Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and Community Activist Luis Sepulveda to Sue the MTA for Handicap Access to the Parkchester Subway Station

  When the #6 line Parkchester subway station was recently redone to the tune 34 million dollars only one escalator was installed for Manhattan bound riders. Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., Community Activist and lawyer Luis Sepulveda, Ms. Margret Walsh (of the Parkchester South Houses), Ms. Beverly Roberts (of the local NAACP), and about 75 others called for the MTA to install elevators so all subway riders could use the Parkchester subway station (one of the heaviest used station on the #6 line). 

   Senator Diaz and Mr. Sepulveda said that when the station was redone the "Americans With Disabilities Act" required that elevators be placed for handicap riders. That was not the case, and only one escalator was placed for the Manhattan bound riders. It was said that you can not get a wheelchair or walker (that many of the elderly residents of Parkchester use to help get around) on the escalator, so this station is inaccessible to up to 200,000 people..

   Mr. Sepulveda said that the MTA is violating the law, and on Friday  he will bring a lawsuit on behalf of the people to have the MTA install the elevators that should have been put in when the station was redone. 

   We spoke to an MTA employee who wanted to remain anonymous, and were told that the station was not high enough for an elevator. We were also told that a study was done, but because of the three tracks and only two platforms in use it could not be determined just where to place elevators without any hazards to the riders. 

  One note is that the #6 line Parkchester subway station is fully accessible to the handicap from the street level to the entrance gates.

Above is District Leader Julia Rodriguez next to Senator Diaz, with Mr. Luis Sepulvada next to Ms. Margret Walsh of the Parkchster South Houses, and others around them.

     Below is the entrance to the Manhattan bound side.