N.Y. transit system to add cameras, sensors

NEW YORK (AP) — New York will install 1,000 surveillance cameras and 3,000 motion sensors in its sprawling network of subways and commuter rail stations as part of a $212 million security upgrade announced yesterday.

The upgrade marks the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s largest financial commitment to its counterterrorism program. Although the agency approved a $591 million security plan in 2002, it had spent only a fraction of that until this new deal with Lockheed Martin Corp.

MTA Executive Director Katherine Lapp rejected suggestions that the announcement was tied to terrorist attacks in London on July 7 that killed 52 persons and the four bombers, saying that planning for the upgrades has been going on for more than a year. Lockheed Martin was chosen as the prime contractor last week.

“We wanted to make sure that we did it right, that we got to a place where we are today. … This is not something over the last month that we decided to accelerate,” Miss Lapp said.

An MTA spokesman said the system already has about 1,000 security cameras.

The security upgrades will be made to subway stations, bridges and tunnels operated by the MTA, and the Metro-North and Long Island Railroad commuter lines. None of the devices will be deployed in train cars or buses.

Citing security issues, officials would not detail where the cameras and sensors would be placed in the system, which has more than 700 subway and commuter rail stations.

Sophisticated computer software will be used to integrate information from the system and link it to new MTA Police Department mobile command centers, Miss Lapp said. For example, alarms will be set off at the command centers if the system detects an unattended package on a subway platform.

Judy Marks, executive vice president for Lockheed Martin’s Transportation and Security Solutions unit, said installation of the cameras will begin immediately and that the company has a three-year contract to complete the project.