MTA Makes 14 St Accessibility Upgrades
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Courtesy of MTA
NEW YORK CITY – The MTA announced it completed three new elevators to provide access along with repair work as part of the 14 St Complex ADA Megaproject.
According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), this ADA Megaproject includes $247 million in federal funding and will add nine new elevators. 23.5% of the project budget has been awarded to DBE firms. This exceeds the project’s goal of 22.5%.
The three new elevators allow passengers access from the street to the 6 Av L platform and the uptown F M platform. One elevator brings riders from the street to the mezzanine. Another connects the mezzanine to the platform. “The 14 St F M and 6 Av L station are the first two of three stations within the complex to receive ADA upgrades,” the report says. Three more elevators are under construction at the downtown F M platform. These will make the 14 St F M station fully accessible.
The project includes improvements and state-of-good-repair work. This work seeks to work on leaks and making repairs to the Canarsie Line tunnel from 8th Avenue to 1st Avenue. Additionally, crews will install four new staircases and widen 21 existing staircases. The report says the mezzanine will be reconfigured the mezzanine to install two new fare arrays. For a better experience, crews will add new lighting and tiling.
Below is a YouTube video of the news conference in which MTA officials announce the three new elevators:
“This is a megaproject that is going to change accessibility for 30,000 daily riders,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Part of the reason we’re able to do it is because we have great partners in Washington. The feds have contributed $247 million towards this project, more than 80% of the total cost. Thank you, Chuck Schumer, thank you, Hakeem Jeffries and the rest of the New York delegation.”
“Every new elevator brings us one step closer to our goal of systemwide accessibility,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. “This is the first step towards making this crucial transfer complex accessible and unlocking many new trip options for our customers.”
“This project provides much-needed accessibility as well as critical station tunnel repairs,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “Bundling ADA upgrades with state of good repair work allows the MTA to deliver megaprojects better, faster, and cheaper.”
