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MTA Elevator Installations Come With Controversity


Via Garibaldi 8

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Midtown shops worry about subway elevator construction

By: LINDA SCHMIDT

POSTED: APR 26 2018 05:51PM EDT

VIDEO POSTED: APR 26 2018 05:46PM EDT

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - Several business owners on 7th Avenue at 55th Street in Manhattan say the MTA stunned them with the news that it is installing a subway elevator on their block and it will take at least three years to complete.

Workers will install 5-foot-tall fences like those erected for the 2nd Avenue subway construction. The fences and construction killed many of the businesses on 2nd Avenue.

Dan Bruck, the owner of Danielle B. Jewelry, said he could go out of business after 40 years in the neighborhood.

The work begins next week. The business owners said they were just notified seven days ago. But the MTA told me that it has been speaking to businesses in the area for weeks and months.

Subway_elevator_construction_0_5419445_v

 

Bruck called that a "complete lie" and that the first he heard of the work was April 20.

Steve Dertouzos owns the Park Cafe Restaurant. He lost one of his other restaurants on 2nd Avenue because of the subway construction. He is afraid of losing this one due to a drop in foot traffic and customers. He said his rent is $44,000 per month and he is afraid he will have to close.

The MTA said it has been continually blasted for not having subway elevators to provide access for riders with physical challenges. Now it is installing elevators at about 20 subway stations that don't currently have them.

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign, which is usually critical of the MTA, supports the installations. Nick Sifuentes said the benefits to disabled, elderly, and pregnant subway riders far outweigh the temporary cost to the businesses.

Source: http://www.fox5ny.com/news/midtown-shops-subway-elevator-construction

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Yes, because fencing off enough sidewalk to install an elevator will have the same impact as digging a hundred foot deep hole in the ground. 

Also, three bloody years to install and elevator? Sometimes this city just seems like it hates itself.

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Just now, RR503 said:

Yes, because fencing off enough sidewalk to install an elevator will have the same impact as digging a hundred foot deep hole in the ground. 

Also, three bloody years to install and elevator? Sometimes this city just seems like it hates itself.

I feel for the businesses though.  It's very obvious that with the skyrocketing rents, taxes and other fees the City puts on businesses that it's becoming almost impossible to make any money.  I applaud the (MTA) for installing an elevator because I do believe that we need to make as many stations accessible as possible, but I don't agree with Nick Sifuentes about this being a temporary cost to businesses. There were a lot of businesses that I used to support before SAS came along that are now no more.  I think the City should come up with something to help these businesses and in general because we have far too many empty storefronts.  It's an eyesore to the community.   

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Good job by the (MTA) nevertheless overall IF they can get these projects done on-time and UNDER budget:

Funding For Subway Station ADA-Accessibility Approved

31437821210_ee72b74951_h.jpg?itok=LW1Vba

April 26th, 2018

The MTA Board approved a capital plan amendment that significantly increases the agency’s investment in ADA accessibility projects as part of the 2015-2019 MTA capital plan. The amendment also includes $300 million to undertake critical station improvements – in close partnership with the City of New York – at key locations, including $200 million for accessibility enhancements such as elevators, and $100 million for station circulation enhancements such as redesigned stairs, mezzanines and platforms. A project to provide ADA accessibility at the Westchester Square station on the 6 line in the Bronx will also be added to the Capital Program. The list of additional stations that ultimately receive accessibility and circulation improvements using this funding will be finalized once better cost estimates are obtained during design.  Up to five stations may receive these accessibility and circulation improvements.

“We are putting an increased focus on accessibility with all of our planning moving forward, and this plan amendment is a direct result of that promise,” said MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota.  “We have a lot more work to do but this plan amendment – as well as our Board working group on accessibility and the commitment of NYC Transit President Andy Byford – demonstrate our commitment to accessibility for all of our customers.”

In addition to theplan amendment, 17 other stations are being made fully ADA-accessible in the 2015-2019 capital plan:

-Bedford Pk Blvd on the B/D line in the Bronx

-Gun Hill Rd on the 5 line in the Bronx

-149 St-Grand Concourse on the 4 line in the Bronx

-149 St-Grand Concourse on the 2/5 line in the Bronx

-86 St on the R line in Brooklyn

-Bedford Av on the L line in Brooklyn

-Greenpoint Av on the G line in Brooklyn

-Eastern Pkwy-Bklyn Museum on the 2/3 line in Brooklyn

-Rockaway Pkwy on the L line in Brooklyn

-59 St on the N/R line in Brooklyn

-95 St on the R line in Brooklyn

-1 Av on the L line in Manhattan

-Chambers St on the J/Z line in Manhattan

-Times Sq-42 St on the S shuttle in Manhattan

-Astoria Blvd on the N/W line in Queens

-Court Square on the G line in Queens

-Woodhaven Blvd on the J line in Queens

Nearly $5 billion has been invested to make subway stations  ADA-accessible, including the nearly $1 billion already approved for the 2015-2019 MTA capital plan. The approved 2015-19 capital program also includes more than $400 million to replace 69 existing elevators and escalators for better reliability. Future capital plans will include funding for accessibility improvements to additional stations.

