NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — MTA officials on Monday announced that the New York City subway system will begin a phased reopening process at the end of February.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, MTA Chairman and CEO Pat Foye and NYC Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg made the announcement during a virtual press conference.
The governor notes that as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline in New York, the MTA can begin to adjust time schedules.
Currently, the subways are closed nightly from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. so that every train car can be properly disinfected, and all stations can be cleaned.
Under the phased reopening, which begins on Monday, Feb. 22, subways can begin to stay open until 2 a.m. and reopen again at 4 a.m.
“We have been planning, in recent weeks, for our own reopening and return of overnight service, and we have determined that a shortened overnight closure is an appropriate step forward towards the return of around the clock service,” Feinberg said.
She notes that the MTA will continue its overnight cleaning regime to ensure the subways are a safe environment for all passengers.
Gov. Cuomo said reopening the subways is a crucial step in healing and fully reopening New York’s economy, as thousands of New Yorkers depend on it to get around each and every day.
“We want to accelerate the reopening and stimulate the reopening of the economy. Many people have had significant pain ands suffering with this economic shutdown. The MTA is obviously vital to the reopening and the stimulation of the economy,” the governor said.
While they did not announce when the overnight shutdowns would end entirely, Feinberg, Foye and Cuomo were all in agreement that the overnight closures have made the subways the cleanest they have ever been in years.
Feinberg says the cleanliness of the system is a top priority for the MTA, but passengers’ safety is also a top concern.
After calling for an additional 1,000 NYPD officers to be deployed into the city’s transit system following a stabbing spree that left two people dead on the A train, Feinberg and Foye reiterated that they would also like to see more mental health services deployed onto the city’s subway system.
“Additional policing will not solve the mental health crisis or the fact that so many in the subway system are experiencing homelessness and therefore, more likely to be victimized. We have to put additional resources to these items as well. To that end, we've called on the city to expand the 311 system into the subway so people using the system, including our own employees, are better able to report those who are clearly experiencing a mental health crisis,” Feinberg said.
While the NYPD has yet to respond to the MTA’s calls, Cuomo stressed that in order to bring the economy back, the city and the MTA needs to address the spike in crime.
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