Updated
Updated · Gothamist · Jun 18
Lower Manhattan Subways Resume After 5-Hour Halt as Knicks' 53-Year Title Parade Overwhelms Stations
Updated
Updated · Gothamist · Jun 18

Lower Manhattan Subways Resume After 5-Hour Halt as Knicks' 53-Year Title Parade Overwhelms Stations

3 articles · Updated · Gothamist · Jun 18

Summary

  • Just before 1 p.m., subway service across Lower Manhattan resumed after police halted trains for more than five hours during the Knicks championship parade.
  • Massive crowding at stations south of Canal Street made it physically impossible for riders to exit, the NYPD said, turning the morning rush into a public-safety problem.
  • R and W service at City Hall still faced disruptions as the post-parade ceremony continued, while bus service and some PATH trips were also snarled by overcrowding.
  • Contradictory police and MTA messages deepened the disruption: some trains bypassed up to five stops, commuters were stranded at checkpoints, and schools stayed open despite students and staff struggling to get in.

Insights

How will NYC prevent its next major celebration from turning into another city-wide transit meltdown?
Is massive disruption the unavoidable price for a historic celebration in a city with fragile infrastructure?