To reduce subway crime, NYC transit agency eyes platform doors, other options

Technology, other physical barriers and human intervention programs are being tested around New York's subway system.

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority continues to grapple with subway crime, with two more people being shoved off platforms onto the tracks this week.

Many people have long argued for installing platform screen doors at subway stations, which block access to the tracks until a train is stopped in the station and are widely used by airport tram systems and transit systems in Europe, Asia and elsewhere.

However, the use of platform screen doors is limited in New York City's subway system — and likely to continue to be for years to come, according to the MTA. A 2020 study by the MTA found that platform doors could be installed at just 128 of the subway system's 472 stations — and even then, the transit agency's estimated cost is $7 billion. "So we do have to look at other things that we can implement more effectively and quickly," said MTA spokesperson Joanna Flores.

Recent statistics show that felony assaults on New York subways remain slightly above pre-pandemic levels, with high-profile incidents often widely reported. In May, a 35-year-old woman was paralyzed after her head was smashed against the side of a moving train, while in June, an 18-year-old on her way to get her hair done for prom was pushed onto the track and a 42-year-old man was shoved off the platform. All three victims survived.

Track intrusions — which the MTA defines as also including people falling or entering onto the tracks — grew 20% from 2019 to 2021, the transit agency found in a 2022 report. In the first four months of 2021, there were 537 intrusions, including six assaults, one of which resulted in death.

While platform screen doors could prevent many of these intrusions, the structures have limitations. Current subway trains are designed with different door placements, making alignment with a fixed platform door impossible. The MTA says in its report that it plans to complete the acquisition of new trains with identical door alignments by 2033. Other limitations of platform screen doors are related to station infrastructure, such as placement of columns, structural integrity and clearance for accessibility features.

Last year, the agency announced a pilot program to install platform screen doors at three stations. Flores said the MTA is still in the procurement process and couldn't give a date as to when these might be ready.

However, "there are some smaller interventions that we’ve been deploying and piloting that we think can make a real difference," said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer at a March 29 board meeting. These efforts include physical barriers, the use of technology and human intervention, Flores said.

Flores added that the MTA had increased the presence of police officers and mental health professionals in the subway system and added more information on track safety and suicide prevention to customer message signs.