From the Courier-Life:The J, M and Z subway lines in Williamsburg have become victims of the neighborhood’s success, exploding with a 24-percent increase in passengers in just four years, new data show.
The growth in ridership — which mirrors the earlier explosion of congestion on the L line — has translated to overcrowding, longer wait times, and pissed-off commuters.
“The train takes forever sometimes, and if it’s raining or snowing you can forget about any train coming on time,” said Williamsburg resident Erica Sackin, who said that 20-minute wait times are common, even during the morning rush.
Over the past four years, the JMZ has experienced some of the city’s most rapid growth, up 21 percent, to 105,000 riders on an average weekday, from 86,000 riders in 2005.
The lines’ 33.1 million annual riders is up 24 percent over the same four-year period — the result of intense residential growth in and around the Southside of Williamsburg, with increases in both the Hasidic and the hipster communities.
And planners believe that the neighborhood will see 25,000 new residents within the next few years, residents who will often ride the JMZ line.
The numbers are already going up. The Marcy Avenue stop, is already among the top-third busiest stations in the city. Compared with last year, ridership at the stop is up 3.4 percent. The Hewes Street stop is up 6 percent and the Flushing Avenue stop, steps from busy Woodhull Hospital, is up 4.8 percent.
Those increases have led to normal delays. And when a real disaster happens, such as when a train went out of service on the Williamsburg Bridge on Monday morning, passengers have to walk dozens of blocks to another line or take the B-39 bus over the bridge — though that bus line is slated to be eliminated by the MTA due to alleged budget shortfalls.
Photo from Bushwick BK
6 comments:
I do not understand the problem.
Not only does the administation ignore this when ever they talk about Plan2030, but the preservation community itself talks about 'living with developement' all the time and never gives a hint this is an issue.
I mean, if they don't care, or its not on the radar of the 'experts' at places like Shitty Planning or
P(C)rapp Institute, why should we care?
After all, we live in Brooklyn Heights and Landmark West and just around the corner from the Queens Co Farm Museum so it doesn't bother us.
I take the M daily. While there are hipsters and such, its still not as bad as the L or G, etc.
The biggest jump in ridership seems to be Eastern Europeans. A lot of "converted basement" apartments and such in Ridgewood and bushwick is the source, as well as taking down a 1 or 2-family house and throwing up a 3 or 4 unit apartment building. All the polish putting their construction skills to use!
Stupid transplants.
Stupid transplants.
The infrastructure on these lines are close to 100 years old, and are just about at capacity. With budget cuts added, it seems that the overcrowding will get worse. Hopefully the old EL can handle the stress.
No, hopefully we will wake up and put a cap on development until our taxes are used to improve it, not give corporate welfare to developers who just make things worse.
we are like frogs sitting in a pan of water slowly getting hotter...
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