Construction is underway at a century-old F train station as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority\u2019s $700 million push to make more subway stations accessible to riders of all abilities.<\/p>\n
The project is one piece of a broader effort to expand accessibility across the city\u2019s transit system. Transit leaders say the demand for improvements has been clear from riders across New York.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hear from communities across the city about the need for accessibility at stations,\u201d said Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA Construction & Development. \u201cAnd that’s why we’ve made a commitment. More than 60 subway stations will be made accessible over the next five years.\u201d<\/p>\n
The renovation includes three new ADA-accessible elevators and ramps connecting the station entrance to the platform, allowing riders to avoid navigating multiple flights of stairs. For many commuters, the upgrade is a long-awaited improvement.<\/p>\n
Valerie Torado, who regularly travels with a stroller, says the current setup has made trips with her child difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to carry the stroller and the baby up the stairs when we’re going to go somewhere,\u201d Torado said. \u201cAnd now she’s heavy. Stroller’s heavy. I’m heavy – it’s just a lot. So I’m pretty excited that they’re putting an elevator.\u201d<\/p>\n
Transit officials say the station is being rebuilt from the inside out. Plans include a reconstructed platform, a new canopy over the tracks, upgraded lighting and safety systems – and new sidewalk ramps leading to the elevators. The improvements are expected to make a significant difference for riders with mobility challenges, including those using wheelchairs.<\/p>\n
Commuter Soloman says the accessibility features will be essential for many riders.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s very important, we need it!\u201d he said. \u201cHow else would we climb the stairs or get down the stairs? The upgrades are good for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Riders won\u2019t have to wait too long to see the finished product. Officials say the station is expected to reopen this spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always appreciate the patience of our riders,\u201d Torres-Springer said. \u201cThe trains are running 10% faster on the F train, and as we actually finish the portion of the F train in Manhattan as well – it’s going to get even better.\u201d<\/p>\n
The MTA says the upgrades are only the beginning, with ADA accessibility improvements planned for 12 more stations across Brooklyn in the coming years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Construction is underway at a century-old F train station as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority\u2019s $700 million…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":161242,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[128,9,24,63,129,131,130],"class_list":["post-161241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-the-bronx","tag-bronx","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-the-bronx","tag-the-bronx-headlines","tag-the-bronx-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161241"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161241\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}