Subway stations are about to get a lot brighter

In the beginning, there was the incandescent lamp. Then came fluorescent lights. After that, compact fluorescents were the newest thing.

But now, there are LED (light-emitting diode) lights, which are more energy-efficient than either incandescent or fluorescent lamps and offer a brighter light for the same wattage. And on Tuesday morning, the MTA chose Brooklyn’s Lafayette Avenue station on the C line, serving Fort Greene, to announce a plan to convert all 150,000 fluorescent light fixtures in the subway system to LED lighting by mid-2026.

The announcement was made by MTA New York City Transit Vice President of Subways Demetrius Crichlow. He was surrounded by the hard-hatted members of the system’s Facilities Team, who are doing the actual work. Crichlow emphasized that the project would brighten formerly dim corners of the city’s subway stations, including the locations of the system’s 150,000 security cameras.

Thus, he said in response to questions, the lighting upgrade would protect subway riders and MTA staffers alike. “It’s simple: A brighter station is a safer station,” he said.