Lucas A. --
Whether you use a “local” or an “express” station, you were probably taken aback when the MTA announced their so-called “F Express Proposal” a few weeks ago. I know I was – since there was no outreach or community consultation.
The MTA’s proposal adds no service to the F line. Instead, it would simply eliminate half the trains from stopping at the six local F stations between Church Avenue and Jay Street/MetroTech.
By the MTA’s own data, this would hurt more F riders than it would help. It cynically pits Brooklyn straphangers against each other, creating ‘winners’ and ‘losers.’
Riders in all parts of Brooklyn agree: We need better service on the F line for ALL riders. So today, we’re asking you to join your local elected officials to tell the MTA that we demand a new plan.
Click here to sign to support “F Train Service That Works for ALL.”
To add insult to injury, the MTA is refusing even to meet with us to talk about it. Despite a promise made under oath at a City Council hearing, the MTA won’t even schedule a meeting to hear the concerns the community has raised.
The more we dig into the details of the MTA’s flawed plan, it’s clear why they don’t want to meet:
Winners don’t really win: Half the days, commuters at “winner” stations will get an express. But the other half, you’ll still get a local. With irregular service times, you will never know which one is coming when. And it won’t be worth waiting for the next express, since you’ll lose all the time you would gain. So you can’t count on getting to work any earlier. If you want to be on time to work, you will still have to set your alarm and leave your home at the exact same time as you do now. With no new trains, there’s no real change.
Losers lose big: The MTA’s proposal would eliminate half the trains from the 6 local stations between Church Avenue and Jay Street/MetroTech (Bergen St, Carroll St, Smith/9th St, 4th Ave/9th St, 15th St, and Ft. Hamilton Parkway). Instead of coming every 4-to-5 minutes during rush hour (when they are on-schedule, which is barely half the time now), they will come every 8-to-9 minutes.
The result: long wait times and severely increased crowding at some of the fastest-growing stations along the line.
From neighbors in Red Hook with long walks to even get to their F station at Smith/9th, to badly overcrowded local stations in Carroll Gardens, to commuters at express stops who still won’t end up with more reliable service – this is not the right plan for Brooklyn.
We all agree that we need better service on the F train. But we need a plan that increases service – not one that makes it worse for most of us.
Don’t let the MTA cynically pit Brooklynites against each other. Don’t allow them refuse to meet with us, just because their plan stinks. Join us to demand that they work with us on a new plan.
Please sign our petition, encourage your friends to sign, and stand with us as we urge the MTA to create a better F Train ride for all of us.
Thanks,
Brad
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More about the MTA’s current proposal:
- The proposal does not add any service to the F line, despite increased “F Express” track capacity.
- Instead, it simply eliminates half the trains at 6 stations (Bergen St, Carroll St, Smith/9th St, 4th Ave/9th St, 15th St, and Ft. Hamilton Parkway) between Church Ave and Jay St/MetroTech (7th Ave is an express stop).
- Instead of coming every 4-to-5 minutes during rush hour (when they are on-schedule, which is barely half the time now), trains at the local stations will come every 8-to-9 minutes.
- The MTA’s own report shows that the total number of riders who will suffer under this proposal (52%) is actually greater than the number of riders who will benefit (48%).
- That gap will grow larger over time. Ridership growth has been highest at the local stations that would suffer under this plan: a whopping 66% increase. Growth at the express stops (i.e., Church Av and 7 Ave) was 34%. Meanwhile, ridership growth at stations south of Church Ave has been considerably lower (18% and 15% respectively).
- The “winners” don’t even really win. The MTA’s analysis of travel times shows that express riders during the AM peak hour would save on average 3.4 minutes due to faster running times. But in actuality, half the time these riders will save about 7 minutes, and half the time they’ll save nothing. With only 58% of trains operating on time, there’s no way to predict which is which. Even express stop riders will still have to set their alarm for the same time.
- The proposal would severely exacerbate station congestion and travel delays. Riders at the Bergen and Carroll Stations will lose more travel time than riders at any single express stop will gain.
- At Bergen Street, the MTA’s report predicts a nightmarish crowd, with a wait nearly five times longer for commuters trying to exit the Warren Street stairwell during the evening rush hour.
- The MTA did not conduct real community engagement before it released its report. Despite committing to do so in sworn testimony before the City Council, the MTA is now refusing to even schedule a meeting with the public about the proposal … or even with those elected to represent them.