MTA announces major accessibility upgrades; Crown Heights Station first on the list
On Tuesday, the MTA announced the next round of ADA accessibility projects in its 2025-2029 capital plan. Four Brooklyn stations are included in this phase, which is especially meaningful for 62-year-old Michael Ring.
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The MTA has announced plans to upgrade dozens of stations, with Crown Heights’ Franklin Avenue stop first on the list.
It’s a big step toward making New York City’s subways more accessible for all riders.
Debra Greif, 67, of Sheepshead Bay, relies on her walker to get around.
“I don’t want my son to carry my walker—only if it was an emergency, like a fire or something” Greif said.
She’s not alone. For many New Yorkers, the subway system simply isn’t an option.
“Since I can’t jump up and down for joy, let’s just say I’m more than 100% happy,” she added, reacting to news of the upgrades.
On Tuesday, the MTA announced the next round of ADA accessibility projects in its 2025-2029 capital plan. Four Brooklyn stations are included in this phase, which is especially meaningful for 62-year-old Michael Ring.
“I was actually surprised at how excited I was,” Ring said. “Eleven years ago, I used a wheelchair for about a year and lived near Grand Army Plaza. There was no way I was getting on the subway because the closest station with an elevator was a mile away—and I couldn’t count on it to work.”
Currently, the only way to access the subway at Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights is by taking the stairs. But that’s about to change.
The MTA says this station is first on the list for the new improvement plan.
The upgrades will include adding elevators or ramps at dozens of stations citywide. By 2029, the MTA projects more than half of the system’s stations will be ADA accessible.
“Knowing that by 2055 almost all the stations will be accessible feels far away,” Ring said. “But to know the station by my house will be accessible in the next five years—that gives me peace. The condition that made me paralyzed 11 years ago is still in me. I could get sick again, and I don’t want to be stuck at home.”
The MTA says another dozen stations are slated for accessibility upgrades, with details to be announced soon.
