City Shamed for Busted Subway Escalators, Again

It's not surprising that MyFox News has a four part series (so far) dedicated to broken subway escalators (though perhaps they should also shame the MTA for lack of elevators for the disabled). This time around they report from two locations, including 53rd Street, which sports a lovely escalator behind a glass wall that's been "under repairs" for months. To make matters worse, they even closed off the stairs. Watch to find out how straphangers work that puzzle out:

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By Jen Carlson in News on October 22, 2009 3:57 PM

Comments [rss]

whitecastlerock

Don't worry Bloomberg is getting ready to take on the MTA!

S.K.

The MTA sohuld not trust private landowners to fix anything.

Free Refills

I live in the Zackendorf Towers above Union Square. Last month's community newsletter spoke vaguely of ongoing negotiations with the MTA over escalator repairs. Somehow I suspect the building management isn't too active in these negotiations.

ed_Extinct

All of the private escalators are always broken.

Here's a list of Private Escalators:

Union Square (Zackendorf Towers)

Columbus Circle (Time Warner) [Partially out of service during off-peak hours)

Herald Square (Manhattan Mall)

And here's the list of MTA Escalators out of service.

Pathetic!

nicemarmot

That's my subway stop. I've lived in the area for over two years now and yes, the 3rd avenue end is a huge hazard. That building at 875 3rd ave is an evil death trap for anyone coming out of the subway. Half the time at night you can accidentally wander into the lobby-food court thing they have, but then you can't get out except to go back into the subway because all the doors are locked. Oh, and yes, according to my neighbors it's been more than 5 years since that escalator last worked. Blocking off the stairs a few months ago just adds insult to injury.

goodcow

If the city can come in and do repairs at a private apartment, then bill the landlord for the work after a documented period of negligence, why can't they do the same thing here?

whatsd

The woman interviewed is right. That 53rd St escalator has only been working for one week out of the last four years. Those cheap bastards who run that building are screwing us over. Not to mention creating a fire hazard. On Columbus Day, the entrance to that lower lobby was literally chained shut. If there was an emergency, only one narrow stair case beneath the lipstick building, clear on the opposite side of that concourse, would have been escape path for the thousands of people jamming that station every day during the morning rush hour. Bastards.

jibbly

God I used to work near there and do NOT miss that awful stair/escalator combo.

valeriob

Considering the amount of fox/post haters on this blog, gothamist sure does link to a lot of fox news and nypost articles. Just sayin.

Cautious Pessimist

Arnold Diaz and his reporting transcends any and all deeply held beliefs anyone may have against the people that he works for.

Even if you hate hate hate hate hate national Fox News, you have to admit that the local Fox News is second to none. Keep fucking that chicken everyone!