Crime-ridden subways in NYC receive turnstile 'spikes' as Hochul increases police presence
New spikes are being implemented to prevent fare evasion, but individuals continue to discover methods to evade payment.
Gov. Hochul of New York has unveiled a $77 million plan to combat subway crime, while the MTA has started installing "spikes" on some turnstiles to prevent fare evaders who cost the transit agency hundreds of millions of dollars annually in lost revenue.
Metal sheets with sharp edges have been added to the guardrails between turnstiles to prevent fare beaters from using the gate handrails for leverage when jumping.
The spikes in Manhattan's Lexington Avenue 59th Street Station, which serves the N, R, W, 4, 5 and 6 trains, are not very sharp, allowing evaders to place their hands on top of them and jump over them or simply duck underneath the bars.
It is easy to skip payment at subway stations with low turnstiles, as one rider told the New York Post, calling the new spikes "silly and foolish" and a waste of money.
The MTA spends approximately $1 million monthly on private unarmed security guards to discourage fare evasion, according to Fox 5, but these guards lack the power to arrest those who avoid payment.
The plan of Hochul to reduce fare evasion involves the installation of modern high-rise turnstiles at 40 stations. It is uncertain if the spike rollout at 59th Street is included in this plan.
The subway system accounts for approximately $500 million of the $700 million in lost revenue due to fare evasion, with the remaining $200 million attributed to the bus system.
Hochul announced at a Grand Central press conference on Thursday that it's time to crack down on fare evaders who are so brazen that they just walk through and others who are paying feel like why should they bother.
Recent high-profile incidents on the transit system have caused fear among everyday strangers, despite a decrease in overall crime in the city, Hochul stated.
Last month, an undocumented Guatemalan man was arrested for setting a woman on fire and killing her on a subway train. On New Year's Eve, a man was pushed onto a moving train but somehow survived.
Recently, there has been an increase in violence on subways, prompting Governor Hochul to announce that 750 more police officers will be assigned to patrol the subway system, in addition to the 2,500 already assigned. Of these, 300 will be stationed on trains between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. This is in addition to the estimated 1,000 National Guard troops already assigned to the subway system.
In one year, the number of law enforcement personnel on the New York City subway system has been doubled, as stated by Hochul.
By the end of 2025, more than 100 stations will have new subway edge barriers on platforms to prevent straphangers from falling or being pushed onto tracks.
In order to enhance visibility in subway stations, the governor announced funding for the installation of LED lighting throughout the entire system.
"Hochil suggested that we return to the fundamentals, stating that the barriers had fulfilled their purpose. "They exist. If someone chooses to stand behind them while the train is approaching, it provides the security that every New Yorker should feel.""
A 24/7 "Welcome Center" near end-of-line stations will be expanded to provide spaces for homeless individuals, as stated by Hochul.
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