Cybersecdn- In a progressive move to enhance passenger safety, the New York City Transit Authority has initiated a pilot program introducing new platform barriers at the 191st Street subway station in Washington Heights. These yellow barriers, installed recently, are designed to provide additional safety for riders of the No. 1 train.
The barriers are spaced strategically, ensuring they deter track intrusions while not hindering passenger movement. MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber emphasized that this initiative is currently in an experimental phase and its effectiveness will be closely monitored. If deemed successful, there’s potential for a broader implementation across the transit system.
This initiative at the Washington Heights station marks the beginning, with three other locations, including the Clark Street station in Brooklyn Heights and the West 8-NY Aquarium station in Coney Island, identified for similar installations. The fourth location is still under consideration. This safety measure, funded through existing maintenance resources, stems from a task force’s efforts to prevent track trespassing.
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The design of these barriers is carefully thought out to ensure they do not obstruct subway car doors during boarding or alighting. While passenger response to these new installations remains to be gauged, the pilot program aligns with MTA’s recent efforts to curb fare evasion through high-tech sensor gates at four major transit hubs. The MTA reported substantial losses of $500 million in 2021 and $690 million in 2022 due to fare evasion, marking a worrying 38% increase.
