QNS file photo
Feb. 29, 2024 By Rachel Butler
Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng, along with a coalition of elected officials, has penned a letter to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) regarding the extended downtime of three crucial escalators at the 74th Street-Broadway subway station in Jackson Heights.
These escalators have been have been out of service since June 2023, causing significant disruptions to the daily routines of thousands of Queens residents, particularly impacting those with mobility challenges.
Meng, who represents the neighborhoods of Bayside, Flushing and Elmhurst along with New York State Senators Michael Gianaris and Jessica Ramos, Assembly Members Steven Raga and Catalina Cruz, and City Council Member Shekar Krishnan, collectively directed their demand for action to MTA CEO Janno Lieber.
They underscored the station’s pivotal role in facilitating access to the E, F, M, and R lines, noting the severe accessibility limitations imposed by having only one operational escalator from the street level to the mezzanine.
The officials highlighted the adverse effects of the escalators’ malfunctions, part of an MTA initiative aimed at enhancing the 7 line.
Meng articulated the community’s growing exasperation: “While Queens residents appreciate the MTA’s efforts to upgrade our subway stations, the ongoing closures have become unbearable. With the disruption now approaching its ninth month, we strongly urge the MTA to expedite the repair and replacement works, ensuring that normal service resumes for our daily commuters,” she said.
Krishnan emphasized the critical need for universal access to the subway, pointing out that the prevailing conditions do not merely inconvenience users but outright exclude individuals with physical disabilities from utilizing the subway system.
In their communication to Lieber, the officials asked for an immediate update regarding the escalator repair efforts, and to make it a matter of urgency.
