MTA Announces 57 St M Subway Station Fully Accessible With Opening of Two Elevators Paid for by Private Developer

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today is kicking off its celebration of Disability Pride Month with the opening of a fully accessible 57 St subway station in Manhattan. The station now features two elevators: one elevator connecting the street to the mezzanine near the southwest corner of 56 St and Sixth Av and the second connecting the mezzanine to the island platform, which serves northbound and southbound trains. This project was completed through Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA), a zoning bonus provision which allows developers to improve access to public transit in the busiest areas of the city in exchange for an increase in their buildings' density.

The 57 St station along Sixth Av sees an average weekday ridership of 8,600 riders and is served by both the and trains; the during the weekday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and by trains during nights and weekends.

"Zoning for Accessibility is good government in action-delivering subway upgrades at no cost to taxpayers," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "The added accessibility for 8,600 and train riders is priceless."

"This project is an example of the smart planning, strong partnerships, and creative problem-solving that are helping us deliver accessibility projects better, faster, and cheaper-or in this case, at no cost at all," said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. "We look forward to delivering more accessible stations through Zoning for Accessibility in the years ahead."

"Every new station that becomes accessible opens new opportunities for riders by making it even easier to get around New York," said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. "Improvements like new elevators are about connecting people to jobs, schools, health care and all the city has to offer and I'm thrilled that this station in the heart of Manhattan is now accessible for all."

"Today's opening at 57th Street-Sixth Avenue marks an important milestone, as not only for this station and the riders who use it every day, but for the future of accessibility across our transit system," said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. "As the first station to be made fully accessible through the Zoning for Accessibility program, it demonstrates how innovative partnerships and targeted investments can accelerate accessibility improvements. Every new accessible station expands opportunity, independence, and mobility for New Yorkers, and this project is proof that we can deliver those benefits faster and more efficiently than ever before."

"The subway is the backbone of New York City, and every New Yorker should be able to navigate it with ease," said New York City Department of City Planning Director Sideya Sherman. "With Zoning for Accessibility, we're leveraging private development for public benefit, funding significant accessibility upgrades at stations like 57th Street. This is another great example of how forward-thinking planning can deliver tangible improvements for New Yorkers."

The developer, Sedesco, financed and installed two elevators at the 57 St subway station, and funded the construction of the new control area and related station improvements. As part of the agreement, the MTA owns and will maintain the elevators, with an upfront maintenance payment provided by Sedesco to cover future maintenance costs. In total, the MTA is saving $43 million in construction and maintenance costs, and in exchange, Sedesco secured a zoning bonus of 53,029 square feet for its future development at 37-45 West 57th St.

"SEDESCO is proud to deliver these transit upgrades and improve the rider experience for local residents, the thousands of riders who commute to and from 57th Street every day, and the millions who cross through the neighborhood each year," said SEDESCO General Counsel Derek Gilchrist. "SEDESCO builds and invests in New York because we believe in the future of this great city. That is why we also believe that every project we undertake should improve the community it is in. We are thankful to the MTA for their partnership throughout this process, and to the other government agencies, advocates and unions who helped to make this first-of-its-kind project possible."

This is the first station to be made fully accessible thanks to a ZFA bonus project, and the second ZFA bonus project in the transit system to open to the public. The first one opened in April 2025 at Queensboro Plaza , delivering a new entrance, 10-foot-wide staircase and a third elevator to the station. This brings the total of ZFA bonus elevators opened across the system to three.

Since ZFA's adoption in October 2021, five ZFA bonus projects were approved-including two this month at Nevins St and at 50 St -and two have been completed. In the next year, the MTA will continue working with its private development partners to advance ZFA projects to expand accessibility throughout the transit system.

Beyond the ZFA program, the MTA continues to make significant progress toward a more accessible transit network. There is a total of 159 fully accessible subway stations, 59 of which were completed since 2020. And for the month of July, the MTA will recognize Disability Pride Month with a series of events and announcements highlighting the work that's underway to build a transit system that works for everyone.

