MTA Spends Up to $1,900 Per Gate for Subway Safety as Crime Drops 29% Amid Gov. Hochul's Initiatives

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been shelling out up to $1,900 per stainless-steel gate at subway stations as part of its safety measures, which means a station like First Avenue on the L line sees a steep material cost of roughly $100,000. The gates, waist-high and designed to protect riders against shoves or slips onto the tracks, are part of a directive from Gov. Kathy Hochul in response to a high-profile pushing incident at the West 18th Street station. To date, the MTA has installed these barriers in 17 stations, with nine other lines earmarked for similar upgrades, Crain's New York Business reported.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration is marking an year since the implementation of safety strategies that include additional law enforcement measures, touting a significant decrease in transit crimes. "Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority — and I’ll never stop working to ensure riders can rely on our subways to safely get wherever they need to go," the Governor stated. Following these initiatives, including barrier installations and other infrastructure upgrades, the MTA noted a 29 percent decrease in major transit crimes, while arrests went up 71 percent, as per the Governor's office.

In terms of costs beyond materials, the MTA did not release estimates for labor, since employees working on barriers also tackle unrelated tasks, and negotiations are ongoing to score the materials for less dough. MTA spokesperson Eugene Resnick hinted, according to Crain's New York Business, negotiations are underway to obtain materials at a reduced cost in order to meet Hochul's 2025 mandate.

Safety on the subways extends beyond barriers – Gov. Hochul has pushed for law enforcement to be present in trains and stations, especially overnight, and upgrades to fare gates are in the works. Meanwhile, an additional 1,000 National Guardsmen have been deployed to subway entrances. The Governor assured funding to retrofit over 100 more stations with platform edge barriers, targeting mostly lines that see heavy foot traffic and island platforms. Expanded patrols are set to prioritize the 30 transit hubs that account for half of the system's crime.

Alongside tangible infrastructure improvements, the Governor's administration has revved up mental health initiatives. It has seen nearly 850 unhoused individuals find permanent housing via the SOS initiative. The MTA is also set to ladder in street medicine and psychiatry professionals to current outreach teams, enhancing the delivery of psychiatric evaluations and medical treatment. According to the Governor's announcement, these efforts are part and parcel of a larger strategy to bolster mental health services and support for the state's most vulnerable populations.