MTA to begin installing two elevators to make Queensboro Plaza accessible
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will begin construction to install two elevators to make the Queensboro Plaza a fully accessible station, including an elevator at the southern entrance of the station and an elevator between the mezzanine and the two platforms. The station is a busy transfer point in Queens that served approximately 70,000 riders on an average weekday in November 2022. The work will be completed in phases and will require weekends of service changes beginning with service outages on the 7-line at 12:15 a.m. Feb. 4 and later, in May, on the N-line.
Queensboro Plaza is a station with high ridership and in the center of a rapidly growing neighborhood, rendering it a complex construction project, involving work to be done over the busy, 11–lane wide approach to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, two of which are bike lanes. This project is also in coordination with the construction of a redundant accessible entrance on the north side of the station under a Zoning for Accessibility project.
“The improvements coming to Queensboro Plaza will greatly benefit tens of thousands of riders,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey. “Accessibility is such an integral part of mass transit, especially for a city like New York where mass transit is essential for many. When complete, the project will provide critical accessibility upgrades, security updates and customer experience improvements throughout the station.”
“Building in dense urban environments, with infrastructure that dates back more than 100 years, is complex and challenging but making our system accessible is essential,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “We are finding creative ways to meet that challenge. Queensboro Plaza is a perfect example, taking advantage of private investment to maximize the benefit for riders while minimizing cost to the MTA.”
"So many of our customers will benefit from the new elevators, which will provide an accessible entrance to the station, as well as an accessible transfer at this crucial Queens connection," said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. “Riders with disabilities, caregivers with strollers, visitors with luggage and many others rely on elevators. Beginning work on another new station brings us one step closer to a fully accessible system."
About the Project
The project being carried out by the MTA consists of building two elevators, one connecting the street and mezzanine level and another connecting the mezzanine to both platforms. The project will also consist of:
- Expansion of the mezzanine by approx. 50 square feet, improving customer flow within the station
- New lighting for the expanded mezzanine
- Updates to the pedestrian bridge
- New boarding areas compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with new platform edges
- Upgrades to existing street and station stairs to current ADA standards
The project for building an accessible entrance on the south side is budgeted for $74 million and is expected to be complete by mid 2024. The station’s accessibility upgrade will be complemented with security and communication enhancements, with upgrades to the fire alarm system, installation of a new security camera system, a new public address system and digital information screens, offering better communication with clearer announcements and greater access to information via screens.
