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Subway safety upgrade: These 56 NYC stations now have platform barriers installed – with more on the way

a NYC train with its doors open in a station
An L train arrives in a station with protective platform barriers.
Photo by Dean Moses

The MTA has installed subway barriers at 56 subway stations, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced on Friday. 

The barriers are located on parts of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, F, M, and L trains. The governor’s office said stations with higher ridership levels and island platforms were prioritized among the lines

A signature portion of the governor’s 2025 State of the State address was to improve subway safety and install metal barriers at more than 100 of the state-run MTA’s 472 stations by the end of the year. 

“New Yorkers’ safety will always be my number one priority, and customers need to both feel and be secure every time they ride the subway,” Hochul said. “At my direction, the MTA has ramped up the installation of protective platform barriers, building on their efforts to brighten stations with LED lighting and equip every subway car with security cameras.”

What do the riders think?

a woman wearing a brightly colored vest enters a train
An MTA worker enters a train from a platform that has edge barriers.Photo by Dean Moses

According to the MTA, safety in the subway system “continues to improve” with overall major crimes dropping by 3% from the same period last year and by almost 10% compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

“With new platform barriers, MTA’s thousands of new security cameras, increased deployments from the NYPD, and 10% less crime before COVID, it’s no wonder customer satisfaction has risen dramatically this year,” agency chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. 

a subway station that a barrier on the platform edge
The 7 train station in Flushing.Photo by Barbara Russo-Lennon

An MTA customer survey showed that 59% of riders want the barriers installed throughout the system. Commuters at the 7 train’s Flushing-Main Street station in Queens told amNewYork they feel “good” about the barriers.

“I stand way back until the train doors open because I have seen so much on the subway, but it seems good,” Javier, a Flushing resident, said. 

Steven, a Manhattan resident, was on his way to a Met game when he shared his thoughts on the barriers.

“If it helps keep people safe, it’s a good thing,” he said. 

a subway station with protective barriers
The Main Street-Flushing 7 train station.Photo by Barbara Russo Lennon

Stations with the barriers are located in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens:

Brooklyn

Clark St. – 2, 3
Morgan Ave. – L
Grand St. – L
Dekalb Ave. – L
Halsey St. – L
Bushwick Ave.-Aberdeen St. – L
Myrtle-Wycoff Aves. – L, M
Graham Ave. – L
Jefferson St. – L
Bedford Ave. – L
Lorimer St. – L
Wilson Ave. – L
Montrose Ave. – L
Eastern Pkwy-Brooklyn Museum – 2, 3
Grand Army Plaza – 2, 3
President St. – 3
Hoyt St. – 2, 3
Beverly Rd. – 2, 5
Sterling St. – 2, 5
Winthrop St. 2, 5
Bergen St. – 2, 3

Manhattan

Commuters walk past the platform barriers at the 8th Avenue subway station in Manhattan.Photo by Dean Moses

191 St. – 1
Fifth Ave. – 7
First Ave. – L
Sixth Ave. – L
125 St. – 4, 5, 6
Bowery – J, Z
Fulton St. – J, Z
Broad St. – J, Z
Canal St., J, Z
Wall St., 2, 3
23 St. – 6
125 St. 2, 3
Central Park North-110 St. – 2, 3
135 St. – 2, 3
Astor Place – 6
Eighth Ave. – L
Bleecker St. – 6
Fulton St – 2, 3
Spring St. – 6
103 St – 6
Park Place – 2, 3
28 St. – 6
68 St.-Hunter College- 6
33 St. – 6
96 St. – 6
77 St. – 6
145 St. – 1
Grand Central-42 St – 7
Christopher St-Stonewall – 1

Queens

Flushing-Main St. – 7
46 St. – M, R
67 Ave. – M, R
75 Ave. – E, F
Woodhaven Blvd. – M, R
Jamaica Center-Parsons Blvd.-Archer Ave. – E, J, Z