If you've taken the /*LIRR*/ lately you've probably noticed crews fixing escalators at several stations like the one in Babylon.
Most people know why it's happening.
"It all happened when that woman fell. Seems like that's the only thing that prompted them to take it seriously," said Bill Costanza, a /*Babylon*/ resident.
It was last March when 88-year-old Irene Bernatzky fell on the escalator at the /*Lindenhurst*/ station and her clothes got caught, choking her to death.
The LIRR has shut down 10 of the systems 19 escalators for repairs including the one in Lindenhurst.
"The steps, the hand rails, we're putting in new safety sensors," said Joe Calderone, LIRR.
The LIRR says escalators in /*Rockville Centre*/, /*Baldwin*/, /*Amityville*/ and /*Freeport*/ should be ready to use by the end of September.
The escalator at the /*Copiague*/ station is slated to reopen in October.
In the meantime, people like Lawrence Nagel who has a bad knee have been forced to take the stairs.
"I'm glad they're fixing it, but I wish they would get going already," Nagel said.
"I've seen senior citizens; they had problems getting up the stairs. There's no one here to help them," said Dale Black, a Freeport resident.
"We know that these repairs are causing an inconvenience and we apologize for that," Calderone said.
---
WAKE UP WITH EYEWITNESS NEWS! Click here to download the WABC Eyewitness News Alarm Clock app from iTunes. or search WABC or 7online in the app store.
