Union St subway stair renovation

joehill · September 2009

The stairs at Union St. have been under renovation for months now (despite initial signs that the work would be completed on 7/31), and looks like they're almost done.

They've added a new set of rails that extend from the stairs onto the sidewalk on each side. But, for the Manhattan bound side, the rails take a 90 degree turn and make you enter/exit from the side. The sidewalk there is really narrow, and it's going to be a total mess.

Does anyone know why the hell they would do this? From a usability perspective it makes absolutely no sense. Are they trying to slow people down that hear a train coming and run for it or something? I really can't fathom why they would do this.

lori on lincoln · September 2009

Are you really asking why the MTA would do something stupid? Really?

raw · September 2009

What Flexi wrote is pretty much what I thought while reading your post.

Try navigating the Atlantic Avenue 2/3/Q station near the LIRR in a wheel chair. They say there are elevators at that station, but half the time at least one isn't working and you have to go up and down two elevators to get to the one to take you outside. It should be illegal to make people go through all that...Oh, and the elevators often smell like dead people. It's a mess.

monstergirly · September 2009

I was wondering if this would show up on here! My husband and I have been astounded by the Union St. stair renovation as well. Our tax dollars hard at work!

I have to say it's one of the most retarded things I've seen in my life. Now you have to step up to go down? And who knows how long it will be until the lot next to the Lyceum is cleaned up or something new is built there - that means when you exit the stairs there at the 90 degree angle you run right into the temporary wall they put up... At least on the Bay Ridge-bound side they still face straight out onto the sidewalk...

My husband even sent a letter to the MTA asking WTF but I'll be surprised if he get a reply.

pitu · September 2009

Subject: Re: Union St subway stair renovation

joehill wrote: Are they trying to slow people down that hear a train coming and run for it or something? I really can't fathom why they would do this.

I've been wondering the same thing. The now somewhat perma-obstruction on the lot beside the Lyceum makes it all that much narrowly worse.

They must be thinking *something* . . . yes, even the MTA.

I never saw anyone take a dive down those stairs, the only obvi problem being fixed with that railing.

A couple of years ago I was forced to become familiar with the Atlantic/Pacific maze of elevators. It's not awesome, but I found them in service and I was grateful.

pitu · September 2009

monstergirly wrote: My husband even sent a letter to the MTA asking WTF but I'll be surprised if he get a reply.

good idea!
email:
http://mta-nyc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/mta_nyc.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php

MTA
Jay H. Walder
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
347 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017-3739

MTA New York City Transit
Howard H. Roberts Jr.
President
2 Broadway
New York, NY 10004

jamzer · September 2009

monstergirly wrote: ...I have to say it's one of the most retarded things I've seen in my life. Now you have to step up to go down?

I can't say for certain, but the part about stepping up to get to the stairs might have something to do with the MTA's efforts to reduce flooding in the system. Remember all the huge delays last winter? A lot of them had to do with flooding and fires that started because of water shorting out equipment.

bkchickie · September 2009

raw wrote: Try navigating the Atlantic Avenue 2/3/Q station near the LIRR in a wheel chair. They say there are elevators at that station, but half the time at least one isn't working and you have to go up and down two elevators to get to the one to take you outside. It should be illegal to make people go through all that

It likely is. ADA requires that access be generally in the same location and the same level of convenience (i.e. you can't have wheelchair access to a restaurant that requires you to go around the back into the alley and through the kitchen.)

monstergirly · September 2009

Jamzer wrote: I can't say for certain, but the part about stepping up to get to the stairs might have something to do with the MTA's efforts to reduce flooding in the system. Remember all the huge delays last winter? A lot of them had to do with flooding and fires that started because of water shorting out equipment.

I can see how the step up might help that a teeny little bit.... But wouldn't they put a canopy over the entrances to combat something like that more effectively?

booklaw · September 2009

A canopy over the entrance would only block rain coming down directly over the entrance... the much bigger problem is flooding at foot level, and a canopy will not help that.

Union St subway stair renovation

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