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2017 Subway Ridership


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These numbers are pathetic.  The only areas that are seeing actual growth are the ones where there's gentrification.  Some of these "increases" are artificial due to stations being closed for renovation.  We all know what's going on here... Less reliable service and more people driving or taking Uber or Lyft.

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I wouldn't be so quick to call these numbers pathetic. A lot of stations that experienced a drop in ridership still have a higher ridership then in 2012-2013. I think that ridership levels are dropping but only because they have spiked in 2015-2016, and that what we are seeing now is a stabilization.

When I have time this weekend I'll make a spreadsheet or something to explore these trends in a more coherent way.

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Here is the impact of SAS on the ridership at relevant stations:

  • 57 St - 7 Av (N)(Q)(R)(W) +5079 
  • Lexington Ave - 59 St (4)(5)(6)(N)(R)(W) -9217
  • Lexington Ave - 63 St (F)(Q)  +3905
  • 68 St - Hunter College (6) -10612
  • 72 St - 2 Av (Q) +28145
  • 77 St (6) -8519
  • 86 St (4)(5)(6) -18911
  • 86 St - 2 Av (Q) +23722
  • 96 St (6) -7956
  • 96 St - 2 Av (Q) +17150

for a net gain of ~23000 entries.

Other notable changes:

  • Hudson Yards (7) ridership is now above 10,000
  • The (W) has increased ridership by double digit percentages at City Hall, Cortlandt St, Rector St, and South Ferry
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37 minutes ago, kosciusko said:

I wouldn't be so quick to call these numbers pathetic. A lot of stations that experienced a drop in ridership still have a higher ridership then in 2012-2013. I think that ridership levels are dropping but only because they have spiked in 2015-2016, and that what we are seeing now is a stabilization.

When I have time this weekend I'll make a spreadsheet or something to explore these trends in a more coherent way.

You're excluding the fact that the population is bursting at the seams here and our local economy is stronger than ever.  That means MORE people should be taking the subway, not less.  This morning's melt down on the (1) train with no explanation as to why the train was going out of service, nor why the line was delayed in general was yet another example of how this agency can't function anymore during rush hour.  All I heard as we sat packed on the platform at 137th Street was essentially how inept the agency is and how they are essentially unable to move people and get them to work on time. You ask any New Yorker how much time they now spend traveling to get to work, and I'm willing to bet that just about all of them will say that they've added at least 15 - 20 minutes more to their commute EACH way if not more to deal with the delays and issues plaguing the system.  I don't call that stabilization at all. I call that a lack of faith in the system and people using other means to get around.

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57 minutes ago, kosciusko said:

I wouldn't be so quick to call these numbers pathetic. A lot of stations that experienced a drop in ridership still have a higher ridership then in 2012-2013. I think that ridership levels are dropping but only because they have spiked in 2015-2016, and that what we are seeing now is a stabilization.

When I have time this weekend I'll make a spreadsheet or something to explore these trends in a more coherent way.

I’m with VG8 here. Subway ridership has historically been tied to regional job growth, for obvious reasons. Right now, NYC’s employment is growing by about 2% per year, but subway ridership is down by about that amount. When you look at those two factors, and then consider the historic level of core congestion, the only logical conclusion is that our system’s dysfunction has been driving riders away. 

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On a less depressing note, when analyzing SAS ridership it's important to look at 103 St (6) as well. 103 St (6) and 96 St (Q)  have overlapping catchment areas (east of Lexington Av and north of 96 St) so it seems some people have switched from using 103 St (6) to 96 St (Q). 103 St was partially closed in 2015 and 2016 for renovation, so weekday ridership actually increased between 2016 and 2017, but looking at ridership numbers from 2014, there's a modest decrease that makes it clear some people formerly boarding at 103 St have switched to the (Q) instead.

The SAS stations unsurprisingly have relatively higher ridership on the weekends compared to weekdays, likely due to a mix of GOs on the Lexington Avenue Line, less people traveling to job centers in East Midtown and Lower Manhattan as well as Upper East Side schools and hospitals and more people going to shopping/entertainment/etc. near Broadway Line stations. Likewise, on weekends 86 St (Q) is busier than 72 St.

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Also unsurprisingly, all the crosstown UES buses + M31 saw notable ridership decreases.

 

 

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19 hours ago, RR503 said:

I’m with VG8 here. Subway ridership has historically been tied to regional job growth, for obvious reasons. Right now, NYC’s employment is growing by about 2% per year, but subway ridership is down by about that amount. When you look at those two factors, and then consider the historic level of core congestion, the only logical conclusion is that our system’s dysfunction has been driving riders away. 

The real question is where are the riders going? If they're walking or biking, that's not necessarily a bad thing - physical activity is good for health. If they are taking taxis and increasing congestion on the roads, that's probably not a good thing. To reduce the traffic, congestion pricing or better competition (improved bus + subway service) is needed, but who knows which one is easier to implement. 

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Just now, Caelestor said:

The real question is where are the riders going? If they're walking or biking, that's not necessarily a bad thing - physical activity is good for health. If they are taking taxis and increasing congestion on the roads, that's probably not a good thing. To reduce the traffic, congestion pricing or better competition (improved bus + subway service) is needed, but who knows which one is easier to implement. 

I'd implement congestion pricing on the Queensboro, Triboro (all directions to avoid people detouring through the Bronx), Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridges plus the Queens Midtown and Brooklyn Battery tunnels from 6 AM - 10 (or 9) PM weekdays. 100% of these funds would be in a dedicated lockbox to go to the MTA, which should add extra revenue without raising taxes or costs on the majority of NYers. Deliveries to business would be encouraged to happen overnight, and the tolls on the Throgs Neck and Whitestone bridges would be removed to allow for LIers/Queens/Brooklyn to leave the island without paying tolls.

