Train delays caused by signal malfunctions, slow speeds, overcrowding and track conditions have for too long been a frustrating part of the daily commute – but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Real change is already underway on New York’s subways and elevated trains thanks to the Subway Action Plan (SAP) and Fast Forward, but so much more could and should be done.
The latest New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) report, 100 Days and 100 Nights: From Astoria to Lower Manhattan and Back, chronicles a commuter’s more than 200 rush hour trips to and from work, and highlights specific steps that could be taken to vastly improve the journey for tens of thousands of riders every day. Our rider starts his day on the N/W from the Broadway station in Astoria, transfers at the Lexington Av/59 St station to the 4/5 lines, and exits at lower Manhattan’s Bowling Green station, with the reverse trip in the afternoon rush. This geographically diverse route includes riders from Queens, the Bronx, the Upper East Side, and Brooklyn.
Several factors affecting the trip were measured and analyzed, including: total trip durations; trip segment durations; track speeds; station dwell times; platform wait times; transfer times; station crowding; onboard crowding; and stairwell crowding. We found that any poor performance on the N/W and/or 4/5 lines created conditions that significantly affected route reliability and the rider experience, leading to overcrowding on trains, stairways and platforms, and triggering a ripple effect across lines and stations:
Morning riders encountered overcrowding at the N/W Broadway station, onboard crowding at Queensboro Plaza, packed stairwells at the Lex/59 St station, and slow track speeds on the 4/5 lines. Our rider had to add nine minutes to the scheduled trip time, extending the trip from the scheduled 39 minutes to over 48 minutes.
In the PM commute, the 4/5 from Bowling Green to Grand Central/42 St became so overcrowded by the time it reached the Fulton St station there was such serious onboard overcrowding that riders were unable to board the train at least 27% of the time. In addition, the Lex/59 St station’s frequent overcrowding substantially slowed the transfer times with even a slight service delay.
Over the course of a year, we compared our rider’s experience to NYC Transit’s peak hour real-time General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data and schedule data to identify performance changes as a result of the SAP and the Save Safe Seconds campaign. Our analysis showed that after the first year of the SAP, major delays on the 4/5 line declined by 38%. Through Save Safe Seconds, more than two dozen locations have seen increased speed limits, with dozens more in the pipeline. Some of the speed improvements will directly improve our surveyed route by increasing 4/5 train speeds south of 14 St/Union Square and doubling N/W train speeds in and out of the Ditmars terminal in Astoria. The report makes a series of recommendations within the context of the Fast Forward plan including upgrading critical infrastructure; reviewing potential route changes to reduce reliance on critical interlockings; revitalizing the station experience; accelerating accessibility; and giving buses greater priority in the face of traffic.
The latest New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) report, 100 Days and 100 Nights: From Astoria to Lower Manhattan and Back, chronicles a commuter’s more than 200 rush hour trips to and from work, and highlights specific steps that could be taken to vastly improve the journey for tens of thousands of riders every day. Our rider starts his day on the N/W from the Broadway station in Astoria, transfers at the Lexington Av/59 St station to the 4/5 lines, and exits at lower Manhattan’s Bowling Green station, with the reverse trip in the afternoon rush. This geographically diverse route includes riders from Queens, the Bronx, the Upper East Side, and Brooklyn.
Several factors affecting the trip were measured and analyzed, including: total trip durations; trip segment durations; track speeds; station dwell times; platform wait times; transfer times; station crowding; onboard crowding; and stairwell crowding. We found that any poor performance on the N/W and/or 4/5 lines created conditions that significantly affected route reliability and the rider experience, leading to overcrowding on trains, stairways and platforms, and triggering a ripple effect across lines and stations:
Morning riders encountered overcrowding at the N/W Broadway station, onboard crowding at Queensboro Plaza, packed stairwells at the Lex/59 St station, and slow track speeds on the 4/5 lines. Our rider had to add nine minutes to the scheduled trip time, extending the trip from the scheduled 39 minutes to over 48 minutes.
In the PM commute, the 4/5 from Bowling Green to Grand Central/42 St became so overcrowded by the time it reached the Fulton St station there was such serious onboard overcrowding that riders were unable to board the train at least 27% of the time. In addition, the Lex/59 St station’s frequent overcrowding substantially slowed the transfer times with even a slight service delay.
Over the course of a year, we compared our rider’s experience to NYC Transit’s peak hour real-time General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data and schedule data to identify performance changes as a result of the SAP and the Save Safe Seconds campaign. Our analysis showed that after the first year of the SAP, major delays on the 4/5 line declined by 38%. Through Save Safe Seconds, more than two dozen locations have seen increased speed limits, with dozens more in the pipeline. Some of the speed improvements will directly improve our surveyed route by increasing 4/5 train speeds south of 14 St/Union Square and doubling N/W train speeds in and out of the Ditmars terminal in Astoria. The report makes a series of recommendations within the context of the Fast Forward plan including upgrading critical infrastructure; reviewing potential route changes to reduce reliance on critical interlockings; revitalizing the station experience; accelerating accessibility; and giving buses greater priority in the face of traffic.