Borough Hall Subway Station Gains Major Accessibility Upgrades

Three new elevators and extensive repairs make the 118-year-old Brooklyn station accessible to riders of all abilities.

The Borough Hall accessibility upgrades are now complete, giving thousands of Brooklyn subway riders a safer and easier way to reach the street, mezzanine and train platforms. The project added three elevators and brought the section of the station serving the 4 and 5 trains into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the project’s completion during Disability Pride Month. State officials said the improvements will benefit about 22,000 people who use the Downtown Brooklyn station each day.

The project does more than help people who use wheelchairs. Elevators can also assist older adults, parents pushing strollers, travelers carrying luggage and riders who have difficulty using stairs.

“Borough Hall is a vital connection to all that Downtown Brooklyn has to offer, but for too long, this transit hub was not accessible to all; today, that finally changes,” Hochul said in the announcement.

Three Elevators Connect Every Level

The most visible part of the Borough Hall accessibility upgrades is the installation of three elevators.

The new system includes:

• One elevator connecting the street and mezzanine
• Two elevators connecting the mezzanine with the northbound and southbound platforms
• New accessible boarding areas
• Reconstructed platform edges
• New tactile warning strips
• Modifications to the station agent booth
• An accessible employee bathroom

The elevators allow riders to travel from the street to either platform without relying on stairs. That represents a major change at a station that originally opened in 1908.

What Makes a Subway Station ADA Accessible?

An ADA-accessible subway station provides a step-free route between the street and train platform. It may also include elevators or ramps, tactile warning strips, accessible boarding areas, wider entrances and other features designed for people with disabilities.

Accessibility does not depend on a single elevator. Riders must be able to move through the full station and reach the correct platform.

MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo said the project shows how infrastructure funding can modernize the transit system while improving access and reliability.

“Every rider deserves safe, accessible, and dependable service,” Arroyo said.

Repairs Addressed the Station’s Aging Infrastructure

The Borough Hall project also included extensive structural and mechanical repairs.

According to the state and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, construction crews addressed deterioration caused by the station’s age and years of water infiltration. Crews renovated the roof and upgraded several critical systems, including:

• Lighting
• Communications equipment
• Fire alarms
• Plumbing
• Drainage
• Other station infrastructure

These repairs are important because accessibility equipment must operate inside a dependable building. Installing elevators without addressing leaks, drainage problems and structural damage could leave the station vulnerable to future service disruptions.

MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said the work required careful coordination because subway service continued at the busy station during construction.

“Delivering accessibility at Borough Hall required careful coordination while maintaining service at one of Brooklyn’s busiest stations,” Torres-Springer said.

Historic Tile Mosaics Are Being Preserved

Modernization does not always require removing a station’s historic character.

The MTA said about 1,000 square feet of tile mosaics from the original Interborough Rapid Transit Company station are being restored and reinstalled. The preservation work is intended to protect the station’s visual history while making the facility safer and more useful.

The balance matters in a city where many subway stations are more than a century old. Riders need modern elevators, communication systems and safety equipment, but historic architecture also connects present-day New Yorkers with the city’s past.

MTA Reports 160 Fully Accessible Subway Stations

State officials said Borough Hall brings the total number of fully accessible subway stations to 160.

Since 2021, 34 subway stations have been made fully accessible, according to the governor’s office. Accessibility construction is underway at 34 additional stations.

Those numbers show measurable progress. They also highlight the scale of the remaining challenge.

New York City has one of the world’s largest and oldest public transportation systems. Many stations were constructed decades before accessibility standards existed. Retrofitting those stations can require moving utilities, rebuilding platforms, reinforcing structures and finding space for elevators in crowded neighborhoods.

That complexity can make projects expensive and time-consuming. However, disability advocates have long argued that cost and engineering difficulties should not prevent people from having equal access to public transportation.

Federal Funding Helped Support the Improvements

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act helped make the Borough Hall project possible.

“Borough Hall station is the beating heart of booming Downtown Brooklyn,” Lieber said. “And thanks to federal IIJA funding, it’s now ADA accessible and a lot more functional for our riders.”

U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand also pointed to funding secured through the federal infrastructure law.

Schumer said riders with disabilities have endured poor access to parts of the subway system for too long. Gillibrand called the Borough Hall improvements an important step toward creating a transportation network that works for every New Yorker.

Public transportation projects often depend on cooperation among local, state and federal governments. The Borough Hall work demonstrates how federal dollars can support state-managed improvements with a direct effect on daily life.

Accessibility Helps More Than One Group

Disability access is the central purpose of the project, but its benefits extend to a broad group of riders.

New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow noted that elevators can serve people who use mobility devices as well as parents, travelers and workers carrying equipment.

State Sen. Andrew Gounardes made a similar point.

“The reasons to use an elevator are as diverse as the New Yorkers who ride the train,” Gounardes said.

Accessible design often improves public spaces for everyone. Clear signs, step-free entrances, dependable elevators and safer boarding areas can make travel easier even for people who do not identify as having a disability.

Disability Pride Month Adds Meaning to the Milestone

The announcement came during Disability Pride Month, which recognizes the contributions, experiences and civil rights of people with disabilities.

Completing the project during the observance gave state and MTA officials an opportunity to emphasize that accessibility should be treated as a basic part of public infrastructure rather than an optional feature.

Still, advocates and riders will likely judge progress by whether elevators remain dependable and whether additional inaccessible stations are upgraded.

An elevator that frequently breaks down does not provide meaningful access. The MTA maintains an online elevator and escalator status system that allows riders to check current outages before beginning a trip.

A Major Step, but More Work Remains

The Borough Hall accessibility upgrades represent a major improvement for Downtown Brooklyn. Three elevators now connect the street, mezzanine and platforms, while new boarding areas, tactile strips and structural repairs make the station safer and more dependable.

The project also preserves historic tilework and strengthens systems that have served generations of riders.

Yet one completed station cannot resolve every accessibility gap in a transit network as large as New York City’s subway system. Continued investment, reliable maintenance and transparent reporting will be needed to ensure that more riders can travel independently.

New Yorkers can support that effort by reporting elevator problems, following upcoming MTA accessibility projects and urging elected officials to make inclusive transportation a continuing budget priority.

Public transit works best when every member of the public can use it.

Featured Image Alt Text: Borough Hall accessibility upgrades with new elevators at the Brooklyn subway station

Sources

• New York State Governor’s Office, July 22, 2026
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• MTA Station Accessibility Projects
• MTA Elevator and Escalator Status