Nearly all New York City subway stations continue to attract fewer customers compared to pre-pandemic levels three years ago, according to newly disclosed data from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
Since 2019, only 31 — or 7.2% — of the city’s 425 subway stations have maintained or grown ridership.
Among the most affected locations was the Canarsie-Rockaway station on the L line in Brooklyn, where ridership was only 14.6% of what it was in 2019 last month.
Following closely after are Broad Channel Station on the A and S lines in Queens (20.6%) and Wall Street on the 4 and 5 lines (40%)
Robert Robinson, 66, who takes the train from Harlem to Wall Street to work for the human-rights organization Partners for Dignity and Rights, stated that the Financial District’s skyscrapers are not returning to their former glory.
“People realize, ‘Hey, I’ve been working from home for two and a half years. Why must I commute between Harlem, Connecticut, and Long Island? I no longer need to spend approximately $500 on a commuter ticket. It’s nearly common sense.”
Despite promises by Mayor Adams and others that “New York City is back,” subway usage in the Big Apple has been low since early 2020, when the virus began disrupting daily operations.
According to MTA data, there were 3,502,207 riders in the five boroughs on Wednesday, which is only 62.3% of what the ridership was prior to the epidemic.
The Comptroller’s Office states that 31 stations have had large increases in ridership. However, several of these stations only saw increases because they were under construction and had decreased service during portions of 2019.
According to new data, nearly all New York City subway stations continue to attract fewer riders compared to pre-pandemic levels three years ago.
Last month, ridership at the Astoria Boulevard stop on the N, Q, and W lines in Queens increased by a staggering 274.5%, or nearly quadruple. However, the majority of the rise can be ascribed to the station’s closure for the majority of 2019 due to a massive building project.
Additionally, the Gun Hill Road stop on the 5 line in the Bronx (269.8%) and the 168th-St.-Washington Heights stop on the 1, A, and C lines in Manhattan (202.6%) have improved.
Deputy Comptroller Rahul Jain stated that the majority of stations experiencing growth were aided by the “continued recovery of certain industry sectors, including the restaurant, retail, and hospitality industries.”
Inhabitants of the outer boroughs and Upper Manhattan who are employed in these businesses rely heavily on public transportation, he stated.
In addition, the deputy comptroller stated that lower-income communities are more likely to have inhabitants employed in industries that permit remote work, such as finance, compared to wealthier communities.
However, several straphangers told The Post that their favorite subway stop is down riders for various reasons.
“Perhaps it’s because Goldman Sachs is laying off everyone,” said 45-year-old Michael Merck, who leaves the once-bustling Wall Street station for a neighboring construction job.
“This place is never crowded during the day.”
Dean Huggins, a 59-year-old US Postal Service employee from Far Rockaways who travels the A train to the 190th Street stop in Manhattan for work, attributed the decline in ridership primarily to violence. Since 2019, his station’s usage has decreased by 50.4%, placing it seventh among underperformers.
Due to the crime, “I believe people have lost faith in the subway system and have stopped using it,” he stated. “It’s all about safety. It is no longer as safe as it was before the pandemic.”
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