Letter to MTA on Inaccessibility at the 59 St. - Columbus Circle Subway Station

Dear Chair Lieber:
We are writing to express concern regarding the ongoing inaccessibility at the 59 St.- Columbus Circle subway station, where multiple escalators remain out of service. Our offices have heard from many constituents who rely on this station and who have been significantly impacted by these prolonged outages, particularly older adults and individuals with mobility challenges.
 

Two out of three escalators at the 8th Avenue and 58th Street entrance have been out of service for more than six months, with estimated repairs now extending until 2026. While we recognize that the escalators are maintained by third-party contractors, the MTA remains ultimately responsible for ensuring station accessibility and maintaining essential infrastructure. Given the severity of the impact on riders, we urge the MTA to take all necessary steps to expedite these repairs, including directly intervening to ensure these repairs are completed on the shortest possible timeline, and providing clearer and more detailed public updates on the expected timeline for repairs, explanations for delays, and steps being taken to accelerate the process.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.