Massive Brooklyn Subway Hub Is A Disgrace, Electeds Say

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A major New York City transit hub that serves more than 100,000 commuters every day is going into "cardiac arrest" and politicians say gentrification is to blame.

Brooklyn City Council member Rafael Espinal and Borough President Eric Adams called on the MTA Monday to repair Broadway Junction — the city's third largest subway station with LIRR and A, C, J, L and Z trains connections — which they say continuously suffers from congestion, disrepair and is seldom ADA accessible.

"This station is the heart of Brooklyn but ... it's going into cardiac arrest," said Espinal. "It is a disgrace to see a station this large, which connects so many New Yorkers to all the great sites and services, lack access elevators."

"Transportation cannot be based on gentrification," the borough president added. "We are calling on the MTA to make these investments a priority."

Adams and Espinal demanded the city's transit authority prioritize ADA accessibility at the station by installing elevators for each of the five lines, completing long-awaited escalator repairs and funding general repairs.

Espinal tweeted video of the Broadway Junction escalator that show just one was working Monday morning, forcing commuters to either line up to ride up or mount a steep set of stairs.

The two elected officials put forth a renovation proposal for the 25-acre area surrounding Broadway Junction earlier this month as part of the East New York Neighborhood rezoning plan approved in 2016.

The proposal presents Broadway Junction as a missed opportunity to draw commuters and community members into a central hub that could provide them places to shop, find employment and enjoy the outdoors.

The five-point plan calls for improving subway accessibility, investing in programming and upgrades at Callahan-Kelly Park, renovating street-level infrastructure, connecting local business owners to services, and investing in community organizations that have already taken root in the area.

"We are hopeful that the City and State will work to enact the goals and recommendations laid out in this document," Adams and Espinal stated in the report. "And bring much-needed action and investment to this area.”