Overview

• The MTA’s $68.4 billion capital plan earmarks funds to install elevators at Smith-9th Street and over 60 other stations across the city
• Smith-9th Street, built nearly 92 years ago and perched 90 feet above Gowanus, has long relied on unreliable escalators and steep stairs
• State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon hailed the elevator inclusion as a major win for riders with disabilities, seniors, families and public housing residents
• The plan also designates Brooklyn hubs like Court Street, Hoyt-Schermerhorn and 4th Ave–9th Street for similar accessibility upgrades
• The MTA has not released construction schedules or opening dates for Smith-9th Street elevators, which contribute to a mandate for 95 percent ADA-accessible stations by 2055