Manhattan subway station reopens to protests over lack of ADA access
UPPER MANHATTAN, New York City (WABC) -- An Upper Manhattan subway station is open again after a six-month renovation, but its return to service was met with protests over a lack of accessibility for those with disabilities.
The 163th Street-Amsterdam Avenue C line station underwent a dramatic overhaul, but it is still without an elevator.
The MTA says the repair work was necessary to fix deteriorating infrastructure, and it also updated the station environment with functional improvements like digital signage for real-time service information, enhanced wayfinding and station entrances, modern energy-efficient lighting and updated security equipment.
But what it lacks is disability access, which advocates say is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Less than 25 percent of New York City's 472 subway stations have disability access.
RELATED: ADA Transit Deserts - Report finds elderly, disabled New Yorkers stranded by lack of subway access
The renovation was part of the MTA's Enhanced Station Initiative launched back in 2016, in which at least 30 stations were scheduled for repairs.
Approximately 4,400 weekday customers use the station every day, but riders with disabilities must travel five blocks north to the subway station on 168th Street for the A/C. If they need the No. 1 line, they must travel all the way to 125th Street.
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