Some of those popular benches found on various NYC train platforms are now relics of the past as the MTA pulled four of them from a popular Manhattan station this week.
As part of a pilot program, the benches in the bustling West 4th Street station in Greenwich Village were removed and replaced with metal leaning bars. The Lower Manhattan station is home to multiple train stops, including the A/B/C/D/E/F lines.
“The leaning bars at West 4th Street, a highly trafficked station with six lines passing through that minimizes wait times, are appreciated by riders for different reasons, and we continue to receive feedback,” an MTA spokesperson said.
West 4th Street is the only one of 472 subway stations in the city that lost benches as part of the pilot program. The MTA does not have a plan to remove benches at other stations as part of the test run.
According to an article on PIX 11, the MTA said the leaning bars cost $450 compared to $4,000 for a wooden bench.
For years, the benches have not only been enjoyed by straphangers with tired feet but also by homeless individuals for sleeping and storing their belongings.
amNewYork Metro visited the station on Tuesday afternoon. Commuters were seen leaning against the metal structures and shared their thoughts on the infrastructure change.
“Sitting is a better idea. This, you just have to lean. It’s not comfortable; it feels like standing. It’s pointless,” a commuter named Rah said.
Ruth Rosait said the posts are better than nothing but would rather have the benches.
“I prefer the bench over this, but I am glad they put this and didn’t leave it empty,” she said. “But the bench is more preferable because there is more seating. You have people on both sides with the bench and double up.”
She also pointed out that she does not believe it will have a meaningful impact on homelessness.
“My first thought was they put this in place to stop the homeless from sleeping. But if they really want to sleep they will just sleep on the floor,” she said.
But Joseph Rappaport, executive director of the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled, did not applaud the bench removal.
“If the MTA wanted to make it clear that disabled people—or just people who are tired at the end of a long workday—aren’t welcome on the subways, it would remove benches and seats in subway cars,” he said. “Sadly, that’s exactly the message the MTA is giving at West 4th Street and across the system. So-called leaning benches are no replacement.”
Meanwhile, commuters looking for a comfy place to sit after a long day will likely have to wait for a seat on an arriving train.
