is the worst, everywhere. But wherever you are, rest assured that it really could be worse. Unless you are in Ridgewood, Queens—then consider yourself gold star winners in the most dilapidated subway station contest!

As noted by both the Daily News and the Post today, the M line in Queens is the most terrible place on earth (where a subway runs); "the Seneca Ave. stop in Ridgewood is in the direst state of disrepair, according to an MTA survey that assessed conditions of stations across the city." One commuter calls the elevated station "scary and old and rickety." Some of its award-winning features include a rocking platform, rusted metal, peeling paint, cracks with sprouting weeds and graffiti tags everywhere. Heathens!

Many components made up the survey, where riders were asked to grade stops on a scale of 1 (best) to 5 (worst), and at Seneca 86% of the components were rated 3.5 or higher. Good news though, in 5 years time you'll totally feel safe at the stop, give or take a few years. The News reports that by then, "25 of the stations will get major overhauls averaging $10 million each, according to the MTA's proposed capital plan." While they haven't released what stations will be a part of the first wave of fixes, nearly all will be in Brooklyn and Queens (with just one and Manhattan and one in the Bronx). The Straphanger Campaign's Gene Russianoff summed it all up, saying, "It feels like the land that time forgot at these stations."

Tagged

MTA

queens

ridgewood

Seneca

subway

Survey

worst


Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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