A coalition of transit advocacy groups embarked on a citywide subway accessibility day of action, dubbed “One Day, Five Boroughs, 23 Stations,” on Sunday to talk to subway riders about the impact Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to indefinitely pause congestion pricing has on accessibility upgrades. Because the governor stopped the Manhattan toll plan at the last minute on June 5, the MTA is facing a $15 billion shortfall for its 2020-2024 capital plan, which included the installation of elevators at 23 subway stations, among other improvements.
At a Sept. 8 press conference outside the Delancey Street-Essex Street subway station on the Lower East Side — one of the stations earmarked for improvements that were impacted by the congestion pricing pause — elected officials and pro-congestion organizations — including the Riders Alliance, which spearheaded the action — demanded the governor immediately reinstate the controversial congestion pricing plan. City Comptroller Brad Lander pointed out that Hochul derailed decades of “fierce” advocacy for accessible subway stations without any legislative authority.
“That was a dagger right at the heart of accessibility is that just a couple of weeks later, the MTA said, ‘Well, without that money, we’re gonna cancel 23 elevator projects,’ said Lander, who described the governor’s move as “shameful.” Hochul is facing two lawsuits over her decision to shelve congestion pricing. One is led by the City Club of New.