"I have long advocated for the MTA to make the entire subway system ADA accessible - for individuals with disabilities, for our seniors, and for those carrying infants in strollers," said Representative Jerry Nadler. "And I am glad to see today the opening of a new accessible subway station at 57th Street and Sixth Avenue, paid for and maintained by the developer through Zoning for Accessibility's (ZFA) Transit Improvement Bonus Program. This innovative program saves the MTA millions of dollars and allows us to improve access to public transit in the busiest areas of the city in exchange for an increase in a building's density. It's a win-win for everyone - the riding public, the MTA, and the developer."

"I am pleased to see that new elevators and other station improvements will be installed at 57 St Station," said State Senator Liz Keuger. "Every part of our public transit system made ADA accessible will make life significantly easier for the many New Yorkers who rely on the MTA to get to work, to do their grocery shopping, and to spend hard-earned free time with friends and family. These improvements will help disabled and older New Yorkers and families with young children in strollers to use our vital subway system. Reliable accessibility at these stops is another step toward system-wide ADA compliance for public transit, which is an essential part of keeping our city a thriving, just, and affordable place to live for all New Yorkers."

"For too long, subway improvement projects have been slow and bogged down in bureaucracy," said Assembly Member Keith Powers. "Now, the MTA can deliver much needed accessibility projects at little cost to taxpayers. Today's opening would not have been possible without our creation of the Zoning for Accessibility program that I have been so proud to champion."

"Our public transit system must serve all New Yorkers," said Assembly Member Tony Simone. "I applaud the new elevators at the 57 St subway station, which will make transportation accessible to thousands of New Yorkers with disabilities. These crucial upgrades were made at no cost to the MTA, demonstrating why programs like Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA) are so important in achieving our ultimate goal of a fully ADA-compliant public transit system."

"Making our transit system accessible is one of the most important investments we can make for New Yorkers," said NYC Council Member Gale A. Brewer. "This project shows what is possible when the City, the MTA, and the private sector work together to remove barriers and expand access. Zoning for Accessibility is an innovative approach that helps deliver these improvements more quickly while saving public dollars, and it's encouraging to see this partnership producing real results for riders."

"Every New Yorker should be able to rely on a transit system that is accessible, dependable, and built for everyone," said NYC Council Member Virginia Maloney. "The completion of these elevators at the 57th Street-Sixth Avenue station is a major improvement for the thousands of people who use this station each day and a meaningful step toward a more accessible city. As the first station in my district to become fully ADA-accessible through the Zoning for Accessibility program, this project demonstrates how thoughtful land use policy can deliver lasting public benefits, expand access, and strengthen the transit system that keeps New York moving."

"For Manhattanites with disabilities, young children, or bags in tow, elevator access at subway stations is essential," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "I'm proud to celebrate the completion of accessibility improvements and a new fare control area at the 57th Street Station, which saved Manhattan taxpayers millions through the MTA's Zoning for Accessibility Transit Improvement Bonus Program. I'm grateful to MTA Chair Janno Lieber and Sedesco for making this project possible, and to the MTA for its continued work to deliver a fully accessible subway system across Manhattan."

About Zoning for Accessibility

Developing Zoning for Accessibility was a collaboration between the MTA, City Council, the Department of City Planning (DCP) and the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) to boost New York City's push to make its transit system fully accessible. The initiative allows the MTA to leverage planned private development to achieve a fully accessible transit system faster, while saving taxpayer dollars.

Zoning for Accessibility incentivizes private developers to design their buildings to incorporate public station accessibility projects or build improvements at nearby train and subway stations. It creates a new set of tools - and strengthens existing ones - that build off the Authority's commitment of over a combined $12.1 billion of funding for at least 143 accessible subway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and Staten Island Railway station projects in the 2020-2024 MTA Capital Plan and 2025-2029 Capital Plan.

To learn more about Zoning for Accessibility, visit https://new.mta.info/elevatetransit.