For disabled subway riders who must head into Queens, 14 of the borough’s 81 subway stations are currently on the list of accessibile stations, but the borough’s fifth most popular stop in Forest Hills isn’t. Riders looking for an elevator must get off in either Jackson Heights or Kew Gardens. As the Queens Chronicle reported recently, though, by the end of 2013, if all goes according to schedule, Forest Hills – 71st Ave. will join that list.
Transit officials announced the start of a $24.7 million project that will see the installation of elevators from street level at Continental Ave. to the station platforms along the IND Queens Boulevard line in Forest Hills. The project is due to wrap up by October of 2013, and renovations to this dilapidated but popular station will also include staircase work, signage upgrades, tactile warning strips along the platform edge and some communications and signal upgrades.
Politicians praised the work. “The renovation will greatly increase train accessibility for residents of our community, while also providing more neighboring residents access to the shops in Forest Hills,” Forest Hills’ Assembly rep Andrew Hevesi said. With the MTA on track to make 100 of its 468 stations accessible by 2020, the authority will have technically fulfilled its mandate under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agency deserves its accolades, but the system remains frustratingly inaccessible for thousands of disabled riders who must cater their routes to this list of stations.
13 comments
I’m surprised that this station was so low on the priority list for ADA access considering ridership, trip generators & connections that are so close to the station. Within a few blocks on 71st & Austin, there are numerous restaurants & places to shop.
Since it is also the end of both the M & R lines, that requires ADA access . I did see the blue construction walls when I was there yesterday.
Always glad to see accessibility improvements in the Subway.
In the mean time, can we build some BRT for the disabled (and everybody else).
One thing I noticed last time I was in New York is that all the subway trains I rode seemed to have a 3 inch step up into the car. How common is this?
BRT is scarcely better for the disabled than conventional bus service. This one calls for LRT.
I find DC Metro stations seem much more level, but in NYC the elevated stations seem less level than the underground ones. Perhaps that’s why they’re tearing up Court Square.
I just realized a few things…
1. where will the street elevators be placed. The corners at 71st & Queens Boulevard are rather tight do to the lack of building setbacks.
2. I Assume that street elevators will be constructed on both sides of Queens Boulevard do to the extreme difficulty of crossing that street safely.
Re #2: I hope. The general policy with Queens Blvd seems to be, kill all that dares to step on it. But at least they let you know. Sometimes. 😐
Interesting street view of the signs. My question is, why are they facing the pedestrians rather than the speeding traffic responsible for killing them?
So why does the MTA build elevators everywhere that will cost millions toll and then maintain for the rest of time rather than build passive hairpin ramps? Making jobs for elevator mechanics?
Sloaps of the ramps need to be 1 : 12 or less for wheelchairs to go up & down safely.
Have you sene Forest Hills station? Tell me where ramps could be built at that gradual incline.
Seems to me there would be room for a ramp on the wide sidewalk outside the OTB on the south side of Queens Boulevard. Or at the eastern end of MacDonald Park. Or on some of the Ridgewood Savings Bank property on the north side of Queens Boulevard. Or remove a lane of parking on the QB service road and put it there.
Hypothetically, let’s say there are twenty stair steps between the street and the upper station level. Each step is hypothetically seven inches tall. That’s 140 inches of height difference. If the ramp needs to slope 1 inch in descent for every 12 inches of travel, the ramp will be 140 feet long… that’s approximately ten car lengths just to descend to the upper station level, possibly doubled to get down to the platform. All this length needs to maintain a clear height, so don’t make the mistake of thinking it can spiral down in a tight area.
140 feet is only 2 and 1/3 60-foot-car lengths…
This is good news. I would like to see MTA push accessibility a little harder – reaching the 100 key station mark is cool, but ADA access work should continue. 100 stations by 2020 should become 200 stations by 2030 (and so on). MTA will not have finished its work with 100 stations.
I’m not surprised. They sould have installed an elevator by now.