WTC security and emergency response newspaper article

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Downtown subways slow, steady Neiv routes succeed BY PETE DONOHUE DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Underground was the best way to get around the city yesterday despite occasional confusion, fears and delays. “It’&been a slow ride with a lot of stops in between,” said Mark But after a week of suspended Sotolongo, 28, who made his service, major delays and rerout­ 'Then she conceded she might way from the Bronx to Prince ings, there was hound to be take the subway to W. Eighth St. St in SoHo. some chaos. With trains moving slowly and After painstakin^y working § Aboveground, there were-bot- the terrorist attacks on riders’ tlenecks at every entry point through the weekend to restore minds, even routine, stops be­ serviceto the Fulton St. station tween stations raised suspi- .z into the city and cars were banned from streets dowmown. But in the subways, the Tran- — now the key undaground link to the battered Financial cions. “On the trains every five min­ I sit AuQiority’s weekend scram­ District — the TA. suddenly shut utes they were stoppirig. Normal­ ble to rewrite the subway map ly you wouldn’t think anything if down temporarily at the re- of it; but now you do,”-said

I and resume lower Manhattan service paid oft as its plan quest of authorities. The station Heather line; 37, a receptionist worked almost without a hitch. is blocks from the disaster zone, who rode a 2 train downtown. Extensive damage te stations and tcansit officials couldn’t ex- Fran Tripp, 49, of Queens, and turuiels aroimd the Trade said many aboard an elevated 7 Genterfuins had led to subways train in' Queens ' averted their being diverted for days for fear the rumbling could cause more f tSm^^^bi^iai'm^ sub^y eyes from the shattered skyline, where smoke hovered'over the destructionsite. Ii 'i prpblems for the rescue crews L hub M 8 a.m., sending eommut- S abowEground. “Everybody, was very quiet,” Now the TA has reopened i effi-so-ambTihg. ? ■ ,, she said: "Tlie commute was four of the 18 stations south of No package was found, hut sad.” g Chambers St. for 30 minutes subway service Yesterday’s subway commute wasdown. Ihe-Long IslandRaii to.downtown for the first day Road delayed dr canceled .^9 back at work since last Tuesday trains. wasn’t perfect, but.it was better Some commuters — still, jit­ than the gridlock in the streets. tery since last week’s attack — There were plenty of TA work- decided to walkover the Brook­ os and police in stations to help lyn Bridge. riders n^otiate the extensive Marion Flynn, 40, of Brook- route changes. lyn, said she on an A train “These are all new routes,” when file two jets crashed into said one cop. “It’s hard for them the twin towers. She stepped toa<y«st.” into a war zone but emerged un- Transit officials said ridership was lighter than the usual 4 mil: “I’m neyer going to take the lionlripsa day. train again,” she said. “Pm going “It was finef’ Scott Ross said to wa& arid start my<tey wi^20 of his trip the upper West minutesofserenity.I ^uied the Side to fe office near^Bo^g odds were with me thm,day. I Green. “There were a lot fewer don’t want to push my hick.” people.” ’

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