MTA Agrees To Install Elevators At 3 LIRR Train Stations

Priscila Korb
·2 min read

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — The MTA and LIRR agreed to install elevators at three train stations in Suffolk County after a lawsuit was filed by three passengers with disabilities who said they couldn't use those stations. A settlement was reached in federal court after the passengers, along with the advocacy organization Self-Initiated Living Options (SILO), filed the lawsuit under claims that the MTA and LIRR violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The group accused the train authority of failing to install elevators at the Amityville, Copaigue and Lindenhurst stations, despite the fact that other significant station improvements were performed, according to Disability Rights Advocates.

However in the agreement reached earlier this month, the MTA and LIRR have agreed to install elevators as well as make other essential updates, under the oversight of an independent expert, to make sure the stations are in full compliance with the ADA. According to the group, the MTA and LIRR agreed to the requests for improvements much sooner than anticipated, without engaging in extensive litigation.

"We are thrilled that these three LIRR stations will be fully functional for all riders with mobility disabilities," Christina Brandt-Young of Disability Rights Advocates said. "We look forward to continuing to work with the MTA and LIRR to ensure there is accessible transportation for all individuals."

In addition to installing the elevators, the MTA and LIRR will work make changes to the parking lots, exterior routes of travel, waiting rooms and bathrooms to make them easier for passengers with disabilities to navigate the station. Initial work is expected to be completed by September 2021, with a full project expected to be finished by June 2023.

An independent accessibility expert will be reviewing plans for and completion of the updates to confirm compliance with the ADA. These updates are expected to fall under the MTA’s larger 2020-2024 Capital Plan, which includes $54.8 billion of investments in the region’s subways, buses, commuter railroads, bridges and tunnels.

In a statement, MTA spokesperson Meredith Daniels said that as stated in the settlement, the defendants may not be able to meet all of the set deadlines due to COVID-19 related funding or other issues.

This article originally appeared on the Lindenhurst Patch