MTA budget includes accessibility measures at Brooklyn stations

From brooklyneagle.com

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board recently approved a series of measures that advance the Authority’s goals of achieving systemwide accessibility, reducing its carbon footprint and maintaining the transit system in a state of good repair.

These contracts are made possible by the support and investment from the Federal government.

“The procurements moving forward today advance top 2023 MTA goals – expanding accessibility system- wide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and keeping the transit system in a state-of-good repair,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

“MTA Construction & Development is deliver- ing on the MTA’s historic capital program to ensure our network’s longevity and reliability for decades to come,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “The procurements moving forward today bring us to 42 subway stations in construction for full ADA-accessibility — the most in MTA history.”

MTA Construction & Development continues to award and execute ADA upgrades at an accelerated pace. The Authority completed eight station projects across all five boroughs in 2023 and 24 stations since 2020.

The new elevators are equipped with modern technology features including security cameras and two- way communication systems that give riders the ability to reach MTA staff at the Operations Control Center in the event of an emergency.

In Brooklyn, the 36th Street station on the D, N and R lines, the Classon Avenue station on the G line and the New Lots Avenue station on the 3 line will receive accessibility upgrades.

In a related measure, the MTA will perform a significant rehabilitation of the Broadway Junction complex in East New York, which is the third-largest subway station in Brooklyn and serves as a major transfer point between the A, C, J, A and L lines, not to mention a Long Island Rail Road station nearby.

The project will create a stair-free path of travel throughout the entire complex rendering it fully ADA-accessible. In addition, crews will replace existing escalators and construct a new entrance from Van Sinderen Avenue that leads riders directly to the train platform. The MTA will also build a new comfort station at nearby Callahan Kelly Playground.

As far as buses are concerned, the MTA’s bus fleet is the largest in the nation with 5,840 buses and serves a ridership greater than the next three largest bus agencies combined. The Authority currently has over 1,300 low-emissions hybrid buses in its fleet, including 399 second-generation hybrid buses which run on battery-only EV mode a portion of the time, greatly reducing fossil fuel usage, and 15 electric buses.

Last week, the MTA board approved two contracts to purchase a total of 429 new buses for $552.8 million that will replace buses that have reached the end of their useful life. The purchase includes 205 low-floor battery-electric buses and 224 low-floor 60-foot clean diesel buses. The purchase contracts also include related items such as spare parts, special tools, equipment, diagnostic testing, technical documentation and training.

The projected pilot bus delivery for the first of the 205 battery electric buses is slated for 2025, with production deliveries beginning later that year. While work to retrofit the necessary infrastructure to support the 205 battery electric buses is underway, 60 battery electric buses will soon begin arriving to multiple depots across all boroughs.

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act delivers real and transformational change to New York,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn). “This law provides the largest single federal investment in infrastructure in the history of the Republic and will help make our mass transit systems accessible to every single American, including right here in Central Brooklyn and East New York. I applaud the MTA for working to implement such updates here in Brooklyn so those with disabilities will have the access and accommodations they deserve.”

“I am pleased that this project is moving forward,” said State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud (D-Brook- lyn). “The transformational vision for Broadway Junction is a major step to improving the lives of many commuters that pass through this major transit hub; creating a more safe and equitable New York.”

“I’m proud to see this progress toward accessible public transit at the Court Square and the Broadway stations,” added State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (D-Brooklyn). “Our office is committed to working with the MTA and other community stakeholders to see this project completed safely and swiftly and to continue to increase access to transit across our district.”

“I am very excited and pleased that the MTA is installing new elevators at the Classon Avenue G Station,” said Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest (D-Brooklyn). “This is a much-needed upgrade that will improve accessibility to transit options for those who most need them: seniors and the disabled.”