What’s gone wrong with New York’s subway system — and how is MTA planning to fix it?
Though those living outside the city may not have noticed, New York’s subway system is b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶.̶ ̶O̶u̶t̶d̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶f̶r̶a̶s̶t̶r̶u̶c̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶y̶ ̶t̶e̶c̶h̶n̶o̶l̶o̶g̶y̶,̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶w̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶p̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶M̶e̶t̶r̶o̶p̶o̶l̶i̶t̶a̶n̶ ̶T̶r̶a̶n̶s̶i̶t̶ ̶A̶u̶t̶h̶o̶r̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶(̶M̶T̶A̶)̶ ̶d̶e̶c̶i̶s̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶r̶e̶g̶a̶r̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶s̶i̶g̶n̶a̶l̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶a̶f̶e̶t̶y̶ ̶p̶o̶l̶i̶c̶y̶,̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶t̶ the famed public transportation system s̶y̶s̶t̶e̶m̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶ ̶g̶r̶i̶n̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶h̶a̶l̶t̶.
It’s clear to both the authorities and the public that s̶o̶m̶e̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶n̶e̶e̶d̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶ — ̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶o̶,̶ ̶a̶f̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶y̶e̶a̶r̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶i̶g̶n̶o̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶b̶l̶e̶m̶s̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶i̶t̶ ̶a̶u̶t̶h̶o̶r̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶r̶e̶c̶e̶n̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶s̶c̶r̶a̶m̶b̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶f̶i̶x̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶.̶ ̶I̶n̶ ̶2̶0̶1̶8̶,̶ the MTA announced its “Fast Forward” plan to update and improve the subway system over the next 10 years. F̶o̶r̶ ̶N̶e̶w̶ ̶Y̶o̶r̶k̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶s̶u̶f̶f̶e̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶y̶’̶s̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶p̶o̶r̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶c̶r̶i̶s̶i̶s̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶n̶g̶e̶s̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶s̶o̶o̶n̶ ̶e̶n̶o̶u̶g̶h̶.̶
Riders of the New York subway system are l̶i̶k̶e̶l̶y̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶e̶n̶c̶o̶u̶n̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶ ̶n̶u̶m̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶b̶l̶e̶m̶s̶ on their daily commute, the most obvious of which are d̶e̶l̶a̶y̶s̶.̶ Monthly passenger hours l̶o̶s̶t̶ grew by 45.3 percent between 2012 and 2017: s̶u̶c̶h̶ ̶d̶e̶l̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶N̶e̶w̶ ̶Y̶o̶r̶k̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶l̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶k̶,̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶r̶i̶b̶u̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶e̶c̶o̶n̶o̶m̶i̶c̶ ̶c̶o̶s̶t̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶f̶r̶u̶s̶t̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶b̶o̶t̶h̶ ̶b̶u̶s̶i̶n̶e̶s̶s̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶e̶m̶p̶l̶o̶y̶e̶e̶s̶.̶
Many factors contribute to the New York subway system’̶s̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶y̶-̶s̶t̶a̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶d̶e̶l̶a̶y̶s̶.̶ ̶O̶l̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶i̶g̶n̶a̶l̶s̶ ̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶o̶p̶e̶r̶a̶t̶o̶r̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶l̶o̶w̶ ̶d̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶e̶x̶c̶e̶s̶s̶i̶v̶e̶l̶y̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶f̶e̶a̶r̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶s̶p̶e̶e̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶p̶e̶n̶a̶l̶t̶i̶e̶s̶,which means trains d̶o̶n̶’̶t̶ always operate at their highest safe capacity. Increased safety precautions about running trains around construction work d̶e̶l̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶i̶n̶s̶ ̶f̶u̶r̶t̶h̶e̶r̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ means f̶e̶w̶e̶r̶ trains can run per hour. A̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶s̶u̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶v̶o̶i̶d̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶-̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶i̶n̶s̶t̶a̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶ ̶s̶i̶g̶n̶a̶l̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶f̶o̶r̶m̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶c̶k̶ ̶m̶a̶i̶n̶t̶e̶n̶a̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶n̶i̶g̶h̶t̶.̶ No wonder New Yorkers are i̶m̶p̶a̶t̶i̶e̶n̶t̶ for the MTA t̶o̶ ̶i̶m̶p̶l̶e̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶f̶i̶x̶e̶s̶.
