It's official: Bway stations in Lower Manhattan on verge of closing overnights.

[Shortline Bus]

Well it offical. Broadway Local stations between Lawerence and City Hall are on the verge of being cut and closing late nights between appx. 11pm-5am. This also ends the possiblity of 24/7 "R" service returning for now. Here NY Daily News story.

 

MTA mulls N-train nightmare scenarios

BY PETE DONOHUE

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

 

Sunday, December 14th 2008,

 

 

Riders at some 150 subway stations will see service cuts - including four late-night closings - unless the MTA gets a bailout, the Daily News has learned. The low lights include using only metrocard machine overnights at several stations with light usage and the overnight closing of the Broadway line local stations between Lawerence St and City Hall.

 

The targeted stations - a third of the system - will have fewer staffers, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority breakdown shows.

 

Gene Russianoff, of the Straphangers Campaign, said the proposals - recently sent to community boards - amount to "a full-scale assault on the convenience and safety of the riding public at a third of the system's 468 subway stations.

 

"In many cases, the cuts would force riders to enter through scary, unstaffed stations entrances."

 

Cuts include removing customer assistants from turnstiles and MetroCard machines, the MTA plan says.

 

The MTA's proposed budget also would close or reduce the hours of full-time token booths at dozens of stations, potentially resulting in longer lines.

 

The four stations that will go dark between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. affect & ®train riders on the Broadway Line: City Hall, Cortlandt St. and Rector St. in Manhattan, and Lawrence St. in downtown Brooklyn. The Cortlandt St. station is closed for construction related to the new world trade center.

 

Parts of three complexes used by N trains late at night would be shuttered: Canal St. and Whitehall St. in Manhattan, and Court St. in downtown Brooklyn. The N train will stop at Canal but on an express track. At Whitehall and Court Sts. riders could use a connecting passageway to take trains on other lines.

 

The N-train changes are part of a cost-cutting measure that will send the train over the Manhattan Bridge at all times instead of currently stopping at the proposed closed Lower Manhattan local stations overnights. The R line does not operate overnights.

 

MTA committees are expected to adopt the doomsday 2009 budget today, followed by the full board Wednesday.

 

Hearings are set for January and February before the cuts go into effect in the spring, officials have said. Fare and toll hikes are planned for June.

 

Riders could see the cuts cancelled and fare hikes reduced if Albany adopts a bailout crafted by a state commission headed by former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch.

 

The bailout includes tolls on East River and Harlem River bridges, and a payroll tax.

 

Tolls and taxes combined would raise about $2.5 billion annually for the MTA, which has massive gaps in its operating and capital construction plans.

 

"The budget proposal that the MTA board will consider on Wednesday includes many proposals that we hope not to have to implement," Jeremy Soffin, deputy director of MTA media relations, said in a statement.

 

"The MTA has an obligation to pass a balanced budget, but we hope the Ravitch Commission recommendations will be passed to avoid some of these painful proposals."

 

The customer assistance program was created to make the subways more rider friendly with burgundy-vested workers providing directions and help with vending machines.

 

There are 158 posts staffed by about 600 agents; some stations have more than one.

 

A total of 41 stations would have a full-time booth closed or open fewer hours. Each station still either would have a remaining booth staffed at all times or a working metrocard vending machine.

 

c)2008 NY Daily News. pdonohue@nydailynews.com

 

 

IMO a better alternative and compromise (still not great idea)that would be more acceptable is to close overnights the Rector (N/R) and Wall St (#4)stations than this stupid idea of all of the Lower Manhattan/Brooklyn Hgts. Bway Line stations.

 

I do admit that there is no need to keep all of the Wall St area stations open late nights though, they are a ghost town.

 

Any reactions?

[Y2Julio]

How is this official?

Riders at some 150 subway stations will see service cuts - including four late-night closings - unless the MTA gets a bailout, the Daily News has learned.

Reading comprehension fail.

[Myrtle Local]

Closing those stations is one thing, people can take other lines even though it might be inconvenient for some. Leaving stations unmanned is a dangerous move in my opinion, especially during overnight hours. And yes, this is not official yet!

[Brighton Local]

Atrocious. The is heavily used late night, and many Staten Islanders depend on the to go to Whitehall when the doesn't run.

[Forest Glen]

Except during GO's the 1 runs 24/7. The lower Manhattan stations aren't heavily used at night. The new South Ferry station will have a connection to Whitehall. I don't see the big deal.

[Shortline Bus]

How is this official?

Reading comprehension fail.

 

 

 

I meant the proposal is offical Julio not the actual plan to close the Bway stations in lower Manhattan. I still believe a compromise could be to close the Rector St (N & R) and Wall St-Bway(4)

overnights makes more sense. People do use the Whitehall station for Bway line stops to connect to/from the SI Ferry so that enough to keep it open 24/7.

[Myrtle Local]

I meant the proposal is offical Julio not the actual plan to close the Bway stations in lower Manhattan. I still believe a compromise could be to close the Rector St (N & R) and Wall St-Bway(4)

overnights makes more sense. People do use the Whitehall station for Bway line stops to connect to/from the SI Ferry so that enough to keep it open 24/7.

