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Subways: Popular, Fragile, and Metrocardy
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 23, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 23, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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It's been a big subway week. Yesterday, it was announced that subway ridership is at a 50 year high, thanks to the advent of the Metrocard. However, the MTA still has that $600 million deficit. Subway expert and author Clifton Hood makes a very good point to Newsday, pointing out: "There's no rapid-transit system in the world that's not subsidized and New York's is less subsidized." The lack of subsidies is a point driven home in New York magazine's feature on the subway crisis we're almost in. The feature also has suggestions on how to improve the subway experience - video cameras, glass walls between the platform edge and subway car, universal fare cards - all great, but Gothamist feels these are too ambitious in its current unsubsidized form.
On the Metrocard tip, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly asked that the MTA give out Metrocards to all cops. What's shocking is that the NYPD and MTA didn't have this covered already. Less than half of the 37,000 officers have them, and of course the MTA will approve that the rest get them, but isn't a Metrocard as essential as a badge in this town? Anyway, according to the Times, the NYPD will be retraining its officers on entering the subway quickly; the NYPD also says that criticism that a closed token booth may have led to a murder victim's death is misguided, as the cop was delayed by seconds. The Times also had a profile of NYC Transit head Lawrence "The C train will be out for five years" Reuter yesterday, who admitted he shouldn't have spoken so soon during that incident. Sure, but Gothamist admits that it's nice to have a bureaucrat to beat up every once in a while.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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