The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced crews completed functional and aesthetic renovations at the Nereid Avenue 2 / 5 station in the Wakefield section of the Bronx. This work is part of New York City Transit’s Re-NEW-vation Program, which utilizes planned weekend service outages to perform upgrades, repairs, and enhanced cleaning in stations within a 55-hour window, providing customers with overhauled stations when service interruptions end on Mondays.
Over the last weekend, workers installed new nets to deter pigeons and deep cleaned areas prone to bird droppings. They also refreshed stairways, inspected steps for worn treads and welded new safety treads to steps to prevent trips and slips. Boards that protect the platform from damage caused by trains brushing against it were repaired and replaced where needed. Additional renovation work included deep cleaning lights and installing new LED lighting to brighten dark areas, rehabilitating platform benches, and repainting safety lines along platforms and stairways. The station also received a fresh coat of paint after transit workers scraped peeling paint and primed surfaces. Employee bathrooms and breakrooms also received enhancements, cleaning and repair work.
“In survey after survey, customers tell us their train rides are not the only part of their journey that matters; they also want cleaner and brighter stations,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey. “With each re-NEW-vation more and more stations are receiving the deep cleaning customers are calling for, delivering NYCT’s goal of providing faster, cleaner, and safer service.”
In surveys, subway customers consistently cite station cleanliness as a core driver of overall satisfaction. Station re-NEW-vations are performed at stations with lower cleanliness satisfaction, in direct response to customer feedback. The Station Re-NEW-vation Program is one of the major initiatives in New York City Transit’s Faster, Cleaner and Safer plan to improve the subway customer experience.
“Everyone deserves faster, cleaner, and safer public transportation, especially here in New York where so many rely on the subway system every day,” said Representative Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. “The Nereid Avenue Station re-NEW-vation will improve the commuting experience for thousands of New Yorkers who count on the subway to get to work, take their kids to school, and visit friends and family. By revitalizing our public transit systems, we can increase ridership to boost our economy, combat the impacts of climate change, and reduce pollution from cars and trucks that disproportionately harms Black and brown communities. I am proud to join NYC Transit and the MTA in celebrating this important renovation project.”
“I am thrilled that residents of the district will soon benefit from the completion of re-NEW-vation at the Nereid Avenue / 5 station. Countless Bronxites depend on public transit for their daily needs, and they should be able to rely on facilities that are safe, clean, and dependable,” said State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey. “These improvements are critical in ensuring that our transportation system continues to serve our communities effectively and safely into the future. As we celebrate this milestone, I look forward to the continuation of this transformative effort, with additional stations across our borough and city benefiting from these necessary maintenance upgrades. I want to thank the MTA for their work and continued commitment to addressing the concerns of commuters.”
“I am thrilled that the MTA, through the New York City Transit’s Faster, Cleaner and Safer plan, has taken steps to clean the Nereid Avenue station for passengers on the and lines,” said Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz. “This ‘re-NEW-vation’ is a welcome investment in the quality of life for our city’s commuters and I welcome future projects to other stations within my district. I applaud the MTA for their initiative in this project.”
“In their continued commitment to Bronx commuters accessing mass transit, we are excited over New York City Transit’s announcement to expand re-NEW-vation to the Nereid Avenue 2 / 5 station,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “With the successful completion of the Fordham Road Grand Concourse station in June and the Pelham Bay Park, and Zerega Avenue station stops earlier this year, now thousands more across our borough will get to enjoy enhanced lighting, signage, repainting, grouting and more. I want to thank MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and his entire team for their commitment to beautifying our stations in the Bronx while ensuring they get to and from their destinations safely and efficiently.”
Nereid Avenue station is the 47th station to be enhanced through the program since it began in the fall of 2022. An upcoming refurbishment is planned at Atlantic Avenue station on the train in East New York, Brooklyn, and NYCT plans to complete 50 “re-NEW-vations” by the end of this year.
Images courtesy of Marc A. Hermann | MTA.
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