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To the editor:
Let us all celebrate the 34th Anniversary for the Americans With Disabilities Act, signed into law by former President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The Federal Transit Administration has done an excellent job when it comes to investing in public transit to bring capital assets into compliance with ADA.
Billions of dollars in FTA grants to over 900 transit agencies across America, including to the MTA, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Railroad, NYCDOT’s Staten Island Ferry and New Jersey Transit, have paid for tens of thousands of buses, paratransit vans, light rail, subway cars, commuter rail and ferries to make them accessible. Numerous subway, light rail and commuter rail stations, bus and ferry terminals along with other transportation facilities are accompanied in many cases with elevators and or ramps have also become ADA-compliant.
The MTA could also ask any major business, college or hospital who benefit from many of the 472 NYC Transit subway stations adjacent to their facility to sponsor installation of elevator(s). Let them split the cost with the MTA NYC Transit in exchange for naming rights to the elevator(s). This could stretch both federal and local MTA dollars to bring even more stations into compliance with ADA. City, state and federal elected officials who have access to member item funding can also sponsor projects. NYC zoning laws offer private developers the incentive of 20 percent more floor space for construction of new buildings in exchange for
paying both NYC Transit station improvements including maintenance costs.
Larry Penner
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