MTA Announces Accessibility Upgrades at Rockaway Boulevard Subway Station

Upgrades Include Two New Elevators, New Platform ADA Boarding Areas, Three New ADA Compliant Staircases; Improves Accessibility, Safety, and Circulation for 5,600 Daily Riders

Design-Build Contract Improves Accessibility, Safety, and Customer Experience

Public-Private Partnership Requires Developer to Maintain Elevators for 25 Years

Part of ADA Package 3, Which Includes ADA Improvements at 13 Stations

See Photos of Station Upgrades

See Video of Today's Event

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the completion of accessibility upgrades at the Rockaway Boulevard train station. Upgrades include one new three-stop elevator connecting the street to the mezzanine and northbound platform and one new two-stop elevator connecting the mezzanine to the southbound platform. A new fare control area with three new turnstiles and an AutoGate was added next to the elevator entrance on the northbound platform.

In addition, project crews replaced two stairwells and added a third, making them all ADA compliant. Other accessibility improvements include new platform edge tactile strips, ADA boarding areas, modifications to the station agent booth, and Braille signage throughout the station. These upgrades will enhance customer flow and improve accessibility for the station's 5,600 daily customers.

"Every day, every week we're expanding the accessible subway map," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "All New Yorkers - whether they have mobility issues or they have a kid in a stroller or are traveling with a suitcase - deserve to be able to take advantage of our amazing transit system."

"Rockaway Blvd marks our fourth newly accessible station opened this year, bringing smoother, more accessible trips to Ozone Park riders," said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. "This is the latest station to be made fully accessible using a public-private partnership-a great example of how we're delivering accessibility better, faster, and cheaper."

"Every new elevator we bring online expands independence, shortens travel times, and makes our stations work better for everyone," said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. "As we accelerate accessibility projects across the system, we're delivering a transit network that truly reflects the needs of all New Yorkers."

The design-build team includes Urbahn Architects, Dewberry, Forte Construction and EAE Halmar International. The elevator manufacturer and installer is Otis Elevator.

"Today's upgrades at Rockaway Boulevard, in my hometown of Ozone Park, represent a big step forward in creating a more inclusive New York for the thousands of people who use mass transit daily," said State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. "By increasing elevator access, improving safety features, adding Braille signage and tactile strips, we are removing barriers for commuters with disabilities, seniors, families with strollers, and other travelers. This investment plus financing through a public-private partnership shows that accessibility and fiscal responsibility can work in conjunction to create benefits for our community."

"This is what happens when State investments come to fruition - our community gets exactly what it deserves!" said Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato. "I am so happy to see the new elevator and all the ADA upgrades that will make this a more enjoyable subway experience for everyone. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her steadfast commitment to public transportation in the outer boroughs and the MTA for their impactful partnership. Now, let's all say it together, 'all aboard.'"

"These upgrades will make the Rockaway Boulevard station truly accessible to everyone, and that's something we can all be proud of," said NYC Council Member Joann Ariola. "Since the moment I took office, I said I would work to improve the quality of life for everyone in my district. And now the MTA is working to ensure that everyone here can enjoy the quality of life they deserve - a quality of life that involves easily accessible public transportation for all."

"Every New Yorker, regardless of ability, deserves full and complete access to the city they call home. But for those with mobility challenges, that access escapes them if the subway station closest to their home is not fully accessible," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "With the installation of a new elevator and other accessibility upgrades at the Rockaway Boulevard A train station, Ozone Park families can finally access our subway system and the rest of the city in a way that had not been possible before. Thank you to the MTA for making these upgrades a reality, just in time for summer."