Governor Hochul is prioritizing subway safety with new measures to protect riders and reduce crime
New York: Governor Hochul was in Albany for her State of the State speech, but she was really focused on subway safety. It’s great to see her making this a priority for all the riders out there.
While some ideas like using the National Guard and random bag checks don’t sit well with everyone, Hochul proposed practical solutions. One of her plans includes low-tech barriers to prevent people from falling onto the tracks.
She’s also teaming up with Mayor Adams and the NYPD to have a uniformed officer on every train from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the next six months. This should help reduce crime, and honestly, seeing a cop around at night is always a good feeling. We don’t know the cost yet, but if it works, they’ll need to find the funds to keep it going.
Even though the chances of being a crime victim on the subway are low, crime is still a concern. Felony assaults have increased, with around 550 incidents in the last three years compared to less than half that in the previous 15 years. Plus, 2024 saw a record high of 10 murders on the subway.
Hochul deserves credit for ensuring every subway car has cameras. The MTA is also working on making it harder for fare evaders to jump turnstiles. And they’re adding platform edge barriers to over 100 stations, up from just 15.
Initially, the MTA claimed they couldn’t retrofit the old subway with full walls like newer systems. But we argued that simple shoulder-high fencing could work just fine to keep people safe from the tracks.
To improve visibility, Hochul is funding new LED lighting in all stations. Who could argue against that?
However, some measures might face pushback, like preventing people from camping in the subways.
Hochul is right when she says, “We cannot allow our subway to be a rolling homeless shelter.” There are plenty of real shelters in New York City. If safety is a concern in those shelters, then let’s make them safe.
But we also have to remember that people with serious mental health issues often can’t make rational choices. Hochul is looking to change state laws to give doctors more power to commit those who can’t care for themselves. Living in a subway is a clear sign of that need.
Getting this bill passed will be tough, but it’s a battle Hochul needs to win.
