No commute would be complete without the humid, dirty, and fuel smelling subways of New York City. It is almost impossible to imagine the subway rails or even stations without dirty recycled bottles, endless garbage, and stains all over the place. A plan was designed to clean up the subway, which has taken much longer than expected, but now MTA’s track sweep program will help speed the process up, in order to finally gain a cleaner and more presentable subway.

Finally, the subway systems are getting a cleanup. For two weeks, Operation Track Sweep is expected to help clean up the tracks. The Operation Track Sweep is a four-phase program designed by the MTA. Its goal is to triple the number of track cleanings from 34 stops to 94 every two weeks.

Starting on September 12th of this year, there will be a cleaning blitz that is expected to last two weeks and send 500 workers to clean up the garbage at all subway stations. The purpose of this cleanup is to have a more smoothly run subway system, as the debris and garbage on the tracks causes delays and track fires. It also will have a positive outcome on commuters since less debris means a cleaner station.

Cleaning up the tracks has not been an easy task for MTA workers, as two vacuum trains that suck up all of the garbage on the tracks would constantly fail, and MTA cleaning crew members were not going about the cleaning schedule, adding more garbage to the tracks. Trash has been removed in lines such as the J and M in hopes to give commuters the idea to hold on to their trash until they have exited the station.

Three new cleaning vacuum trains are expected to come within the next two years, in hopes that the subway will be maintained clean and give commuters and travelers an easier and more enjoyable commute. MTA is also working to get a portable vacuum system that would be quicker and can be controlled from the platform. All in order to gain the goal of having a presentable and clean subway station.

Featured Image via Wikimedia