Straphangers have one other accessible choice in Lengthy Island Metropolis, because the MTA introduced the opening of an extra elevator Thursday on the Queensboro Plaza subway station serving the No. 7, N and W strains.
“We’re all here because accessibility is a major goal for the MTA,” stated Jamie Torres-Springer, the company’s head of development and growth.
The Lengthy Island Metropolis station obtained its first batch of elevators late final yr on the south facet of the station, a $74 million challenge.
The elevator introduced Thursday is on the station’s northern finish.
MTA Building & Improvement President Jamie Torres-Springer and Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo are joined by native leaders and advocates at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a brand new elevator to the Queensboro Plaza subway station, at 25-01 Queens Plaza North, on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)
“The redundant elevator gives customers who require a stair-free path of travel a much easier way into the system without having to traverse busy Queens Plaza,” Torres-Springer stated.
In contrast to the elevators put in final yr, the northern elevator that opened on Thursday was constructed by personal developer Grubb Properties for free of charge to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Grubb is the developer behind 25-01 Queens Plaza North, which sits adjoining to the station. The elevator was constructed by Grubb as a part of town’s “Zoning for Accessibility” program, and it’s the first such challenge to be accomplished.
“This is a great model, it’s truly win-win,” Torres-Springer stated.
As with different subway elevators constructed by personal entities, the brand new one at Queensboro Plaza might be maintained by the developer, not the MTA — an association that the MTA and others have acknowledged can to result in extra frequent outages.
MTA spokeswoman Kayla Shults stated Thursday that the transit company’s settlement with Grubb Properties included “extensive provisions detailing the developer’s responsibility to maintain the elevator,” and that Grubb is required to answer any outages — and notify the MTA of the difficulty — inside two hours.
Initially Printed: April 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM EDT
