MTA to Begin Accessibility Work at 14th Street Passageway
Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
MTA
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Feb. 14 that work will soon begin to make the existing pedestrian walkway between Sixth and Seventh Avenues at 14th Street accessible.
Crews are set to install a new ramp to the west end of the passageway, which connects subway riders to the 14th Street and Sixth Avenue stations. The planned work will also entail the installation of new lighting and ceramic wall tiles, MTA said. Upon the project’s completion, the tunnel will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
To ensure worker and commuter safety, the route will be blocked off beginning Feb. 27 and is expected to reopen in December of 2023. Customers will have the option to make a free out-of-system transfer between the two stations while the corridor is closed.
The work on the 14th Street passageway is part of a larger accessibility project taking place at the complex. When the project is complete, the 14th Street and Sixth Avenue stations will be fully ADA-accessible. MTA said passengers can anticipate newly installed elevators, as well as refurbished staircases, mezzanines and platforms.
At the 14th Street station, two mezzanine-level elevators will be available, with one located near the northbound platform and the other installed near the southbound platform. MTA said there will be a street-level elevator available, stopping at the mezzanine level. A new staircase will also be added, as well as refurbished existing staircases, mezzanine and platforms.
The Sixth Avenue station will see the addition of two street-level elevators located at the 14th Street northeast and northwest corners, stopping at the mezzanine level where commuters can access the F and M platforms. Crews will also install two mezzanine-level elevators for riders to use when accessing the L platforms, a release said.
