95 percent of New York subway stations to be accessible by 2055, officials say

Story at a glance

• MTA officials on Wednesday announced plans to upgrade aging stations with elevators and ramps to enable those who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices to ride the nation’s largest subway system.

• The goal is to make 95 percent of subway stations accessible by 2055.

• The agreement comes after a years-long legal push by advocates for the transit provider to update the system.

New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is committing to making 95 percent of its subway stations accessible to people with disabilities in the coming decades as part of a settlement of class-action lawsuits brought on by disability advocates.

MTA officials announced plans Wednesday to upgrade aging stations with elevators and ramps to enable those who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices to ride the nation’s largest and most used subway system. The goal is to make 95 percent of subway stations accessible by 2055.

MTA says that in addition to 81 stations currently set for accessibility upgrades through 2024, 85 more stations will be made accessible by 2035, another 90 by 2045, and the final 90 by 2055. The project is funded by the agency’s Capital Program.