A coalition of congestion pricing advocates rallied for the restart of the program Saturday, with the goal of ensuring the transit system works for all New Yorkers.

“There’s so little accessible elevators out there, and it’s just hard for us,” Elizabeth Valdez, a subway rider who uses a wheelchair to get around, said.

What You Need To Know

  • Pro-congestion pricing organizations — including the Riders Alliance and groups representing disabled New Yorkers — said accessibility improvement projects are on hold at 23 subway stations across the city

  • The MTA said it had to delay the necessary work due to a lack of funding after Gov. Hochul put an indefinite pause on congestion pricing around three months ago

  • Out of 472 subway stations in the city — fewer than 150 are considered fully or partially accessible

The organizations — including the Riders Alliance and groups representing disabled New Yorkers — called attention to the fact that accessibility improvement projects are on hold at 23 subway stations across the city.

“Disabled people, we live everywhere, and we go everywhere, and we need public transit as much as if not more than other folks,” Sasha Blair-Goldensohn, another subway rider in a wheelchair, said.

The MTA said it had no choice but to delay the necessary work due to a lack of funding. Gov. Kathy Hochul put an indefinite pause on congestion pricing, a major potential funding source, around three months ago.

Commuters with disabilities say improving accessibility needs to be a top priority for the transit system.

“We have to actually plan our routes for connection from one train to another, and then we’ll get to a station, that train might not be working, so we might have to get back on the train, get off on the next accessible stop,” Valdez said.

Disabled New Yorkers aren’t the only ones speaking out. Other subway riders said they believe it’s important for the city to invest in more station elevators.

“I’m 74 years old now, and so I mean there could come a time where I’ll need that and I see people who certainly could use it, and I think it’s a shame that they can’t,” Tom Baiz said.

“It’s really difficult to get around, especially when we have our stroller, we don’t today, and so I am carrying all my bags and stuff, because it’s just too difficult to lug up and down the stairs,” Jess Edwards, a mother who had her young son in tow, said.

“These projects help everyone. We all get older, we’re all going to have a disability at some point,” Blair-Goldensohn said.

The Riders Alliance previously filed a lawsuit against Hochul over her pause on congestion pricing. It’s scheduled to be heard in the State Supreme Court on Sept. 27.

Hochul has indicated she might be more amenable to the program if the $15 toll for drivers is lowered.