MTA Harlem-148 Station Receives Accessibility Upgrades
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Ray Raimundi / MTA
NEW YORK CITY - The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) completed accessibility upgrades at the Harlem-148 St station.
The station received a new ADA-compliant ramp measuring six feet wide with guardrails and handrails. The ramp connects the street to the platform. Additionally, crews installed an eight-foot-wide staircase to give passengers another path to the platform. Crews also made upgrades to the lighting, CCTV system, and fire alarm system. These upgrades are part of ADA Package 5 which includes 13 stations and is part of a larger effort to make 95% of MTA’s stations accessible by 2055. The other stations included in the package are Van Cortland Park-242 St, 96 St, 81 St, 86 St, Broadway, Court Sq-23 St, 33 St-Rawson St, 46 St-Bliss St, Classon Av, New Lots Av, 36th St, and Huguenot Station.
The Harlem-148 St station also received an art installation from Michael A. Cummings. This installation includes 36 stainless-steel panels along the new ramp railing and “traces the layered, histories, communities, and natural landscapes that have shaped Harlem and Manhattan.”
Harlem-148 St Gallery
“In recent years, the MTA has dramatically accelerated work to make our subway system ADA accessible,” said MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber. “Since 2020, we’ve upgraded 57 stations to fully accessible status, and right now another 40 stations are under construction, with 60 stations more coming as part of the current MTA Capital Plan.”
“At Harlem-148 St, we found a way to deliver full accessibility that’s not only great for riders, but also great for our budget,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “It’s a perfect example of how the MTA is expanding accessibility better, faster, and cheaper — by installing a ramp where it makes sense over what elevators would have cost, we saved $30 million on this project, and that’s dollars that go into making other stations ADA-accessible.”
“Harlem just got more accessible– that means more New Yorkers can get where they need to go smoothly, safely, and efficiently, whether they’re using a mobility device, pushing a stroller, or even just carrying their groceries,” said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “Along with the new ramp and stairs, we’ve added new LED lights, a new PA system, and more customer information screens to enhance this station for the riders who depend on it.”
“All Harlem residents and visitors, especially those with mobility devices, luggage, and strollers, will forever enjoy guaranteed access to this station thanks to this newly installed ramp,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. “Harlem-148 St station is now the latest station to receive accessibility upgrades, getting the MTA closer to the goal of systemwide accessibility by 2055.”