I̶n̶ ̶a̶d̶d̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶̶̶e̶̶̶l̶̶̶a̶̶̶y̶̶̶s̶̶̶,̶̶̶ ̶̶̶o̶̶̶u̶̶̶t̶̶̶d̶̶̶a̶̶̶t̶̶̶e̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶n̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶i̶̶̶n̶̶̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶e̶s̶s̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶f̶r̶a̶s̶t̶r̶u̶c̶t̶u̶r̶e̶,̶ ̶c̶̶̶a̶̶̶n̶̶̶ ̶̶̶w̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶a̶̶̶k̶̶̶ ̶̶̶e̶̶̶v̶̶̶e̶̶̶n̶̶̶ ̶̶̶m̶̶̶o̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶e̶̶̶r̶̶̶i̶̶̶o̶̶̶u̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶h̶̶̶a̶̶̶v̶̶̶o̶̶̶c̶̶̶ ̶̶̶i̶̶̶n̶̶̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶i̶v̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶m̶o̶b̶i̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶i̶m̶p̶a̶i̶r̶m̶e̶n̶t̶s̶.T̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶j̶o̶r̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶N̶e̶w̶ ̶Y̶o̶r̶k̶ ̶s̶u̶b̶w̶a̶y̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶l̶a̶c̶k̶ ̶b̶a̶s̶i̶c̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶o̶n̶e̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶e̶s̶s̶i̶b̶i̶l̶i̶t̶y̶,̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶e̶l̶e̶v̶a̶t̶o̶r̶s̶.̶ ̶A̶ ̶l̶a̶c̶k̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶e̶s̶s̶i̶b̶i̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶v̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶b̶i̶l̶i̶t̶y̶-̶i̶m̶p̶a̶i̶r̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶i̶n̶j̶u̶r̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶e̶l̶d̶e̶r̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶e̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶n̶g̶ ̶c̶h̶i̶l̶d̶r̶e̶n̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶u̶s̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶u̶b̶w̶a̶y̶.̶ ̶S̶u̶b̶s̶e̶q̶u̶e̶n̶t̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶m̶i̶s̶s̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶e̶c̶o̶n̶o̶m̶i̶c̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶o̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶r̶i̶b̶u̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶s̶e̶g̶m̶e̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶o̶p̶u̶l̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶m̶a̶k̶e̶.̶ F̶u̶r̶t̶h̶e̶r̶m̶o̶r̶e̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶i̶v̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶N̶e̶w̶ ̶Y̶o̶r̶k̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶p̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶v̶̶̶e̶̶̶n̶̶̶t̶̶̶e̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶f̶̶̶r̶̶̶o̶̶̶m̶̶̶ ̶̶̶u̶̶̶s̶̶̶i̶̶̶n̶̶̶g̶̶̶ ̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶u̶̶̶b̶̶̶w̶̶̶a̶̶̶y̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶y̶̶̶s̶̶̶t̶̶̶e̶̶̶m̶̶̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶r̶u̶p̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶a̶ ̶h̶u̶g̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶y̶:̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶r̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶h̶a̶r̶d̶ ̶e̶n̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶r̶y̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶’̶l̶l̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶e̶e̶t̶ ̶l̶e̶v̶e̶l̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶x̶t̶ ̶s̶t̶o̶p̶.̶
The subway system’s p̶o̶o̶r̶ infrastructure affects everyone. D̶e̶l̶a̶y̶s̶, safety and accessibility c̶o̶n̶c̶e̶r̶n̶s̶,̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶comfort caused by c̶r̶o̶w̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶d̶a̶n̶g̶e̶r̶o̶u̶s̶ ̶l̶a̶c̶k̶ of air conditioning — ̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶d̶r̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶N̶e̶w̶ ̶Y̶o̶r̶k̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶g̶r̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶o̶n̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶e̶e̶t̶s̶.̶ ̶streets. I̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶p̶̶̶r̶̶̶o̶̶̶b̶̶̶l̶̶̶e̶̶̶m̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶a̶d̶d̶r̶e̶s̶s̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶y̶ ̶b̶e̶g̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶a̶l̶t̶e̶r̶n̶a̶t̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶d̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶p̶o̶r̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶i̶n̶c̶l̶u̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶g̶o̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶e̶s̶t̶i̶n̶g̶.̶
