Some Saint Johners will tell you their city has more escalators than any place in New Brunswick — a strangely quaint boast, especially when so few of the escalators actually work.

Most of the city's non-moving escalators can be found along an indoor route between the Aliant Tower on Germain Street and Market Square on the waterfront.

Over a stretch of about half a kilometre, four out of five sets of escalators were not operating Friday morning.

This out-of-service escalator is on the lower level of Market Square and connects to the parking garage. (Matthew Bingley/CBC) The most problematic one connects the City Hall pedway to Market Square. A maintenance worker said the worn-out escalator was first installed in 1983.

Pedestrians attempting to make the indoor trek on Friday were met with more than the yellow barriers at both sides of the escalators.

The only way up or down from the lower levels, which features the Free Public Library, was by way of a cramped elevator.

Long lineups

"Yesterday there was quite a lineup down here while we we were waiting," Anita Stevens said after she jammed into the claustrophobic space with six others.

Stevens said the lines are longer when people use the route to avoid wet weather.

"Upstairs was not as long," she said, "but it was bad enough."

A pedway link between Market Square and City Hall is out of service. (Matthew Bingley) Sure enough, when the elevator doors opened, several folks were there waiting to carry on with their day.

Most in Saint John take the worn-out escalators in good humour. They don't really have a choice.

The pair of escalators at the City Market were broken for about eight months before the city decided to replace them. It was almost a year later before anyone was able to take a trip up a brand new escalator.

But with so many out-of-service in a direct path, getting from one end to the other is almost comical.

Three out of four of the malfunctioning escalators are owned and operated by the Hardman Group Ltd., which manages Market Square. One of those has been out of operation since August, when a child was injured on it.

CBC News attempted to reach the Hardman Group for comment but the call was not returned.