New York, NY – On March 29, 2023 the Rise and Resist Elevator Action Group, coalition partners with Brooklyn Center for the Independence of the Disabled (BCID), Center for Independence of the Disabled New York (CIDNY), Disabled in Action (DIA), New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYPLI), Riders Alliance, The Peoples MTA, Downstate New York ADAPT, 504 Democratic Club, UP-STAND and elected officials held a rally outside MTA headquarters, at 2 Broadway, to demand that Governor Kathy Hochul improve subway elevator reliability, alert riders to breakdowns and fix them promptly.
Afterwards rally-goers went into MTA Headquarters to speak at the monthly board meeting on the 20th floor at 10am.
Constant elevator and escalator breakdowns make subway travel dangerous and unpredictable for wheelchair users, caregivers with strollers, older adults, workers with deliveries and travelers with luggage.
Governor Hochul, you are responsible for MTA priorities. People who depend on subway access and working elevators and escalators are voters and taxpayers, too.
Activists are asking the MTA to commit to:
§ Announce outages on affected platforms and subway lines
§ Station MTA personnel at broken elevators and escalators to help riders
§ Dispatch repair crews immediately because safety begins with speedy repairs
§ Provide alternate transportation when elevators are broken
Elected officials and 14 disability and transportation organizations sent a letter to Governor Hochul last week asking for her to push for a settlement to ensure better elevator maintenance and communication about outages.
© Erik McGregor – erikrivas@hotmail.com – 917-225-8963