The Metropolitan Transportation Authority / New York City Transit has received a $2 million award through the Urban Area Security Initiative federal grant program to pay for the installation of cameras across the entire fleet of subway cars.
The Urban Area Security Initiative is a program under the US Department of Homeland Security Preparedness Grants.
The funding will enable the purchase of 5,400 cameras to be installed on 2,700 New York City Transit subway cars, two per car. Additionally, the program will fund approximately 3,800 cameras expanding coverage in approximately 130 subway stations.
The project will enhance security coverage and increase passenger confidence in mass transit safety, Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
The NYC Transit’s existing security network has more than 10,000 cameras across all 472 subway stations, she said.
“This new security initiative will further work to ensure that all New Yorkers can get to where they need to go safely,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“Public transportation is the backbone of New York City, and when commuters feel protected the entire system stands upright.”
The new funding covers the cost of camera installation on 6,355 cars, allowing the MTA to outfit every subway car with two cameras and supplementing an existing camera pilot program that includes 200 cameras in 100 subway cars.
Additionally, 7,310 cameras on 3,655 subway cars will be paid for by the Subway Action Plan at a cost of $3.5 million.
The total funding to complete the installations equals $5.5 million. When installation begins, an additional 200 train cars per month will have cameras installed until the entire subway car fleet is camera-equipped, with completion of the project expected sometime in 2025.
New R211 subway cars slated for delivery beginning early next year will be equipped with cameras.
