They never consider the depth.

This is not a NYC problem exclusively.

My Métro station in Montreal is four escalators below ground, one of which is the second longest escalator in Canada.

Ottawa just finished the Rideau station, which after DC, has the longest escalator in North America.

It’s a single station with no shopping or arena at the top, and both are like 12 min to ground level.

It’s fucking ridiculous. And that’s just baby subway systems in Canada and they still fuck this up.