The
MTA published all its ridership info last weekend.
Given all the upcoming service cuts, this is pretty interesting stuff.
The site
SecondAvenueSagas.com dove into the numbers so you don't have to. They put into proper perspective the r
idership info to Mets - Willets Point and Yankees Stadium:
"...Ridership through both Mets-Willets Point (the former Shea Stadium
stop) and 161st Street-Yankee Stadium declined in 2009. Willets Point
saw traffic dip to 1,862,720 from 2,036,355, a decline of 8.5 percent
while even with an additional eight postseason games, traffic at Yankee
Stadium declined 1.9 percent from 8,576,546 to 8,410,256.
The reason,
though, is not because the Mets struggled.
Rather, ridership was down because capacity at these two new stadiums
was significantly lower than at what Citi Field and new Yankee Stadium
replaced. The current Stadium in the Bronx can fit, on its best day,
just over 52,000 -- a number that includes standing room and one the team
never attained last year -- while the old park could fit 57,545, a ten
percent difference. Citi Field can fit 45,000 while Shea packed in over
57,000, a difference of over 20 percent. In that light, then, the
declining ridership numbers are actually lower than expected."
By the way, I have taken the LIRR a few times this season. I instinctively tried to buy a ticket for "Shea Stadium," then "Citi Field," before remembering you need to type in "Mets - Willets Point" as the destination. Anyone else making the same mistake?
