The Nereid Avenue 2 and 5 train station got spruced up over the weekend in Wakefield.
The effort is part of New York City Transit’s Re-NEW-vation Program, which allows workers to perform upgrades, repairs and enhanced cleanings in subway stations during a 55-hour window while there are weekend service outages.
The Nereid Avenue train station is the northernmost stop on the 5 train and the second to last stop on the 2, a stone’s throw from Mount Vernon in Westchester County. It is the 47th station to be touched up through this program since its start last fall. Fifteen of these stations were in the Bronx, according to MTA spokesperson Meghan Keegan.
Over the last weekend, workers installed new nets to deter pigeons and deep-cleaned areas where vermin like to leave unwanted presents.
Workers also scraped off peeling paint and primed surfaces before repainting the station. Along with repainting the stairways, they added new safety treads to prevent people from slipping and tripping.
New LED lights were added to brighten up dark areas and other lights were deep cleaned. Platform benches were refinished and safety lines were repainted along platforms and stairways.
Boards that protect the platform from damage caused by trains brushing against it were also repaired and replaced as necessary.
Employee bathrooms and breakrooms at the stations also received repairs and cleanings.
Riders have expressed that cleaner and brighter stations are important to them in surveys, according to NYC Transit President Richard Davey. Re-NEW-vations are conducted at stations that see lower customer satisfaction when it comes to cleanliness in particular.
“Everyone deserves faster, cleaner, and safer public transportation, especially here in New York where so many rely on the subway system every day,” said U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who represents the Wakefield area. “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.”
State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, whose district also includes the station, said he looks forward to other stations across the Bronx seeing similar maintenance upgrades.
In May, the MTA completed similar upgrades at the Pelham Bay Park station at the top of the 6 train and the Zerega Avenue 6 train stop, as well as the Fordham Road B and D line on the Grand Concourse in June.
Reach Aliya Schneider at aschneider@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4597. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
