The addition of seating for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) riders at Grand Central Madison has raised questions about the scarcity of seating at transit hubs. Experts suggest this may be due to efforts by transportation providers to discourage homeless people from lingering in stations.
Janno Lieber, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), explained that it took 18 months to add seating because the agency did not foresee a high demand for rest areas at the new station. "We saw a need," Lieber stated during a news conference at Grand Central. "We put in some seating to deal with it."
Grand Central Madison's recent installation of 28 seats highlights the limited seating options at several newly renovated transit hubs serving Long Island commuters, including Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall.
Michael Smart, an associate professor at Rutgers University, believes that insufficient seating was intentional. "It is 100% the case that the lack of seating in new facilities is because of the homeless," said Smart, who studies how transit agencies handle homelessness globally. He noted that decision-makers often prioritize limiting homeless access over passenger comfort.
Smart described Moynihan Train Hall as having an even more "egregious" lack of seating. Opened in 2021 and costing $1.2 billion, it provides limited places to sit despite its vast space. Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams noted there is available seating within ticketed areas, a food hall, and a lounge but indicated any increase would require approval from Empire State Development.
Nearby Penn Station underwent renovations costing $700 million but did not significantly expand its seating capacity despite adding more standing room. The station offers small waiting areas with limited seats for ticket holders.
Smart criticized these arrangements as a disservice to passengers who need places to sit while waiting for trains: "It's so obvious... what it's about." He pointed out that ticketed waiting rooms are often located far from where travelers gather near train gates.
