The MTA has begun a major accessibility overhaul at the 42 St-Bryant Park and 5 Av subway complex, a Midtown hub used by more than 100,000 riders each day.
The project will add four elevators, an accessible connection between two stations, wider fare gates and rebuilt platforms. It is one of six station projects now under construction with revenue from New York City’s congestion pricing program.
The Bryant Park accessibility project is moving into construction, with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority preparing to make the busy subway complex fully accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the groundbreaking Thursday, October 15. The work covers the 42 St-Bryant Park station serving the B, D, F and M lines and the nearby 5 Av station serving the 7 line. The two stations are connected, but riders who cannot use stairs have faced significant limits when moving through the complex.
According to the governor’s announcement, the improvements are being funded through congestion pricing revenue. The state says that revenue is supporting $15 billion in the MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Plan, including $2 billion for accessibility work at at least 23 subway stations.
What the Bryant Park project includes
The central part of the project is the installation of four new elevators. Three will connect the mezzanine and platforms at 42 St-Bryant Park. One of those elevators will connect the Times Square Shuttle pedestrian pathway with the northbound Bryant Park platform. A fourth elevator will serve the 5 Av station.
Crews will also build a new accessible corridor inside the fare-controlled station complex. That corridor is intended to give riders a stair-free route between the Bryant Park lines and the 7 train at Fifth Avenue without leaving the subway system or paying another fare.
Other planned improvements include:
- Reconstructed platforms at both stations
- New accessible fare gates
- Four upgraded stairways
- Accessibility improvements to the men’s and women’s restrooms at Bryant Park
- Repair and state-of-good-repair work at the 5 Av station
- Improvements to four vacant retail spaces in the Times Square station corridor, which are planned for restaurant use
The MTA’s public capital dashboard lists the Bryant Park accessibility work at about $134.4 million, with expected completion in November 2028. Construction schedules and budgets can change as work advances, so riders should watch official MTA notices for updated information.
Why full station access matters
An elevator is not simply a convenience. It can determine whether a person using a wheelchair can reach a job, medical appointment, school, hotel or public event without taking a long detour. Elevators and step-free routes also help riders using walkers or canes, parents with strollers, travelers with luggage and people recovering from an injury.
The Bryant Park complex sits near offices, hotels, the New York Public Library, Bryant Park and major connections along 42nd Street. The state says more than 100,000 riders use the complex daily. That volume makes the project important even for New Yorkers who do not commute through the station every day.
The subway system’s age and design have made accessibility difficult and expensive. An MTA long-range assessment reported that 142 of the system’s 493 subway and Staten Island Railway stations were accessible as of September 2023. The MTA’s current goal is to make 95 percent of those stations accessible by 2055.
The agency says it made 46 stations accessible between 2020 and the release of its 2025-2029 Capital Plan. That newer plan calls for accessibility improvements at at least 60 more subway stations, which would bring accessible service to more than half of all stations and reach nearly 70 percent of riders.
Five other station projects are underway
Bryant Park is one of six accessibility projects now under construction with direct support from congestion pricing revenue. The other projects are:
- Kingsbridge Rd on the 4 line
- 167 St on the B and D lines
- Gates Av on the J line
- Briarwood on the F line
- Parsons Blvd on the F line
The state says congestion pricing will also provide $3 billion for the Second Avenue Subway’s second phase, $3 billion for modern signals on several subway lines, $2 billion for new railcars and buses, and $5 billion for repair and state-of-good-repair projects.
The MTA is installing signs at supported construction sites so riders can see which improvements are being paid for with congestion pricing revenue.
What congestion pricing has to do with the work
New York’s congestion pricing program charges vehicles entering Manhattan’s Central Business District, generally local streets and avenues at or below 60th Street. State law directs most of the net revenue to subway and bus improvements, with additional shares for the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.
Congestion pricing remains politically contested. Supporters point to transit investment, reduced traffic and cleaner air. Critics have raised concerns about costs for drivers and businesses. The Bryant Park project offers a concrete test of the state’s argument that toll revenue will produce visible public benefits.
Accountability will matter. Riders should be able to track the project’s cost, schedule, elevator reliability and effect on station access. Signs announcing a funding source are useful, but the stronger measure will be whether the finished elevators and corridors work consistently for the people who need them.
The Utica Phoenix previously covered state claims about congestion pricing’s early traffic and transit results. We have also reported on an MTA accessibility project connected with affordable housing at Essex Crossing.
Why Mohawk Valley readers may care
This construction is in Manhattan, and the funding is not a direct investment in Utica, Rome or another Mohawk Valley community. Its most immediate benefits will go to New York City riders. That distinction is important when evaluating how state transportation dollars are distributed.
Still, Central New Yorkers regularly travel to New York City for work, medical care, family visits, tourism and public events. Amtrak passengers arriving from Utica may continue their trips on the subway. A more accessible Midtown network can make that connection easier for older adults, disabled travelers and families carrying luggage or using strollers.
The project also demonstrates a broader infrastructure principle that applies upstate: accessibility should be designed into transportation projects from the beginning, not treated as an optional feature. In the Mohawk Valley, that includes bus stops, sidewalks, curb ramps, crossings, stations and the paths connecting them.
Local readers interested in that wider issue can also review Utica Phoenix coverage of Utica traffic-signal upgrades near the Centro hub and the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
What riders should expect during construction
Major station work can bring temporary changes to entrances, platforms, passageways and pedestrian routes. Riders planning a trip through Midtown should check the MTA’s planned service changes shortly before traveling.
Travelers who rely on elevators should also check the MTA’s real-time elevator and escalator status. A station labeled accessible may not provide a usable route when a particular elevator is out of service, so checking before leaving can prevent a difficult detour.
Practical planning steps
- Use the official MTA trip planner and select an accessible route.
- Check elevator status immediately before the trip.
- Allow extra time near Bryant Park while corridors and platforms are under construction.
- Follow temporary signs and ask an MTA employee for the nearest step-free route when needed.
- Report a broken elevator, blocked accessible path or unclear sign through official MTA customer-service channels.
What happens next
Construction will proceed alongside regular subway operations. The work is part of a larger series of upgrades along 42nd Street, including earlier improvements at Grand Central and Times Square.
When completed, the project is expected to provide a continuous accessible route through the Bryant Park and Fifth Avenue complex. For riders who have long faced stairs, detours or inaccessible transfers, the real milestone will not be the groundbreaking. It will be the day the new route opens and remains dependable.
Have you encountered an inaccessible station, bus stop or pedestrian route while traveling in New York? Share the location and the barrier with the Utica Phoenix. Specific reports can help show where public infrastructure still falls short, but do not include private medical information in a public comment.
