MTA AND ADA COMPLIANCE (American Disabilities Act, Handicap Access)

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the opening of two elevators at E 149 St subway station in the Bronx, making the station fully accessible. This is the fifth accessible station to open this year, following Court Square station in Queens, Dyckman St station in Upper Manhattan, and 8 Av station and Grand St station in Brooklyn. As part of the ADA work, three stairways were replaced and the station is slated to receive additional renovations, including new lighting, platform edges, ventilation, water intrusion remediation, and other state-of-good-repair work.

“Once again, the MTA is proving it’s moving 100 miles an hour when it comes to ADA accessibility – completing project after project five times faster than ever before,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “With 29 additional stations currently under construction and dozens more to come as part of the historic 2020-2024 Capital Program, we are well on our way to delivering the fully accessible system riders deserve, perhaps even sooner than projected.”

“Newly accessible stations like E 149 St are the fruits of our efforts to execute projects better, faster, and cheaper through innovative delivery methods such as contract bundling,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “We are on track to complete this particular eight-station package of ADA upgrades, which will greatly improve accessibility not just in the South Bronx but throughout our transit system.”

“We are excited to announce the opening of a fully accessible E 149 St station, the fifth newly accessible station of the year and a critical point of access for the southeast Bronx,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer and Senior Advisor Quemuel Arroyo. "With every elevator or ramp we open, we are improving the lives of thousands of riders that benefit from an accessible station. Expanding accessibility creates new travel opportunities and truly modernizes how New Yorkers can get around their city.”

This station opening is the latest example of the MTA’s investment in station accessibility across the Bronx. Currently, six Bronx stations are undergoing elevator construction, one of which is expected to be completed later this year, Tremont Av . The other stations in construction are:

149 St-Grand Concourse
149 St-Grand Concourse
Westchester Sq
Mosholu Pkwy
Parkchester
The MTA expects to award ADA station upgrades for seven more stations in the Bronx as part of the 2020-2024 Capital Plan. Those stations are:

167 St
Van Cortlandt Park-242 St
Brook Av
3 Av-138 St
Kingsbridge Rd
Burnside Av
Wakefield-241 St
Further down the timeline, the Penn Station Access project, which will enable Metro-North trains to run to Penn Station via the New Haven Line, will bring four new ADA-compliant Metro-North stations and new transit service to the East Bronx in 2027.

“The successful completion of the ADA project at the East 149th Streetstation represents a major milestone in enhancing accessibility for diverse groups, including people with disabilities, parents pushing carriages, seniors with mobility challenges, and commuters from all walks of life,” said Deputy Speaker of the New York City Council Diana Ayala. “This improved station underscores the city's commitment to fostering a more inclusive and convenient public transportation system, benefitting everyone who relies on it.”

“Long overlooked for advancements to existing infrastructure, Bronxites have had to endure inequitable transportation structures for decades,” said Councilmember Rafael Salamanca. “I am grateful to the MTA for bringing subway accessibility improvements to the Bronx so that these inequities can be rightly addressed and look forward to seeing more such actions taken throughout our Borough.”

"With the completion of the elevator at the E 149 St train station, we are one step closer to making our transit system accessible for parents with strollers, New Yorkers with mobility issues and other riders who will now benefit from this project,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. “I want to thank MTA Chair and CEO, Janno Lieber and his team for consistently providing the services and resources to ensure all New Yorkers are provided with every opportunity to travel to and from their destinations safely and efficiently.”

The E 149 St accessibility project was funded by a grant provided by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and completed as part of a design-build package of eight stations throughout the subway system, the first such bundle undertaken by MTA Construction & Development (C&D) as part of an effort to deliver accessibility upgrades better, faster, and cheaper. The remaining stations from that bundle will open later this year.

Following today’s announcement, there are a total of 29 accessible station projects in construction, with seven of those expected to be complete by the end of 2023. Those stations are:

181 St
Tremont Av
Lorimer St
Metropolitan Av
7 Av
Beach-67 St
New Dorp
The Authority is delivering accessibility projects and awarding contracts at an unprecedented pace, five times faster than previous years. The 2020-2024 MTA Capital Plan includes a historic investment of $5.2 billion to make 67 subway stations ADA accessible, more than any capital plan in the MTA’s history and more than the last three capital plans combined.

As part of the station’s accessibility design-build package, MTA Arts & Design announced new mosaic artwork commissioned by artist Glenn Goldberg, Bronx River. Goldberg was inspired by the recent efforts made by environmental groups to clean and restore the Bronx River. Goldberg hopes his colorful, patterned river scenes and its various creatures enliven commuters’ journeys, remind subway riders about their connection to the local landscape and encourage riders to protect the environment.