NYC Subway extension: Blessing or Burden?
NYC Subway to add extension of the 7 train to 11th avenue
Those used to the busy morning subway commutes on the way to work in New York may have just found themselves a lucky break. For the first time in 25 years, NYC has opened a new subway station, which extends the 7 Train to 11th avenue. This will come as a blessing for those who will work or live in the area where construction is underway for a new Hudson Yards complex… or will it?
Let’s look at this travel system at a larger scale though. For many people this may come as a happy surprise, now expecting quicker travel, perhaps. But when dealing with systems this large, you cannot just take into account what will speed things up for you, but also how things will change for everyone. True, ideally this extension will make a commute quicker, but if everyone thinks that way, then what? In my experience, I’ve rarely been able to call my subway experience even close to ideal. This station is estimated to service upwards of 30,000 people every day. It is entirely possible that with everyone thinking that this is the best new alternative for their commute, that a commute may actually be lengthened, due to how busy it can get. In a similar vein of thought, this busy subway will not only be slower than expected, it will also take many people away from their previous commuting option. Due to this combination, a commuter’s best choice very well may be to continue using their current choice of commuting rather than adding to the problem.
Especially in the beginning, this system will likely be unbalanced. With a mixture of those using it for the novelty, and those using it to speed up their commute, it will probably be inundated. As the days go by and the novelty dies, an equilibrium will be reached, between those who hoped for expedited travel, and those who are comfortable with the older ways. Let’s just hope the designer this extension had an idea of the potential networking repercussions this may have.