MTA's Solution To Roosevelt Island Transit Woes - Not More Trains But More Staff On Platform To Cram Us Into Subway Cars!
A front page article in Saturday's NY Times Metro section described the transportation headaches on Roosevelt Island caused by the current Tram shutdown as well as potential, no likely, major transit problems next year when the Tram will be out of service for at least 6 months undergoing major repairs and upgrades (Here is 2007 Roosevelt Island Tramway Modernization Cost Benefit Analysis). According to the article:
They waited at the island’s single subway stop as jam-packed cars — two, three, four of them — clacked by without a seat to spare. Then the grumbling began. “The tram is always on time,” said Sally Jenkyn Jones as she forced herself aboard an already brimming F train. “This is always too packed.”And:
“I don’t see how the island is going to function next year,” said Ms. Shea, who works in finance. “It’s already a nightmare.”Assmeblymember Micah Kellner expresses Roosevelt Islanders fear of the perfect transportation storm:
Mr. Kellner said residents live in fear of the “trifecta”— losing the use of the tram, the subway and the Roosevelt Island Bridge at the same time.What does the MTA plan to do about the horrible transportation infrastructure on Roosevelt Island, which will only get much worse with the two new Riverwalk residential buildings coming on line early next year and three more planned soon thereafter? Will the MTA add additional F trains to the morning rush hour commute, express buses to Manhattan, extend the Q line to Roosevelt Island? No, of course not. According to the NY Times, this is what they plan to do:
“When you’re in an area as isolated as Roosevelt Island, you always want to have another means to get out,” he said.
Peter G. Cafiero, chief of operations planning for New York City Transit, said the authority had received several complaints from island residents about service at the station.Incredible! The MTA's solution is to add more staff members to the overcrowded Roosevelt Island platforms to somehow assist riders. How exactly are they going to assist us? By stuffing us into packed subway cans like they do in Japan with "Subway Pushers"?
Mr. Cafiero said the authority could not add more trains, but he said additional staff members would be at platforms next spring to assist riders.
You Tube Video of Japanese Subway Pushers During Rush Hour
5 comments :
I think they should reroute the V. Pay close attention to a subway map. What is the reason for its existence?
there is NO WAY to add trains to the F tracks. none... except changing the way the signals work, which they won't, since they are the way they are due to an accident a decade or so.
no Vs. No Qs. no Fs other than the ones that the mta already scheduled.
the solution is LESS development, NOT more trains.
sadly, a little late for that.
Maybe the MTA staff on the platform can explain why there is so often a 10 or 15 minute wait for a train in the middle of rush hour. Have you noticed that many of the downtown stations have "station managers" and R.I. doesn't? Complaining to the person in the station booth is a waste of time.
trains get delayed for many reasons - usually the passengers.
whether the riders, mechanical delays or even the weather as a cause, a crowded line means the delays stack up; if the E is delayed out in queens, it can mean the F will suffer as well. station managers can't do a thing about that, either.
the mta has not planned adequately for the explosive growth of queens (and many parts or brooklyn) these last 6 years, and while the average daily numbers might still say 'acceptable load' it clearly is a problem at rush hour.
and the mta will point out that hiring tokyo-style subway pushers is a lot more cost effective than building new lines!
I really like the idea of having MTA staff on the platform assisting people to get into the train. Maybe they can yell at people in the train blocking the entrance while at least 20 more people could easily fit into the center of the car. Move into the friggin' center of the train!!!!
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