Money Runs Underground, Part 2

The blogger behind Bella Goes To Camp brings up an interesting point about the condition of subway stops and how that condition relates to the corresponding neighborhood's affluence in this post (Money Runs Underground).

"By the time you get to to my neighborhood, though, things change. The Parkside Avenue and Church Avenue stops look like bombed-out Balkan train stations from WWII. Filthy, wall-skin peeling away, they beg for renovation. And then mysteriously, as you proceed to Cortelyou and Newkirk, conditions improve."

He's right. And, unfortunately, for those of us using a subway station that needs an overhaul, it's going to be a while. The MTA announced last month that - surprise! - it had to postpone the planned renovations at 15 subway stations in Brooklyn and 4 in the Bronx because of the looming financial crisis.

The Times did a great round-up of rider reaction to the repair delays. It includes some gems like:

Along the D line in Brooklyn, home to large communities of immigrants, riders were eager to share their complaints last week. The stations are grimy, filthy and “gunky,” they said. At their worst, they added, the stations resemble slums.

Angela Mario, who takes the N train to work after transferring from a 62nd Street station in Brooklyn, said she had grown accustomed to walls that ooze with strange liquids and outdoor coverings that leak.

Those concerns are echoed in the Bronx and resonate with Adolfo Carrión Jr., the borough president. When asked if he receives complaints about subway stations, he said, “I wish you could somehow print my laughter.”

Yeah. And I wish they could somehow print everyone's middle finger flipping off the MTA. Or are they not to blame here? Is our city or state government to blame?

What do you think? Who is at fault for this MTA financial crisis and how can it get fixed? Please hit the comments if you have any thoughts.