MTA Promises Subway Examinations Following Water Main Breaks

In light of recent water main breaks, the MTA has stated that they’ll be examining the infrastructure of the subway system on the Upper West Side. Included in the examination will be “four stop machines, a substation at 99th Street, and all third rail cables”. This examination follows the two recent subway service disruptions and street closures due to water main breaks on the Upper West Side.

According to a statement from NYC Transit Senior Vice President Sally Librera, the level of water in the subway “rose above the third rail, making conditions dangerous to operate trains”. Now, the MTA will be examining all third rail cables, along with additional facilities.

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The MTA hopes that this “latest incident will spur quicker shut-off response times by the city”, following complaints of long delays. Other customers on the UWS and in neighboring areas complained that they were left with no train service whatsoever. The MTA also added that they will “review” their system, which they’ve admitted is “aging”. This review comes “in hopes of avoiding similar situations moving forward”.

While the MTA runs our public transportation, it also seems that fluctuating temperatures may be at least partially to blame for the recent transit calamities. According to the Department of Environmental Protection, more variability in seasonal temperatures could be a cause behind the water mains breaking. Changes in temperature can stress pipes, and according to a statement given to The NY Times, they are “seeing many more fluctuations during the winter season”.

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The transit trials sparked online critics to complain egregiously of crumbling systems throughout Manhattan. Many seem to view these incidents as merely two examples among many ongoing infrastructure issues. The online users noted airports, potholes, and sidewalks as other noticeable issues.

For those who missed the recent MTA mayhem:

On Sunday morning, a water main broke on Central Park West between West 102nd and 103rd Streets. This lead to A, C, and D trains to be put out of commission between 59th and 125th Streets. A few days earlier, a 98-year-old water main broke near Lincoln Center, causing extensive disruptions on the 1, 2 and 3 trains.

It’s going to take more than examinations of the subway to fix it. But at least following these incidents, we can hope for some improvement.