Subway emergency exit gates at some stations to test 15-second delay to help deter fare evasion

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — The MTA has been rolling out pilot programs targeting fare evasion and trying to make riders feel safer. One such measure will put emergency exit gates on a 15-second delay.

The MTA got approval from the state to implement the pilot program to put emergency gates on a short delay.

Critics are concerned in an actual emergency, waiting 15 seconds to exit could put people in a dangerous situation.

The timed delay will be tried out next month at three subway stations. All three have ample turnstiles for riders to access in case of an actual emergency.

They include the 59th Street-Lexington Avenue Station in Manhattan, the Flushing Avenue Station in Brooklyn, and the 138th Street Station in the Bronx.

The MTA is already looking at a long-term redesign of these emergency gates, aka “the gate of the future.”

That’s just one of the ideas that the MTA is testing out at various stations. They’re also trying to gauge public support, and that has been a challenge.

While some of the strategies have already proven successful, The New York Times said Tuesday morning, “New Yorkers have not been impressed.”

The MTA installed yellow subway platform barriers at the Clark Street subway station over the weekend, the second station where the gates are being piloted.

In Queens, the Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue station has replaced the turnstiles with glowing green fare gates.

Some transit riders have already figured out how to open the gates without paying, a technique quickly disseminated on TikTok.

Despite the ridicule, revenue at that station has increased by 20% since implementation.

These pilot projects are described by MTA as basic attempts to temporarily resolve complex problems.

Transit officials are looking to see what works and what doesn’t. None of the ideas are expected to be long-term.

As NYC Transit President Rich Davey said Monday of some of these challenges, if you don’t experience failure, you aren’t trying hard enough.

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