They really should alert people BEFORE they even have to venture down into the system. Sometimes it’s easier to walk or take a bus, and some people take stairs very slowly. In my opinion, it would be better to put these electronic signs above ground ABOVE the stairways so that they can be read from a moderate distance and without people blocking the stairways.

I’m impressed that the MTA is finally considering this idea (since I’ve always hoped someone out there had a sense of what was happening on a particular line at any given time). I just think the MTA should consider putting these signs on the street where riders can choose if it’s worth waiting in the stifling hot station for a delayed train or to take an air conditioned bus. Putting these signs downstairs (or upstairs) will only cause an inconvenience and perhaps draw a large crowd of people trying to read the sign all at once in that compact space in front of the turnstiles.