NEW YORK — More changes are coming to New York City subway stations as special emergency doors will open in an effort to prevent fare increases.
Almost anyone who has taken the subway has probably seen someone use the emergency door to exit the subway platform, then one or more people use the open door to walk to the subway platform without paying. Riders skip the $2.90 fare so often that the MTA has said it costs the agency hundreds of millions of dollars.
That’s the reasoning behind the new pilot program that will begin in February.
Three subway stations: the 59th Street station on the 4/5/6 lines in midtown Manhattan, the 138th Street and Third Avenue station on the 6 line in the Bronx, and the Flushing Avenue station in the J/M/Z lines. They have emergency doors that have 15 second delays.
The idea is that if the door takes longer to open, fewer people will exit through that exit, meaning fare avoiders won’t be able to get in.
If you’re wondering why those three stations in particular were selected, it’s because they have plenty of turnstiles for people to exit in case of a real emergency.
There are also new metal barriers that are part of the barrier fin pilot program. They have been installed at the Lexington Avenue/59th Street station so that people cannot jump the turnstiles and avoid the toll.
MTA officials say whether it’s jumping a turnstile, sliding through a security stop or fooling the new manual door sensor, the agency is working diligently to make sure everyone pays.
2024-01-31 03:58:41
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