Pace Quickens of MTA’s Installation of Platform Rails and ADA Accessibility Upgrades

Back in 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) began studying options for subway platform barriers. Although exploring costly mechanical doors, after a close look determined they would only be feasible in 128 of its 472 stations at a cost of $7 billion dollars according to an article by Crain’s New York in March 2025. Since then, the MTA switched to stainless steel, waist -high barriers that are manufactured and installed in-house using New York City Transit (NYCT) labor and machinery, reducing costs and speeding up the installation process. The MTA estimated it would cost the authority “two to three times more than what the agency is currently spending” if it were to hire outside help to build the barriers. As of mid-July, the barriers had been installed at 56 stations citywide with a goal of over 100 stations by the end of the year to hit Gov. Hochul’s January 2025 mandate. In March, Crain’s reported that the cost of the stainless steel for each barrier ranges between $1,500 and $1,900 depending on the length which varies, as well as the number of barriers needed for each platform. Cited examples included the 1st Avenue L-train platform in Manhattan where 62 barriers were installed at a materials cost of roughly $100,000; and in Brooklyn 61 barriers were installed along the 2 and 3 stations at Clark Street. This rough cost provides “a snapshot at how state agency costs on seemingly mundane equipment can quickly add up. The president of government watchdog the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC), Andrew Rein reportedly further pointed out that “It’s a good window into what it takes to go from a problem to a potential solution. It’s not simple, and it’s not cheap.” Funding for the building of more barriers is coming from the state, “as part of a $3 billion investment in new safety infrastructure in the subway system, planned as part of the MTA’s 2025-2029 capital plan,” but at the time of the March article it was “unclear precisely how much the state intends to spend on erecting the protective fencing in the subway because negotiations to fund the capital plan” remained ongoing between state lawmakers, Hochul, and transit officials.

The project is part of a “broader safety plan announced in Hochul’s 2025 State of the State address,” and in addition to the barriers, the replacement of “150,000 fluorescent lights in the subway system with LED bulbs” is already underway by the MTA, aiming to complete the upgrade by mid-2026 according to the July article by 6sqft. The MTA’s continued efforts to install safety upgrades have helped to boost customer satisfaction which has reportedly risen across all three agencies — NYC Transit, which is on track to reach its best on-time performance on record, the Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad. Accessible upgrades are similarly moving along at a quicker pace as a “result of a lawsuit settled by the MTA that required 95% of all stations to be accessible by 2055,” the authority committing to “making 81 stations accessible by 2025, another 85 by 2035, 90 more by 2045, and the final 90 by 2055. A total of 36 ADA-accessible stations have been delivered by the MTA since 2020— twice as many as the number that were completed in the six years prior according to the 6sqft article. Under the authority’s 2025-2029 capital plan, in addition to the previous 43 stations which the MTA has committed to upgrading, a “dozen more New York City subway stations will receive accessibility upgrades, which include new elevators and other ADA-accessible features.” Revenue generated from the congestion tolling program is helping to fund the accessibility upgrades. As part of the new plan, the MTA is aiming to “make at least 60% more stations accessible and ensure that 70% of all subway trips begin or end at an accessible station,” and a revamped Elevator and Escalator Status tool already launched by the MTA makes it easier for riders to check elevator and escalator status system wide.

Source:    https://www.crainsnewyork.com/transportation/mta-pays-make-subway-platforms-safer

Source:    https://www.6sqft.com/mta-has-installed-platform-barriers-at-more-than-50-nyc-subway-stations/

Source:    https://www.6sqft.com/12-more-nyc-subway-stations-to-get-accessibility-upgrades/