ASTORIA – On December 19, Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris celebrated the announcement of accessibility improvements to three additional stations in western Queens, bringing the total number of western Queens stations receiving new elevators to five. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) revealed that 33rd Street-Rawson Avenue and 46th Street on the 7-line, in addition to Court Square/23rd Street on the E/M-lines would be receiving elevators in the next capital plan. These come in addition to previously announced elevators at Steinway Street on the M/R-line and Broadway on the N/W-line.

“After years of pushing for accessibility improvements, the MTA listened to western Queens residents, activists, and elected leaders advocating for better subway access. These improvements will go a long way to making our subway more accessible to all,” said Senate Deputy Leader Gianaris. “While there is still a long way to go in making the entire subway system 100% accessible, these elevators represent a critical step forward.”

Senator Gianaris is a leading voice on transit accessibility issues and has pressed the MTA to continue investing in improvements. Most recently, elevators were installed at the Astoria Boulevard N/W Station after the Senator’s urging, which are slated to open in the coming months. Senator Gianaris wrote a report in 2018 revealing that New York has the least accessible subway system in the United States. He pushed for additional funding for accessibility improvements, pushing the agency to scrap its cosmetic “Enhanced Station Initiative” and calling for those funds to be used instead to improve service and accessibility.