Turnstile ‘spikes’ installed on crime-ridden subways in NYC as Hochul tightens police presence

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new $77 million plan to curb subway crime, while the MTA has also begun installing “spikes” on some of its turnstiles to stop fare evaders who have cost the transit company hundreds of millions of dollars. year in lost income.

The new spike features include sheets of steel with sharp edges fitted to the guardrails between the turnstiles intended to stop fare beaters using the handrails to gain advantage when jumping.

But the spikes are not very sharp, and defenders can still put their hands on the spikes and jump over them – or simply duck under the bars. Spikes have so far been installed at Manhattan’s Lexington Avenue 59th Street station, which serves the N, R, W, 4, 5 and 6 trains.

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Skipping the toll is very easy, especially in subway stations that don’t have high turnstiles. One rider told the New York Post that the new spikes are “stupid and stupid” and a waste of money.

Additionally, the MTA also spends about $1 million a month on unarmed private security guards to deter bouncers, according to Fox 5, but the guards do not have the authority to arrest those who avoid paying.

Hochul’s plan for the Evader ride is focused on installing state-of-the-art turnstiles at 40 stations, and it’s unclear if the spike removal at 59th Street is part of the plan.

Hochul said fare evaders cost the MTA about $700 million a year in lost revenue. About $500 million of that is through the subway system, while the rest comes from the bus system.

“I say it’s time to deal with the shameless, shameless fare evaders who just walk past and other payers, feeling like, why should I bother,” Hochul said at a press conference at Grand Central Thursday announcing. his $77 million plan.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled details of her plan to have hundreds of police officers stationed overnight in New York City’s subways on January 16, 2025. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Overall, crime in the city is down, Hochul said, but recent incidents on the transit system are terrorizing strangers on a daily basis.

An illegal immigrant from Guatemala has been charged with setting a woman on fire and burning her to death on a subway train last month, and on New Year’s Eve a man was pushed in front of a moving train but miraculously survived.

There has been an uptick in violence on the subways in recent weeks and Hochul said an additional 750 police officers will patrol the 2,500 subway system already provided. Another 300 will be assigned to trains between 9pm and 5am. Those numbers are on top of the roughly 1,000 National Guard troops assigned to the subway.

“So this means we’ve doubled the number of law enforcement officers in the New York City subway system in one year,” Hochul said.

A subway rider rides under the turnstile, left, while another rider swipes to pay, right. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

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New subway edge barriers will also be installed on platforms at more than 100 additional stations by the end of 2025 to prevent straphangers from falling or being pushed onto the tracks.

The Governor also announced funds to install LED lights in all underground stations throughout the system to increase visibility at all stations.

“Let’s go back to the basics, they served their purpose,” said Hochil about the obstacles. “They are there. If someone wants to stand behind them when a train is approaching it gives you that sense of security that every New Yorker should have.

Hochul also said that the 24/7 “Welcome Center” near the train stations will be expanded to accommodate the homeless.