Let us all celebrate the 34th Anniversary for the Americans With Disabilities Act. This was signed into law by former President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990.
The Federal Transit Administration has done an excellent job during this period when it comes to investing in public transit to bring capital assets into compliance with ADA.
Billions of dollars in FTA grants to over 900 transit agencies across America, including the MTA NYC Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, Nassau Inter County Express Bus, Suffolk County Transit Bus and NYCDOT Staten Island Ferry, have paid for tens of thousands of buses, para-transit vans, light rail,. subway cars, commuter rail and ferries that are ADA accessible.
Numerous subway, light rail and commuter rail stations, bus and ferry terminals along with other transportation facilities are accompanied with elevators and/or ramps and have also become ADA compliant.
The FTA previously announced a Notice of Funding Availability followed by a Notice of Grant Awards for federal fiscal year 2024 several months ago. The MTA was awarded a grant worth $159 million.
This provided funding for NYC Transit to improve accessibility at the Wakefield-241st Street, Kingsbridge Road, 167th Street, 145th Street, and 110th Street subway stations.
Before the end of 2024, there will be a new opportunity for the MTA and other transit agencies around the nation to apply for a share of the $333 million or more under the new federal fiscal year 2025 (Oct. 1, 2024 – Sept. 30, 2025) national competitive All Stations Accessibility Program. The program totals $1.75 billion over five years.
The MTA could also ask any major business, college or hospital that benefit from many of the 472 NYC Transit subway stations adjacent to their facility to sponsor installation of elevator(s). Let them split the cost 50% with the MTA NYC Transit in exchange for naming rights to the elevator(s). This could stretch both federal and local MTA dollars to bring even more stations into compliance with ADA.
City, state and federal elected officials who have access to member item funding can also sponsor projects. NYC zoning laws offer private developers the incentive of 20% more floor space for construction of new buildings in exchange for paying both NYC Transit station improvements including maintenance costs.
Larry Penner.
Great Neck
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.
