Seneca Ave Station Falsely Labeled The Worst
I was in my kitchen the other night & had the Fox 5 news on while I was in the kitchen. I was cleaning up when a subway story caught my attention. The story was about how the Seneca Avenue station on the M was the dirtiest station in disrepair according to a MTA survey. Robert Johnson & Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News have more in this report:
It’s official: a dilapidated subway station on the M line in Queens is the worst of the worst.
The Seneca Ave. stop in Ridgewood is in the direst state of disrepair, according to an MTA survey that assessed conditions of stations across the city.
“It’s scary and old and rickety,” college student Catrina Dennis, 21, of Ridgewood said at the elevated Seneca Ave. station yesterday afternoon.
Signs of decay are everywhere: rusting metal, peeling paint and concrete cracks sprouting weeds. There isn’t a sign on the platform that hasn’t been scratched or painted by graffiti vandals.
Mark Newbold, a sheet metal worker, wonders about his safety every time a train rumbles into the station.
“The platform rocks,” Newbold, 41, said. “I do dangerous s— for a living and it’s still scary.”
Click here for the complete report.
I strongly disagree with this so called survey. If this was a legitimate survey, I can guarantee you that this station would not be rated the dirtiest station in disrepair. I have been inside this station numerous times & while it is no beauty, it is far from being in the worst condition. I can think of a number of stops such as Chambers Street on the J, M, & Z, East 143rd St-St. Mary’s on the 6, 21st St-Van Alst on the G, & so on & so forth.
One of the selling points of this station being the worst was the condition of the stairs. Newsflash, the stairs are like that at hundreds of stations. I know for a fact that numerous people have fallen on one of the staircases between the mezzaline & track level on the uptown side of the Castle Hill Ave 6 station.
When it rains, or snows (especially), going down the staircase is extremely dangerous. I have almost tumbled down those stairs numerous times. Thankfully I have good balance or I would have been injured. I have taken a tumble on the stairs leading to & from the street at the Whitlock Ave station which are not exactly in a state of good condition.
In the end, I would like to see legitimate surveys be taken that highlight the true condition of the system instead of ridiculous ones showcasing a false reality.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Do you think the Seneca Ave station was just impulsively selected by the media because they wanted a story regarding the state of disrepair of subway stations? That’s what it sounds like. Instead of actually going out and investigating additional stations they chose one because of convenience and an unwillingness to go any further into the matter.
And who would know better than someone who utilizes transit on a daily basis?