Gov. Kathy Hochul rode the 7 train to check out the platform barriers at the 5th Avenue-Bryant Park station Thursday, touting the money she secured to get them installed in 100 stations this year.

“You can’t tell people how to feel. I get that,” she said. “But I want them to know we’re trying. We have cameras on every train. We have police officers there. It’s a brighter experience as you’re standing on the platforms. We’re having barriers to protect people from inadvertently or intentionally pushing someone on the tracks.”

What You Need To Know

  • The state budget includes funds and changes for safety improvements outside the $35 billion in state funding for the MTA’s 2025-29 capital plan 

  • Some of the safety initiatives include policy changes like expanding involuntary commitment, psychiatric services and homeless outreach 

  • There is also money to bring LED lighting to every subway station and platform barriers to 100 more stations this year, but it's unclear if the state will help fund the continuation of officers on every overnight train past June 30

While some riders said they feel safer, others said it doesn’t make a difference to them. But it’s the unseen changes in the budget that officials feel will have the real impact — lowering the threshold for involuntary commitment of the mentally ill and investing in treatment for that population.

“That population is having a disproportionate impact on the sense of safety and order in all of our public spaces,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “And they need to be helped and into treatment.”

While crime is down, assaults are still up. As of Sunday, they stood at 9% higher than last year and 55% more than 2019, with many of them on police.

The governor touted securing $77 million in the budget to pay for the NYPD overnight patrols on every train, which the city also has to pay for. That ends on June 30 and it’s unclear whether they will continue.

“I’ll continue that funding, and making sure we have the resources whether it’s through the city or the state or combined,” Hochul said.

Other initiatives like new gates to prevent fare evasion are included in the fully funded capital plan, in which the MTA will have to contribute an additional $3 billion on top of $10 billion it will bond.

On Wednesday, Lieber said that would come through cost savings.

“I don’t think they’re going to find $3 billion in savings in their operations,” Hochul said. “This is part of the bonding strategy.”

Under tariffs and inflation, items like railcars may become more expensive. So while the $68 billion capital plan is fully funded, it may eventually have to be scaled back.