NYC subway's recovery put at risk by crime even as city rebounds

[marmar]

A spike in assaults and harassment incidents in New York’s transit system is threatening its ability to restore ridership to prepandemic levels just as it needs to start replenishing its coffers.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which carried 5.5 million people on its subways every weekday before the COVID-19 outbreak, faces a harsh reality: Even with $14.5 billion of federal aid, it must plug an estimated $1.5 billion deficit as soon as 2024 if ridership fails to hit prepandemic levels.

That scenario would bring back financial strains that could have dire consequences for the future of the nation’s largest transit system. At stake is the MTA’s $51.5 billion capital plan, which would improve access for the nearly 1 million New Yorkers who identify as disabled, expand service to underserved neighborhoods and replace aging signals that cause delays and limit service.

The key to it all, however, is revenue. The authority must lure people back in the face of concerns about both COVID-19 and personal safety. With the most-populous U.S. city reopening, subway ridership is as high as it’s been since the virus first hit. But it’s still a mere 40% of prepandemic levels, and by some estimates, 20% of riders may never return, with more people opting for remote work or preferring cars or bikes. The federal aid will eventually run out, so winning back passengers is crucial given that fares and tolls historically accounted for 50% of revenue. ...............(more)

https://www.masstransitmag.com/safety-security/news/21223788/ny-nyc-subways-recovery-put-at-risk-by-crime-even-as-city-rebounds