Governor Hochul Announces MTA and Accessibility Advocates Agree on Historic Plan for Expanding Accessibility in the New York City Subway System

 

Class Action Settlement Agreement Affirms MTA's Commitment to Make 95 Percent of the Currently Inaccessible Subway Stations Accessible 

2020-2024 MTA Capital Program Includes a Historic $5.2 Billion Investment in Accessibility Upgrades 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and accessibility advocates reached a class action settlement agreement that affirms the MTA's commitment towards accessibility in the subway system. The agreement will resolve two class action lawsuits (Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, et al. v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority, et al. No. 153765/2017 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Co.) and De La Rosa et al. v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority et al. No. 19-cv-04406 (ER) (S.D.N.Y.)), and is subject to court approval, a notice period where class members will have the opportunity to comment, and a fairness hearing. Under the terms of the agreement, the MTA will add elevators or ramps to create a stair-free path of travel at 95 percent of the currently inaccessible subway stations by 2055.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, "Even during the dire financial crisis brought on by the pandemic, the MTA prioritized accessibility, leading to the completion of 15 accessibility projects. There will be 81 more projects in progress by the end of the 2020-2024 capital plan, which includes a historic $5.2 billion dedicated to accessibility upgrades. These commitments, combined with recently enacted zoning that incentivizes private developers to incorporate station accessibility projects into their buildings, will help us achieve a fully accessible transit system much faster than ever before imagined." 

As part of the agreement reached with accessibility advocates, the MTA has committed, subject to extensions of time based on funding commitment caps and other contingencies, to procure contracts to make accessible 81 stations by 2025, another 85 stations by 2035, another 90 stations by 2045, and the last 90 stations by 2055. 

The MTA has 472 subway stations and including 21 Staten Island Railway (SIR) stations, has 493 stations in the transit system. Of those, 131 are fully accessible to customers with disabilities, via elevators and ramps, including five Staten Island Railway stations. There are more than one million people with a disability living in New York City, more than 1.5 million over the age of 65, and approximately 250,000 children under the age of two whose families need to navigate New York City with strollers. 

The following stations are funded for upgrades under the current capital plan:

 

• 8 Av (N) 
• Tremont Av (B, D) 
• 149 St-Grand Concourse (2, 4, 5) 
• 6 Av (L) 
• 14 St (F, M, 1, 2, 3) 
• Woodhaven Blvd (M, R) 
• Westchester Sq-East Tremont Av (6) 
• Queensboro Plaza (N, W, 7) 
• Court Sq (G) 
• 68 St-Hunter College (6) 
• Bay Ridge-95 St (R) 
• Grand St (L) 
• Beach 67 St (A) 
• 7 Av (F, G) 
• Dyckman St (1) 
• E 149 St (6) 
• New Dorp (SIR) 
• Lorimer St (L) 
• Metropolitan Av (G) 
• 181 St (A) 
• Church Av (B, Q) 
• Sheepshead Bay (B, Q) 
• Rockaway Blvd (A) 
• Kings Hwy (N) 
• Woodhaven Blvd (J, Z) 
• Steinway St (M, R) 
• Junius St (3) 
• Mosholu Pkwy (4) 
• Northern Blvd (M, R) 
• 137 St-City College (1) 
• Parkchester (6) 
• Borough Hall (4, 5) 
• Broadway Junction (A, C, L, J, Z) 
• Broadway (N, W) 
• 36 St (D, N, R) 
• 18 Av (D) 
• Kings Hwy (F) 
• Norwood Av (J, Z) 
• Myrtle Av (J, M, Z) 
• Jefferson St (L) 
• 96 St (B, C) 
• 81 St-Museum of Natural History (B, C) 
• Hoyt-Schermerhorn (A, C, G) 
• Nostrand Av (A, C) 
• 167 St (B, D) 
• Avenue I (F) 
• Neptune Av (F) 
• Parsons Blvd (F) 
• Briarwood (E, F) 
• 7 Av (B, D, E) 
• Classon Av (G) 
• Van Cortlandt Park-242 St (1) 
• New Lots Av (3) 
• Brook Av (6) 
• 3 Av-138 St (6) 
• Kingsbridge Rd (4) 
• Burnside Av (4) 
• 110 St (6) 
• 86 St (4, 5, 6) 
• Wakefield-241 St (2) 
• Harlem-148 St (3) 
• 46 St-Bliss St (7) 
• 33 St-Rawson St (7) 
• Clifton (SIR) 
• Huguenot (SIR) 
• 168 St (1) 
• Court Sq-23 St (E, M) 
• 42 St-Bryant Pk (B, D, F, M) 
• 5 Av (7) 
• Lexington Av/59 St (N, R, W) 
• 59 St (4, 5, 6) 
• Delancey St-Essex St (F, J, M, Z)