 

They won't just close Rector and keep Whitehall open because they want the running over the Manhattan Bridge at all times. The can still run local down Broadway but it will switch onto the local track leaving & coming into Prince Street so it can then stop at the express Canal St stop and go over the Manhattan Bridge. The will be the only train to serve the local Canal St stop, City Hall, Rector & Whitehall so when the stops running into the city like it does every night, there will be no trains running through these stations hence those 4 stops need to be closed (as well as Lawrence & Court St. stops in Brooklyn)

[Brighton Local]

What a shame. And their in the process of connecting Jay St-Borugh Hall to the Court St-Borough Hall Station. I never imagined Montague St closed; except for G.O.s.

[MTR Admiralty]

Preposterous!

What about the Staten Island Ferry Terminal? The MTA thinks nobody uses it during off hours???

[Shortline Bus]

Preposterous!

What about the Staten Island Ferry Terminal? The MTA thinks nobody uses it during off hours???

 

 

They assume the riders late nights will use either the or

trains nearby.

 

When in reality some riders also want access to SW Brooklyn from the SI Ferry, too such as Bay ridge, Sunset Park and others.

[MTR Admiralty]

They assume the riders late nights will use either the or

trains nearby.

 

When in reality some riders also want access to SW Brooklyn from the SI Ferry, too such as Bay ridge, Sunset Park and others.

 

Yeah... they are really dumb.

[Shortline Bus]

Yeah... they are really dumb.

 

 

Agreed. If the MTA exces are out late at night they probably being driven round in their expensive merceceds lol.

 

Seriously as someone who believes in compromise the issue of lower manhattan being on the table for late night closing is a fair one since almost all of the stations south of Canal other than South Ferry are ghost towns.. As somoene who used to live in SW Brooklyn i remember taking the train home at 2-3am from boarding at Union Sq at clubs or hanging out.

 

At stations between canal and court st CI-Bound even on a weekend overnight nobody other than Whitehall St. get on or got off. That why i rather the rector st station close overnights as a way for the MTA to save $$$ than cutting off all of the lower manhattan Bway local stations.

[RokuSix]

I'd love to know who's in charge of deciding what to close.

[MTR Admiralty]

I'd love to know who's in charge of deciding what to close.

 

Yeah me too, so I could find the person and throw my pair of shoes at him.

*no pun intended*

[RokuSix]

Yeah me too, so I could find the person and throw my pair of shoes at him.

*no pun intended*

 

There was definitely a pun intended there. =D

[MTR Admiralty]

There was definitely a pun intended there. =D

 

lol.

[Luis1985]

this is really bad. closing down line stations at night??? Thats retarted. so what if the runs 24/7, so what if the will operate to South Ferry 24/7, it doesnt go to brooklyn, and nobody wants to keep transfering from one train to another. just cuz the MTA is on a low budget, that doesnt mean they have to close down Lower Manhattan Station. That REALLY doesnt make any sense wat so ever. no offense...i think its really really stupid.

 

if thats the case, put the on the local, and let the make express stops in manhattan 24/7. why close down stations when the STATEN ISLAND FERRY is like a major connection to the ( Late nights) @ Whitehall ST????? this is rediculous, but yet they wanna raise the fare to $3. u gotta be kidding me. i dont approve this.

[7LineFan]

Yeah me too, so I could find the person and throw my pair of shoes at him.

*no pun intended*

 

There was definitely a pun intended there. =D

 

I see no pun... maybe a not-so-subtle reference, but definitely no pun.

 

On topic, I agree with Hudson River on this one. Keep Whitehall at the very least.

[Shortline Bus]

this is really bad. closing down line stations at night??? Thats retarted. so what if the runs 24/7, so what if the will operate to South Ferry 24/7, it doesnt go to brooklyn, and nobody wants to keep transfering from one train to another. just cuz the MTA is on a low budget, that doesnt mean they have to close down Lower Manhattan Station. That REALLY doesnt make any sense wat so ever. no offense...i think its really really stupid.

 

if thats the case, put the on the local, and let the make express stops in manhattan 24/7. why close down stations when the STATEN ISLAND FERRY is like a major connection to the ( Late nights) @ Whitehall ST????? this is rediculous, but yet they wanna raise the fare to $3. u gotta be kidding me. i dont approve this.

 

Preaching to the choirs my friend. I generally agree with your above statements. If the budget is really bad maybe close Rector St and City Hall late nights as compromise. But keep Whitehall, Court and Lawerence Bway line stations open 24/7.

[Cait Sith]

Atrocious. The is heavily used late night, and many Staten Islanders depend on the to go to Whitehall when the doesn't run.

 

But when the new South Ferry Station Opens, that might eliminate any disruptions of the at late night. But only time will tell.

[Brighton Local]

If this is the only case, then extend, the shuttle to Whitehall St. Late night service, can then run between Lower Manhattan-Whitehall St and Bay Ridge-95 St. At least, SI Ferry commuters can get to Brooklyn, while they can take the to Midtown..

[Myrtle Local]

Why does everyone keep mentioning compromises of maybe just closing Rector or City Hall but keep Whitehall open?? They want to close these stations because there won't be a train line traveling through these stations at night. They want the to go full time over the Manhattan Bridge. If the was actually traveling through them and bypassing these stops then you could mention compromises of certain station closings.

[Forest Glen]

Again, the stock exchanges close at 4PM. At midnight there's no one in the area. The only legitimate complaint is Whitehall since people need to reach the ferry, but other than that it's no big deal.

[metsfan]

(NYCT) better get its head outa its butt.

 

I know of ~100 people that would exploit unmanned stations for various purposes (not anything actually bad).

 

- A