The MTA has reached a settlement with transit disability activists, agreeing to make 95% of non-compliant subway stations accessible to people with disabilities by 2055.

What You Need To Know

  • The MTA agreed to add elevators and ramps to 95% of non-compliant stations by 2055

  • The MTA will be required to devote about 15% of the subway’s capital budget towards increasing accessibility

  • Under the settlement, the MTA will make an additional 80 to 90 subway stations accessible every decade before reaching its goal

Among those activists is Jean Ryan, who started to rely on wheels to get around nearly 30 years ago. She was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and disc disease, which makes it difficult for her to walk long distances and up and down the stairs.

“When I became disabled, it got harder and harder to go up the stairs so what I would do is pull myself up on the banister or crawl up the stairs,” said Ryan. 

In 1999, Ryan decided to become a disability rights activist, joining the organization Disabled in Action — or DIA — which she is now president of. DIA is a plaintiff in the class action lawsuits against the MTA over a lack of accessible subway stations.

“The MTA was fighting us so much and we’ve been working on this for five years,” said Ryan. “And really we’ve been trying to get accessibility in the subway stations for many more than five.”

The MTA agreed to add elevators and ramps to 95% of non-compliant stations by 2055. Currently, just 126 stations — or 27% — are accessible to people with disabilities. 

“We really need to take the subway,” said Ryan. “Everybody does. It’s the fastest, most convenient, reliable way to get around New York City.”

Under the settlement, the MTA will make an additional 80 to 90 subway stations accessible every decade before reaching its goal. The MTA would be required to devote about 15% of the subway’s capital budget towards increasing accessibility. 

“It’s incremental and there are timelines built into this and funding,” said Ryan. “That’s what’s better than having a promise is having a legally binding agreement and that’s what we were after.”

Ryan says she’s overjoyed with the outcome of this settlement, but says there’s no time to dwell on this victory. 

“We need this whole city to be accessible to everybody who uses a wheelchair or who has any mobility problem so that we’re not held back by accessibility,” said Ryan. “We need to do everything. We want to do everything.”

Now, Ryan is focused on making taxis and for-hire vehicles accessible and ensuring existing elevators in subway stations are maintained.

The MTA says the remaining 5% of stations that won’t be made accessible have engineering issues that would make adding elevators or ramps difficult and in some cases impossible.

“No New Yorker should have to worry about whether or not they can safely access public transportation,” Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote in a statement. “This agreement between the MTA and accessibility advocates is a critical step towards further expanding accessibility in our subways and serving the needs of New Yorkers with disabilities. My administration will continue to ensure that New York State is accessible for all.”

Since 2020, the MTA has completed accessibility projects at 15 subway stations across four boroughs.

The MTA awarded contracts for an additional 22 stations and has another 13 stations in the pipeline.

“We were able to prove ourselves and to the world that it is not only a right, a civil right, but it’s actually achievable to drastically accelerate the pace of ADA accessibility in our system,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said at a Wednesday press conference.

“Think of the thousands and thousands of people who now could get to where they want to go,” Lieber added.

The following stations are funded for upgrades:

  • 8 Av (N)

  • Tremont Av (B, D)

  • 149 St-Grand Concourse (2, 4, 5)

  • 6 Av (L)

  • 14 St (F, M, 1, 2, 3)

  • Woodhaven Blvd (M, R)

  • Westchester Sq-East Tremont Av (6)

  • Queensboro Plaza (N, W, 7)

  • Court Sq (G)

  • 68 St-Hunter College (6)

  • Bay Ridge-95 St (R)

  • Grand St (L)

  • Beach 67 St (A)

  • 7 Av (F, G)

  • Dyckman St (1)

  • E 149 St (6)

  • New Dorp (SIR)

  • Lorimer St (L)

  • Metropolitan Av (G)

  • 181 St (A)

  • Church Av (B, Q)

  • Sheepshead Bay (B, Q)

  • Rockaway Blvd (A)

  • Kings Hwy (N)

  • Woodhaven Blvd (J, Z)

  • Steinway St (M, R)

  • Junius St (3)

  • Mosholu Pkwy (4)

  • Northern Blvd (M, R)

  • 137 St-City College (1)

  • Parkchester (6)

  • Borough Hall (4, 5)

  • Broadway Junction (A, C, L, J, Z)

  • Broadway (N, W)

  • 36 St (D, N, R)

  • 18 Av (D)

  • Kings Hwy (F)

  • Norwood Av (J, Z)

  • Myrtle Av (J, M, Z)

  • Jefferson St (L)

  • 96 St (B, C)

  • 81 St-Museum of Natural History (B, C)

  • Hoyt-Schermerhorn (A, C, G)

  • Nostrand Av (A, C)

  • 167 St (B, D)

  • Avenue I (F)

  • Neptune Av (F)

  • Parsons Blvd (F)

  • Briarwood (E, F)

  • 7 Av (B, D, E)

  • Classon Av (G)

  • Van Cortlandt Park-242 St (1)

  • New Lots Av (3)

  • Brook Av (6)

  • 3 Av-138 St (6)

  • Kingsbridge Rd (4)

  • Burnside Av (4)

  • 110 St (6)

  • 86 St (4, 5, 6)

  • Wakefield-241 St (2)

  • Harlem-148 St (3)

  • 46 St-Bliss St (7)

  • 33 St-Rawson St (7)

  • Clifton (SIR)

  • Huguenot (SIR)

  • 168 St (1)

  • Court Sq-23 St (E, M)

  • 42 St-Bryant Pk (B, D, F, M)

  • 5 Av (7)

  • Lexington Av/59 St (N, R, W)

  • 59 St (4, 5, 6)

  • Delancey St-Essex St (F, J, M, Z)