Sen.Adams and 87-year-old Straphanger Demonstrated Need for More Accessible Subways Climbing Stairs of Highest NYC Train Station

Eric Adams

August 26, 2013

For more coverage of this story, click on the following links : Brooklyn News 12, CBS 2, NY 1 and AM-NY

NYS Senator Eric Adams held a press conference on Sunday to call on MTA officials to implement a free shuttle service for physically challenged passengers. He was joined by a local family and their 87-year-old matriarch, who has been unable to use the Smith/9th Street station during her trip from Israel.

The two of them demonstrated the lack of accessibility to the platform by climbing the stairs of the city’s tallest train station. A recent $32M renovation of the Smith & 9th St. stop left the station and its lines inaccessible to thousands of Brooklynites. The station is the tallest subway stop in the world, and reaching its platform leaves even fit riders winded.

A shuttle to the Church Avenue station would give riders who can’t use Smith/9th Street direct access to the only stop which is fully accessible and serves both the F and G lines.