The fix
But f̶i̶x̶i̶n̶g̶ the subway system has proven to be a c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶i̶c̶a̶t̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ s̶i̶n̶g̶l̶e̶ c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶i̶t̶s̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶b̶l̶e̶m̶s̶.̶ ̶I̶n̶ ̶f̶a̶c̶t̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶m̶e̶r̶ president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation s̶a̶i̶d̶,̶ ̶”̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶l̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶y̶ ̶w̶e̶ ̶r̶u̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶s̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶.̶”̶
I̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶a̶s̶t̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ MTA h̶a̶s̶ ̶b̶l̶a̶m̶e̶d̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶-̶c̶r̶o̶w̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶g̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶e̶c̶h̶n̶o̶l̶o̶g̶y̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ system’s p̶r̶o̶b̶l̶e̶m̶s̶.̶ ̶W̶h̶i̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶f̶a̶c̶t̶o̶r̶s can certainly make an impact, other cities have shown they can and should be overcome.
The New York City subway system and the London Underground both depend on ageing architecture — but where updates and innovations are concerned, London has e̶x̶c̶e̶l̶l̶e̶d̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶N̶e̶w̶ ̶Y̶o̶r̶k̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ lagged behind. To a New Yorker, the L̶o̶n̶d̶o̶n̶ Underground seems noticeably safer, faster and more efficiently maintained.
As the MTA makes plans to f̶i̶x̶ New York’s b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ subway system, it’s looking to other cities for pointers. Some of the updates proposed in the MTA’s “Fast Forward” plan — such as a tap-and-go payment system — have already been successfully implemented e̶l̶s̶e̶w̶h̶e̶r̶e̶.
In addition to the updated payment system, the MTA plans to make changes to all levels of the subway system. It’s planning to install updated communications-based train control (CBTC) signals that will allow trains to run closer together, allowing for an increase in frequency. It’s also promised to replace outdated cars, upgrade underlying infrastructure including power systems, and work towards repairing and improving stations — though it is unclear if upgrades to stations will include accessibility improvements.
Perhaps the most important part of MTA plan is to embrace p̶r̶o̶-̶a̶c̶t̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶i̶n̶t̶e̶n̶a̶n̶c̶e̶.̶ ̶B̶y̶ ̶f̶i̶x̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶p̶o̶t̶e̶n̶t̶i̶a̶l̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶b̶l̶e̶m̶s̶ ̶e̶a̶r̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶i̶n̶s̶t̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶f̶e̶s̶t̶e̶r̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶M̶T̶A̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶a̶v̶o̶i̶d̶ future transportation c̶r̶i̶s̶e̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶.̶
Though the MTA’s plan for improving the subway system isn̶’̶t̶ perfect and will take at least 10 years to complete, it is a step in the right direction. And hopefully, as the MTA works to improve public transportation, New York’s subway system will become the shining beacon of efficiency t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶m̶e̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶f̶i̶r̶s̶t̶ ̶e̶n̶v̶i̶s̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶.̶ But for now, if you’re planning on visiting New York, you might want to think about taking the bus.