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Memo Group Assignment

Date: 03/28/2021

Topic:

LIRR Platform Expansion

From:

Dylan Lang, Submission Manager

Dorothy Janine Chan, Research Director

Joshua Sukhdeo, Topic Supervisor

Subject:

Overcrowded train platforms and solutions to resolve the problem

Audience:

LIRR commuters who are traveling to and from Brooklyn (Atlantic Terminal), Manhattan (Penn Station), Queens, and Long Island, New York

Purpose:

This memo aims to address the lack of adequate spacing on the platforms of the LIRR as ridership increases and how this can cause dangerous and unhealthy conditions which can lead to fatal consequences due to the lack of space on these highly trafficked platforms. We also want to share the experiences of the riders of this system and how they feel while taking to mind their feedback. We came up with some proposed solutions of what could be done to solve the problem or at the very least allow for more space, safety, and less crowded conditions.

Summary:

This memo discusses some of the experiences of commuters and how overcrowded stations make them feel uncomfortable and unsafe. After discussing the experiences of these individuals, we then made a few suggested solutions to help combat the issue. Extending many train platforms, upgrading user applications, and installing guard rails could be possible solutions to avoid overcrowding LIRR platforms.  There are huge benefits of doing this, which include fewer accidents occurring of people falling onto the tracks, less likely hood of people being pushed onto tracks, increased ridership due to increased confidence in the system, increased funds, and less crowded health conditions that will make commuters feel comfortable.

Discussion:

There have been plenty of instances of Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) platforms becoming too overcrowded. In a NewsDay article, riders waiting at Penn Station are seen huddled up and congested into such a small platform space. One LIRR commuter, Bianco has gone on to say, “There are so many people on the platform …  People kind of hog the platform and there’s no room to move by if you want to go to the back of the train”. With how overcrowded the platforms are, it has caused many commuters to begin to worry about their own safety and health. There are the dangers of being too close to the edge of the platforms, as well as possibly being pushed over the edge by other commuters on accident. “I’ve seen people have panic attacks in front of me,” Trisha Sparacia says as she talked about how unsafe the platforms have become for commuters. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) along with the LIRR have stated that they put rider safety first and are implementing safety measurements within the platforms as a means to lessen the dangers that commuters are exposed to.

Throughout the years, the ongoing issue of rising ridership in the LIRR has been evident.  In 2018, the MTA reported the LIRR to have an annual ridership of 89 million commuters. This was a 0.2% increase compared to the previous years. As of recently, 2019 was met with a record of 91.1 million commuters. With the steady increase in ridership, there has been little to no change in terms of platform space. So, although the MTA and LIRR have stated their stance in regards to the dangers present in the platforms and over crowdedness, they fail to state how exactly they will be implementing safety precautions. Whether it is through platform extensions or limiting the number of commuters to go on a platform, they have been silent on the matter of how to solve such problems that have been a detriment to the very commuters that they have vowed to help.

Recommendation:

In order to combat these issues, we could set aside a budget to make upgrades to the LIRR platforms. Additionally, these platforms could be extended while still in service so there is no need to shut down entire stations. If an expansion of the platform isn’t possible other upgrades like safety rails could be added to make accidents and random acts of violence less likely. Another solution to making the platforms less crowded would be to have more trains servicing the station during peak hours so that the platforms can be clear or less crowded. Also, the applications used by the LIRR could be more accurate so that it could be used to tell riders when the platforms are less crowded, when a train will be arriving, or when is the best time to leave to beat the crowd. We came up with these solutions based on what riders said in the NewDay article. Many of them stated that they felt unsafe and that the overcrowded situations were very unhealthy. Therefore, we think that if these proposed solutions were applied, we would have fewer crowded stations and a safer environment for the people that depend on the LIRR. This could encourage other regional rail companies such as Amtrak, Metro-North, and New Jersey Transit to do the same, making the system more efficient and safer for its riders who depend on it which in turn encourages the people to continue using the system which will allow funds for further upgrades.

Work Cited:

“2018 ANNUAL RIDERSHIP REPORT .” Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2018. http://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/docs/LIRR-2018-Annual-Ridership-Report.pdf. Accessed 20 Mar. 2021.

“2019 Annual Report to the Governor .” Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2019. http://web.mta.info/mta/compliance/pdf/2019_annual/2019%20MTA%20Annual%20Report%20Narrative.pdf. Accessed 20 Mar. 2021.

Castillo, Alfonso A. “Crowded Penn Station Platforms Put Riders on Edge.” Newsday, Newsday, 12 Nov. 2018, www.newsday.com/long-island/amtrak-penn-lirr-crowded-safety-1.23184127.

Küpper, Mira, and Armin Seyfried. “Analysis of Space Usage on Train Station Platforms Based on Trajectory Data.” MDPI, 10 Oct. 2020.