Senator Gianaris Issues Report Rating Each Subway Line's Accessibility

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Senator Michael Gianaris issued a report detailing the accessibility of each subway line. The report paints a stark picture of New York’s worst-in-the-nation record, with fewer than 25% of stations being accessible to passengers with disabilities, seniors, parents with strollers and other mobility-impaired New Yorkers. The report comes ahead of the twenty-eighth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990.

“It is unacceptable and embarrassing for New York to be worst in the nation in subway accessibility,” said Senator Michael Gianaris. “For New York to thrive, it must have an MTA for All, where everyone can access the subway system to get to work, school and around our city.”

Research conducted by Senator Gianaris shows the least accessible major subway line is the G-train, which only has a single station that is accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Less than one-quarter of the entire New York City Transit (NYCT) subway system is compliant with the law, which is nearly three decades old.

In the report, Senator Gianaris shows that NYCT is the least accessible subway system in the nation. According to statistics from the National Transit Administration, New York’s subway rates last among major city rail systems. With a 53% accessibility rate – nearly double that of NYCT – the New York-New Jersey PATH train and Philadelphia’s PATCO are the next least accessible. The most accessible systems include Washington DC’s WMATA, where 100% of their 91 stations are ADA accessible.

The report stresses that policymakers must take immediate action to fully fund the MTA’s “Fast Forward” plan and prioritize accessibility upgrades, develop an “MTA for All” access plan and include elevators in all Enhanced Station Initiative (ESI) plans going forward.

The full report can be downloaded at Senator Gianaris’ website: https://bit.ly/2NnYxAK