Carroll Gardens commuters are reacting strongly this week to MTA plans to shutter the Smith Street subway entrance to the F and G lines and pull the token booth clerk out of the President Street station.
The actions will reportedly take place on September 14 as part of much larger cost-cutting effort intended to save the MTA approximately $52 million.
The entrance is expected to remain close for 10 to 12 months as construction at 360 Smith Street progresses.
After learning about the planned changes New York City Council candidate John Heyer announced plans to protest outside the subway stop on August 17.
“It’s people, not machines that make our subway stations and platforms safe,” Heyer said. “The MTA can’t manage their own money and now they want to penalize the riders. Let’s tell the MTA we won’t stand for it.”
The loss of the manned token booth at President Street is just one of almost 90 others that the MTA plans to eliminate citywide.
Critics of the cost-cutting measure are angry at the MTA but they also blames state legislators for underfunding mass transit.
Many also say they feel safer with token booths clerks around because they can alert police to possible problems and provide straphangers with directions.
–– Joe Maniscalco
