The Subway is All Washed Up

Ooh, now all of a sudden, Gothamist would like to be an inspector general for the MTA, because that means you get to investigate various incidents and determine who was at fault. The way the inspector general decided that the MTA was at fault for the severe flooding from Hurricane Frances that halted service on September 8, 2004 (remember that day? you were probably very waterlogged when you tried to get to work). How at fault? Well, according to the Daily News which somehow obtained the report, the problem is that the MTA didn't "carry out routine maintenance" - instead, the MTA blamed the problems with 18 subway lines on "an act of God." But, here's the MTA could have done to prevent the mess:

- There was "historic neglect" of valves that are supposed to prevent city sewers from backing up into subway tunnels. There are 33 spots where the subway drainage system connects directly to the sewer system, but no record of the valves being inspected or maintained - for decades.
- Trash and muck clogged subway drains, and portable subway pumps were too unwieldy to be quickly deployed. Subway pumping rooms, however, functioned - contradicting TA claims at the time of the flood.
- Some TA "first responders" to flooding locations took more than an hour to arrive, and in some cases didn't make it. Some had to rely on the subways - which were a mess.
- TA divisions didn't set up command centers to aid communications with crews, to track problems and to monitor progress.

Our favorite is how Transit Authority first responders are supposed to use the subway - classic!

The article also has a great timeline of how the different lines essentially broke down temporarily. And not to be alarmist or anything, but subways can pose a "hidden risk" in cases of storms and flooding, which means we're going to find very compact scuba gear.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on April 13, 2006 4:27 PM

Comments [rss]

Toby

The MTA usually is responsible, and it is mainly due to MTA neglect.

Jason

That day (I think it was a Wednesday...) was my first day of work in the city... I remember being scared shitless thinking, "are the trains always like this?"

raj

though i do like the names you come up with. keep it up!

raj

real? come on. reality is relative. Can you please provide a statement that makes sense?

JD BOY!!!!

Transparency is something people used to use on overhead projectors. How about some REAL ideas that will create REAL improvements? I'd like to see you deal with the union. Have you ever had to? NO? Go back and start memorizing your Black's Dictionary.

S.D.

You shouldn't feed the trolls...

raj

can you read?

rah rah rah rah raj

Nah. I don't work for the MTA.

Ooooooohhh... Working on your JD? Why are you working on such a useless degree? Considering the number of MTA board members (yes, the same ones you criticize for mismanagement) that have a JDs and MBAs, you of all people should just dropout. You've already admitted MTA is a behemoth and you are not qualified to manage it, why not provide some idea on improving it?

raj

Oh yeah, here's a solution to the mismanagement of publicly funded agencies: transparancy. Lets discuss!

(that was in my first post YPOS).

raj

No, I think you do even worse than spew vapid shit . . .

You work for the MTA!?

What exactly is it about the MTA that I can't comprehend? Explain. Can you explain? Do you question, think at all?

Its a slow work day (and the day ends at 7) so I've got plenty of time. By the way, its tough tackling a behemoth like the MTA when you're still working on getting your JD.

Go back to Craigslist.

raj raj bangaraj! if he can't

Yes I troll around the internet and spew vapid shit. Especially at morons like you. Are you doing anything about the mismanagement of publicly funded agencies? Are you just bitching at an entity you cannot possibly comprehend? Go and ride your bike. That's solving a whole lot of problems. Maybe you'll even get run over by the Police Chief during Citical Mass.

mihow

raj, just ignore that kind of crap. Although, I realize it's hard sometimes.

Plus, if you don't bitch sometimes, people walk all over you. I say, bitch away. And do what you're doing, too.

Speaking of which, I really need to break out the bike again...

raj

When did you become the wizard of Oz raj bombdiggidy? You know me? Really? I am doing something about it. I ride my bike everyday to work, and I try to never take the subway, though it is unavoidable in manhattan. Now go join the straphangers campaign, or continue wasting your life. (see, I can say that about you because its apparent, based on your comments, that all you do during the day is troll around the internet and spew vapid sh!t). g'day!

raj bombdiggidy

raj,

Keep on bitching like a little whore! Are you doing anything about it? No...? Good. Now shut the fuck up!

raj

Is anyone surprised AT ALL by this? Of course not. Mismanagement will always occur as long as transparency in publicly funded agencies isn't a reality. the b@st@rds