By Philip Newman
The Queens station came in second to last and the Manhattan station last in rankings of customer satisfaction in the survey conducted by the Straphangers, which distributed 39,500 postcards to riders who frequent 15 heavily used stations throughout the subway system.
Survey participants were asked to rate the stations on a scale of one to five for cleanliness, security, crowding, ease of getting around and availability of information such as signs and announcements.
It was the first survey of the city's subway stations in the 20-year history of the Straphangers Campaign.
The Straphangers received 3,879 responses for a nearly 10 percent rate of return.
“Between the graffiti, the odor, the closed-down escalators and gobs of chewing gum and litter, this station is an eyesore and insult to New York City,” one patron said of the Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street station in a report to the Straphangers. Ridership at the station went up almost 11 percent over the past year.
Those taking part in the survey also said the Roosevelt Avenue station needs announcements that commuters can hear and more signs in Spanish, Russian and Asian languages.
The station is the 18th most used in the subway system and serves the E, F, G, R and No. 7 lines.
As for the 51st Street/Lexington Avenue station, it was cited in particular for poor control of crowding and one subway patron told the Straphangers “it is so crowded that I am surprised no one has been killed.” Another said “trying to exit during rush hour is difficult and dangerous.”
In fact, the 51st Street/Lexington station came in last in every category except cleanliness, a category in which Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street was reported as being worse.
Yankee Stadium station at 161st Street in the Bronx came in best, although some riders complained that security is good only when the Yankees are playing. The station serves the C, D and No. 4 lines and got the highest ratings in the survey in most categories.
Because of major construction in progress, the Straphangers said that it was unable to rate three heavily used stations: Times Square/42nd Street, Grand Central and Main Street/Flushing.
“We hope this empowers riders to win improvements to the system and provides them with information that will improve their daily rides,” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign.
The ratings of overall customer satisfaction:
1. Yankee Stadium/161st Street
2. Court Street/Borough Hall
3. Chambers Street/World Trade Center.
4. 34th Street/6th Avenue/Herald Square
5. 47th 50th Street/Rockefeller Center
6. 14th Street/Union Square
7. 86th Street and Lexington Avenue
8. 59th Street and Columbus Circle
9. 59th Street and Lexington Avenue
10. Broadway Nassau/Fulton Street.
11. 14th Street and 6th Avenue.
12. 34th Street/Penn Station
13. 42nd Street and 6th Avenue
14. Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street
15. 51st Street and Lexington Avenue
