Complements Two Recently Installed Elevators on South Side, Bringing Total to Three
Upgrades Also Include New Entrance and 10-Foot-Wide Staircase
Project Made Possible by Zoning for Accessibility’s (ZFA) Transit Improvement Bonus Program, Saving MTA Millions in Construction and Maintenance Costs
First ZFA Bonus Improvement Project Opening to the Public
See Video of Station Accessibility Upgrades
See Video of Event
See Photos of the Event and Station Complex Upgrades
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the completion of one new elevator at the Queensboro Plaza subway station, giving the station accessible entrances on each side of the busy approach to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. This project was completed through Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA), a bonus provision which allows developers to improve access to public transit in the busiest areas of the city in exchange for an increase in their building’s density.
As part of the agreement at Queensboro Plaza Station, Grubb Properties, which owns 25-01 Queens Plaza North, financed and constructed the new accessible entrance on the northside of the station, furthering the MTA’s cost savings. The new entrance includes a 10-foot-wide staircase and a larger elevator cab that will accommodate more customers with strollers, carrying luggage, or using mobility devices. Grubb Properties will be responsible for maintaining the entrance and elevator. This is the first ZFA bonus project in the transit system opening to the public and the second approved by the City Planning Commission (CPC), with more on the way in the future.
“Zoning for Accessibility has delivered real results for the 97,000 riders who pass through Queensboro Plaza every day, and – best of all -- at no cost to taxpayers,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “The MTA will continue using every available tool, every possible strategy to make the subway system accessible to all New Yorkers.”
“This new ADA-accessible entrance at Queensboro Plaza marks an exciting milestone as the MTA’s first completed ZFA project,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “It is a testament to the success of public-private partnerships, and we seek to replicate this model at other eligible stations to gain ADA improvements at no cost to the taxpayer.”
“I’m thrilled the ZFA program creates more safe, reliable elevators in our subway stations,” saidNew York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “Queensboro Plaza is a critical transfer point for tens of thousands of daily commuters and having another way to access the station will help traffic flow freely and make it easier for New Yorkers to get around the city.”
“Zoning for Accessibility is a prime example of the MTA using all possible avenues to reach our accessibility goals,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. “ZFA will improve accessibility and the customer experience across the entire system, and I am so excited to mark the completion of the first ZFA project at Queensboro Plaza.”
“We are demonstrating how smart coordination between land use policy and our transit system can deliver tangible benefits for working New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of City Planning Director and MTA Board Member Dan Garodnick. “Our Zoning for Accessibility program is a win-win, improving the public realm and enabling additional much-needed housing – all at no cost to the public. We look forward to more transit accessibility improvements like this being delivered across New York.”
“We’re extremely grateful to the MTA that Link Apartments QPN, Grubb Properties’ first community in New York City, is part of the Zoning for Accessibility program,” said Grubb Properties Senior Vice President, Development Lauren Cahill. “Transit innovation is a guiding principle for Grubb Properties and the Zoning for Accessibility program aligns perfectly with our mission to create attainable, high-quality urban housing.”
“I’m excited to celebrate the installation of this elevator and the reopening of Queensboro Plaza’s North entrance,” said State Senator Kristen Gonzalez. “Thank you to the MTA and Grubb Properties for working together to make this station fully accessible for tens of thousands of daily users. As the MTA completes more planned accessibility upgrades across our system, I look forward to seeing more accessibility upgrades, including at the Broadway N/W station.”
As part of a long-term commitment to systemwide accessibility, the MTA is investing nearly $6 billion in station accessibility in the 2020-2024 Capital Program, to make 67 stations newly ADA-accessible and modernize an additional 78 subway elevators.
Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA) creates incentives for private developers to design their buildings to incorporate future station accessibility projects or build the improvements themselves at nearby MTA stations in exchange for a zoning bonus. By helping the MTA achieve systemwide accessibility more efficiently, ZFA benefits all New Yorkers, particularly riders with mobility disabilities, seniors, parents of young children, and others who need accessible stations to use the system.
Queensboro Plaza is a station with high ridership, serving approximately 97,000 riders on an average weekday. This estimate includes both customers who swipe in at this station and those who are transferring between the and trains. This station is at the center of a rapidly growing part of Queens.
“With nearly 100,000 people using Queensboro Plaza every day, adding this new elevator and entrance makes a real difference—especially for seniors, people with disabilities, and parents with strollers,” said Representative Nydia Velasquez. “It’s a meaningful step toward a more accessible transit system. I’ll keep working to support efforts that make public transit more reliable, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of our communities.”
"Nearly 1 million New Yorkers live with disabilities, yet our public transit system has for far too long left them behind,” said Assembly Member Zohran K. Mamdani. “Every New Yorker deserves a universally accessible public transit system. This elevator installment brings us one step closer to making that a reality.”
“Queensboro Plaza is a transportation hub for 97,000 New Yorkers each day. This newest elevator, along with the two recently installed in December, will ensure that our seniors, people with disabilities, and parents with young children have access to public transportation,” said Council Member Julie Won. “As a mother with young children, I know how difficult it is to catch a train while carrying a stroller. I look forward to the MTA installing more elevators at stations across the city, including 33 Street-Rawson Street and 46 Street-Bliss Plaza in our district.”
“Nearly 100,000 people use the Queensboro Plaza subway station every day, making it not only one of the highest trafficked stations in the borough, but one where accessibility upgrades have been badly needed to support such high ridership,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “The installation of this new elevator will greatly benefit users with mobility issues and all those who seek to use this important station. With the completion of this work, our transit system is getting even closer toward its goal of being fully accessible for all of its riders. I commend the MTA and its federal partners for taking this major step forward in accessibility, and I look forward to seeing the additional progress that will be coming on this front in the near future.”
“Queensboro Plaza is one of the busiest and most important transit hubs in Queens, so it’s great to see progress that makes it more accessible to everyone,” said Long Island City Partnership President Laura Rothrock. “Long Island City is the fastest-growing neighborhood in New York City, with thousands of new residents, major companies like JetBlue and Estée Lauder, and a growing number of businesses all relying on this station. With so much new development around Queens Plaza North and in Dutch Kills, it’s more important than ever to have reliable, accessible infrastructure that supports our momentum. We commend the MTA and its partners for investing in improvements that meet the moment and help ensure an inclusive, well-connected future for LIC.”