Rockaway City Council Members Slam MTA Over Abysmal Subway Station Condition
A scathing letter to MTA Chair Janno Lieber has highlighted the dire state of the Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street subway station, the final stop on the Rockaway shuttle. The station's dilapidated condition is making daily travel for locals increasingly difficult, stressful, and even impossible.
The MTA's decision to fence off nearly half the platform, rendering it inaccessible to riders with disabilities, has sparked outrage among the community. According to lawmakers Joann Ariola and Selvena Brooks-Powers, this decision is further exacerbating the problem by forcing elderly passengers and those with disabilities to navigate broken infrastructure and walk through train cars to exit.
While MTA officials claim that only 5% of trains that reach the station are full-length, the reality on the ground suggests otherwise. Riders have reported being forced to plan their days around uncertainty, with some even walking long distances to deboard the train at the terminal station.
Brooks-Powers and Ariola demanded a clear timeline for the completion of repairs and accessibility improvements to the station, including public updates on the status of the work and a designated point person to communicate with constituents. However, an MTA spokesperson has stated that repairs are slated to be finished by the end of March, weather permitting.
The lack of transparency from the MTA has raised concerns among the community, particularly in a district with a significantly older population and limited access to senior center facilities. Brooks-Powers acknowledged that the transit agency has been cooperative in her district but emphasized that accessibility has long been a pressing concern for residents.
"We feel forgotten when it comes to resources from our government," she stated. "As a peninsula, we rely on an elevated train with the A train, and what I often hear from my constituents is that they feel neglected when it comes to infrastructure and maintenance." The Rockaway community's frustration has left them feeling forced to accept less than optimal conditions, a message that lawmakers are determined to challenge.
A scathing letter to MTA Chair Janno Lieber has highlighted the dire state of the Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street subway station, the final stop on the Rockaway shuttle. The station's dilapidated condition is making daily travel for locals increasingly difficult, stressful, and even impossible.
The MTA's decision to fence off nearly half the platform, rendering it inaccessible to riders with disabilities, has sparked outrage among the community. According to lawmakers Joann Ariola and Selvena Brooks-Powers, this decision is further exacerbating the problem by forcing elderly passengers and those with disabilities to navigate broken infrastructure and walk through train cars to exit.
While MTA officials claim that only 5% of trains that reach the station are full-length, the reality on the ground suggests otherwise. Riders have reported being forced to plan their days around uncertainty, with some even walking long distances to deboard the train at the terminal station.
Brooks-Powers and Ariola demanded a clear timeline for the completion of repairs and accessibility improvements to the station, including public updates on the status of the work and a designated point person to communicate with constituents. However, an MTA spokesperson has stated that repairs are slated to be finished by the end of March, weather permitting.
The lack of transparency from the MTA has raised concerns among the community, particularly in a district with a significantly older population and limited access to senior center facilities. Brooks-Powers acknowledged that the transit agency has been cooperative in her district but emphasized that accessibility has long been a pressing concern for residents.
"We feel forgotten when it comes to resources from our government," she stated. "As a peninsula, we rely on an elevated train with the A train, and what I often hear from my constituents is that they feel neglected when it comes to infrastructure and maintenance." The Rockaway community's frustration has left them feeling forced to accept less than optimal conditions, a message that lawmakers are determined to challenge.
this whole thing is overhyped i mean come on 5% of trains being full-length who cares if they're not at the end stop it's just one stop more or less you guys and your drama need to relax 
! Like, come on, folks! You gotta do better than this. I was talking to my neighbor the other day and she's like "I used to be able to walk easily from the subway station to my condo" but now she can barely make it because of those awful stairs 
. And it's not just her, all the elderly folks in Rockaway are being totally taken advantage of here. It's like you guys are expecting them to navigate this broken train system like it's no big deal 
. I get that it's a lot of work and stuff but come on, we need some real solutions and not just empty promises for the end of March 
.
. And don't even get me started on the elderly and disabled folks having to navigate through train cars to exit... that's just, like, so stressful 
. The fact that they're claiming only 5% of trains are full-length is totally not holding up in reality, TBH 
.
. Demanding a clear timeline for repairs and public updates on the status... yeah, that's what we need more of 
. It's not like the MTA is doing their job or something 
. The Rockaway community deserves so much better than being left in the dark about infrastructure and maintenance 
. Like, how hard can it be to prioritize accessibility and transparency? 
... I mean, have you guys seen our cafeteria lately? It's always some issue or another! Anyway, back to this subway station thing... I'm so sorry for those people who have to deal with that kinda stress every day 
. And yeah, it's not cool that the MTA is being all secretive about when the repairs are gonna be done 
. We should all be advocating for better infrastructure and maintenance, just like our lawmakers are trying to do 
!
especially with the accessibility issues at Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street subway station 
it's like they're forcing seniors and people with disabilities to walk a mile just to get off the train? 
that's not right! I'm all for transparency, btw 
when are we gonna see updates on the repairs? March is looking pretty vague 
can't we just have a real timeline? 
. It's not like they're being dramatic or anything, they just want their community to have decent infrastructure and repairs done ASAP 
. Maybe we can finally get some much-needed repairs done by the end of March 
? Fingers crossed! 
and elderly riders. 5% full length trains dont make sense if u got ppl walkin miles to deboard at terminal station... newsflash: we need better maintenance n transparency not empty promises 
. It's unacceptable that they're fencing off part of the platform and making it hard for people with disabilities to get on/off the train 
It's like they're expecting people to just deal with it, which is not cool. As a community, you should feel heard and supported by your government, especially when it comes to important stuff like this 
. And can we please just prioritize fixing these problems already? It's time for some action! 
March by end of month? That's just a drop-in-the-bucket solution if you ask me. The community deserves so much better than that.
and now they're expecting us to be all calm about it while we're forced to navigate broken trains and platform closures? 
️
It's not like they're intentionally ignoring the community or anything.
and it's not just the commuters who are suffering, but also the elderly & disabled folks who deserve better accessibility 
. How can you expect people with disabilities to navigate broken infrastructure when they need help? 
It's like, come on MTA! Provide clear updates on the repairs timeline and communicate with the community 
! We need transparency & a point person who cares about our safety & well-being 
. No more being left behind as a peninsula district, we deserve better resources & infrastructure #MTAneedsreform #Accessibletransitforall #RockawayDeservesBetter