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Also looks like the list of top 10 subway stations on the MTA's webpage wasn't updated for 2017. Here are the updated top 10 lists. With the opening of the Second Av Subway, Lexington Av-59 St and 86 St (4)(5)(6) have fallen off the top 10 lists, with some newcomers taking their place.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top 10 Annual Ridership 2016:

1. Times Sq-42 St/42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal

2. Grand Central-42 St

3. 34 St-Herald Square

4. 14 St-Union Square

5. 34 St-Penn Station (1)(2)(3)

6. 34 St-Penn Station (A)(C)(E)

7. Fulton St (Manhattan)

8. 59 St-Columbus Circle

9. Lexington Av-59 St

10. 86 St (4)(5)(6)

 

Top 10 Annual Ridership 2017:

1. Times Sq-42 St/42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal

2. Grand Central-42 St

3. 34 St-Herald Square

4. 14 St-Union Square

5. Fulton St (Manhattan)

6. 34 St-Penn Station (1)(2)(3)

7. 34 St-Penn Station (A)(C)(E)

8. 59 St-Columbus Circle

9. Lexington Av-53 St/51 St

10. Flushing-Main St


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Top 10 Weekday Ridership 2016:

1. Times Sq-42 St/42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal

2. Grand Central-42 St

3. 34 St-Herald Square

4. 14 St-Union Square

5. 34 St-Penn Station (1)(2)(3)

6. Fulton St (Manhattan)

7. 34 St-Penn Station (A)(C)(E)

8. 59 St-Columbus Circle

9. Lexington Av-53 St/51 St

10. Lexington Av-59 St

 

Top 10 Weekday Ridership 2017:

1. Times Sq-42 St/42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal

2. Grand Central-42 St

3. 34 St-Herald Square

4. 14 St-Union Square

5. Fulton St (Manhattan)

6. 34 St-Penn Station (1)(2)(3)

7. 34 St-Penn Station (A)(C)(E)

8. 59 St-Columbus Circle

9. Lexington Av-53 St/51 St

10. 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center

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Top 10 Saturday/Sunday Ridership 2016:

1. Times Sq-42 St/42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal

2. 14 St-Union Square

3. 34 St-Herald Square

4. Grand Central-42 St

5. 34 St-Penn Station (1)(2)(3)

6. 59 St-Columbus Circle

7. 34 St-Penn Station (A)(C)(E)

8. 74 St-Broadway/Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av

9. Flushing-Main St

10. 86 St (4)(5)(6)

 

Top 10 Saturday/Sunday Ridership 2017:

1. Times Sq-42 St/42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal

2. 14 St-Union Square

3. 34 St-Herald Square

4. Grand Central-42 St

5. 59 St-Columbus Circle

6. 34 St-Penn Station (A)(C)(E)

7. 34 St-Penn Station (1)(2)(3)

8. Canal St (6)(J)(Z)(N)(Q)(R)(W)

9. 74 St-Broadway/Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av

10. Flushing-Main St

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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1 hour ago, Around the Horn said:

Woah... I was not expecting Canal to jump into the top ten on weekends. That was unexpected...

As a friend pointed out to me, this probably is (somewhat) related to Clark St. ridership displacement. 

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9 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Woah... I was not expecting Canal to jump into the top ten on weekends. That was unexpected...

Canal St is busy despite itself. That station would really benefit from eminent domaining half the block and expanding the station facilities, because the current station is a maze and a deathtrap.

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8 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

How so?  I see tons of tourists getting on at that stop for the (6) especially.

If you're traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan/Bronx, it's a good midpoint destination to grab relatively cheap meals and groceries. Like Union Sq, the stop is also easy to get to, with multiple BMT lines + Lex Ave converging on the stop.

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7 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

Canal St is busy despite itself. That station would really benefit from eminent domaining half the block and expanding the station facilities, because the current station is a maze and a deathtrap.

The part in bold speaks for itself.

So are you saying that Canal Street would need somewhat of a Fulton Center Treatment and would it involve expanding the (N) and (Q) platforms?

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I'd understand if it's impossible to do anything beyond that if the structural integrity of the nearby buildings and the subway lines themselves come into question, but I'd prefer something that isn't Fulton St-lite. The one thing I really don't like about Fulton St is the forced use of the (A)(C) platform to transfer between the Lexington Ave and 7th Avenue platforms. I'd really hate to see that emulated any further at Canal St if it's avoidable and rather would like them to build a straight passageway between the Broadway tunnel platforms to the Centre St one instead.

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8 hours ago, Lance said:

I'd understand if it's impossible to do anything beyond that if the structural integrity of the nearby buildings and the subway lines themselves come into question, but I'd prefer something that isn't Fulton St-lite. The one thing I really don't like about Fulton St is the forced use of the (A)(C) platform to transfer between the Lexington Ave and 7th Avenue platforms. I'd really hate to see that emulated any further at Canal St if it's avoidable and rather would like them to build a straight passageway between the Broadway tunnel platforms to the Centre St one instead.

I had something in mind on the order of Bleecker St or Court Square, something similar to the Bank upgrade in London.

(Business Insider surprisingly had one of the better laid out videos and whatnot describing the project.)

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5 minutes ago, KK 6 Ave Local said:

Broadway Junction is ranked 179- i'd expect it to have a better score.

It's probably lower because a good portion of the people there transfer, and turnstile jumping is maybe also a factor given that it is in East New York.

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21 minutes ago, R68OnBroadway said:

It's probably lower because a good portion of the people there transfer, and turnstile jumping is maybe also a factor given that it is in East New York.

There's a police station inside Broadway Junction and the precinct is right next to the turnstiles... doubt farebeating is an issue at that station.

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