NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Bronx woman was honored by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday for becoming the billionth subway rider in 2022.
It's the first time subway ridership has exceeded a billion commuters since 2019.
Transit officials and cameras surprised the High Bridge resident at the 161st Street–Yankee Stadium station as she made her way to see the new "Avatar" film.
As a reward, Sasha Salazar was gifted a framed piece of subway art, a new OMNY piece of subway art, an OMNY card loaded with $100 and a gift membership to the Transit Museum.
"Every New Yorker uses the subway everyday and I know that we appreciate the MTA, all the workers that work for the MTA," she said, adding that she appreciates all of the safety protocols that the city and agency have made.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber called Tuesday's event "a big milestone" and a "hopeful sign" for 2023.
Governor Kathy Hochul praised the achievement in a statement.
"We have been working hard to bring customers back by providing safer, cleaner, and faster service, and hitting one billion riders in 2022 is evidence that our work is paying off," she said. "New Yorkers and tourists alike continue to flock to the subway, proving there is no better way to get around New York City than mass transit."
However, the landmark comes a week after the MTA announced it would cut service on seven subway lines in 2023.
Transit Worker Union Local 100 president Richard Davis said in a statement Tuesday that the cuts "make zero sense."
"Riders are coming back to the system," he said. "Why reduce the frequency of trains? Service cuts will mean longer waits and more crowding on platforms and inside subway cars – during a pandemic!"
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