By Jeremy Walsh
Their introduction was followed by Tuesday's announcement that express train service had returned to the 7 line after four weeks of major track and signal work.”We got chosen for these jobs because we tend to think outside the box,” Hoban said.Hoban and Ragusa will be working under manager Louis Brusati, who was out sick the day of the meeting.They said they hope their changes bring an upswing in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's rider report card. In the most recent survey, taken in 2007, riders gave the line an overall C-minus, listing “adequate room on board at rush hour” as the No. 1 priority for improvements.Queens Borough President Helen Marshall said rush-hour conditions on the 7 line are very crowded. She warned that the system would not be able to handle the expected spike in ridership if the mayor's congestion pricing plan is approved.Hoban agreed the line is very crowded. According to MTA statistics, 394,000 people use the line on an average weekday.”We're at the level of ridership we were in the '50s, when there was no car culture,” Hoban said. He cautioned that the MTA cannot add more cars to the trains because they already run the length of the station platforms.Instead, Hoban said, the MTA plans to run 7 trains more frequently starting in the spring.Another cause for train delays are antiquated rail signals, Hoban said.”People don't make new 'old' systems any more, so we have to replace them,” he said, noting MTA Chairman Elliot Sander plans to request $3 billion from the state for the “long and painful” signalization replacement process.Marshall also criticized the cleanliness of stations along the line, saying that when she and other borough officials came out for the ribbon cutting of the bus terminal at the 74th Street station, “it was filthy.”Hoban said he was trying to increase 24-hour staffing at key stations like 74th Street, Main Street, Woodside, Junction Boulevard and Queensboro Plaza, which would include cleaners.Community Board 7 Chairman Eugene Kelty suggested creating oversized map decals that could be pasted on station walls opposite the platform, enabling novice riders to view the individual line map before boarding the train.Ragusa said the MTA is working on creating similar signs and mentioned a plan to install projectors at station booths to display service changes and other information on the walls.Both men reminded the board that the changes would take some time to implement.”If you give us some patience, I think you'll be happy with the results,” Ragusa said.Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