NYC Transit President Andy Byford previously announced a system-wide study is being conducted to catalog and analyze what would need to be done to make the system fully accessible, which will help the MTA and stakeholders identify particular stations for inclusion in the next capital program’s station elevator projects. As noted by MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota, an MTA Board task force has been formed to examine and address station accessibility.  A separate task group is focused on Access-a-Ride.

Station improvement projects at two stations in Brooklyn have been added to the Capital Program to support operations while the L train tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan is closed for repair beginning April 2019.  The Marcy Avenue station on the J/M/Z lines will receive enhanced stair capacity and platform widening, and Broadway Junction on the J/Z lines will receive additional stairs, as well as an expanded mezzanine.

Increased Signal and Track Funding As Part of Subway Action Plan

The amendment also includes funding of more than $300 million in signal and track work critical to enhancing reliability as part of the Subway Action Plan that was approved by the MTA Board in December 2017. The amended plan allocates funding for the Subway Action Plan, including $287 million worth of signal repair and modernization work, and $53 million for the installation of continuous welded rail (CWR), which is more reliable – and less prone to causing delays – than traditional rail.

The amended capital plan achieves savings from a below budget contract for the R211 class of new subway cars  and allocating other costs to future capital plans to reflect when actual work is performed.  The plan amendment voted on today does not require any additional funding to be requested.   

The plan amendment also makes adjustments to remaining projects in the current capital plan to reflect refined project scopes, revised cost estimates, and updated project delivery times.  For the East Side Access Project, approximately $418 million is shifted from the 2010-2014 capital plan to the 2015-2019 capital plan. Completion of East Side Access remains scheduled for 2022.

Source: http://www.mta.info/news/2018/04/26/funding-subway-station-ada-accessibility-approved

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11 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Good job by the (MTA) nevertheless overall IF they can get these projects done on-time and UNDER budget:

Funding For Subway Station ADA-Accessibility Approved

31437821210_ee72b74951_h.jpg?itok=LW1Vba

April 26th, 2018

The MTA Board approved a capital plan amendment that significantly increases the agency’s investment in ADA accessibility projects as part of the 2015-2019 MTA capital plan. The amendment also includes $300 million to undertake critical station improvements – in close partnership with the City of New York – at key locations, including $200 million for accessibility enhancements such as elevators, and $100 million for station circulation enhancements such as redesigned stairs, mezzanines and platforms. A project to provide ADA accessibility at the Westchester Square station on the 6 line in the Bronx will also be added to the Capital Program. The list of additional stations that ultimately receive accessibility and circulation improvements using this funding will be finalized once better cost estimates are obtained during design.  Up to five stations may receive these accessibility and circulation improvements.

“We are putting an increased focus on accessibility with all of our planning moving forward, and this plan amendment is a direct result of that promise,” said MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota.  “We have a lot more work to do but this plan amendment – as well as our Board working group on accessibility and the commitment of NYC Transit President Andy Byford – demonstrate our commitment to accessibility for all of our customers.”

In addition to theplan amendment, 17 other stations are being made fully ADA-accessible in the 2015-2019 capital plan:

-Bedford Pk Blvd on the B/D line in the Bronx

-Gun Hill Rd on the 5 line in the Bronx

-149 St-Grand Concourse on the 4 line in the Bronx

-149 St-Grand Concourse on the 2/5 line in the Bronx

-86 St on the R line in Brooklyn

-Bedford Av on the L line in Brooklyn

-Greenpoint Av on the G line in Brooklyn

-Eastern Pkwy-Bklyn Museum on the 2/3 line in Brooklyn

-Rockaway Pkwy on the L line in Brooklyn

-59 St on the N/R line in Brooklyn

-95 St on the R line in Brooklyn

-1 Av on the L line in Manhattan

-Chambers St on the J/Z line in Manhattan

-Times Sq-42 St on the S shuttle in Manhattan

-Astoria Blvd on the N/W line in Queens

-Court Square on the G line in Queens

-Woodhaven Blvd on the J line in Queens

Nearly $5 billion has been invested to make subway stations  ADA-accessible, including the nearly $1 billion already approved for the 2015-2019 MTA capital plan. The approved 2015-19 capital program also includes more than $400 million to replace 69 existing elevators and escalators for better reliability. Future capital plans will include funding for accessibility improvements to additional stations.

NYC Transit President Andy Byford previously announced a system-wide study is being conducted to catalog and analyze what would need to be done to make the system fully accessible, which will help the MTA and stakeholders identify particular stations for inclusion in the next capital program’s station elevator projects. As noted by MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota, an MTA Board task force has been formed to examine and address station accessibility.  A separate task group is focused on Access-a-Ride.

Station improvement projects at two stations in Brooklyn have been added to the Capital Program to support operations while the L train tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan is closed for repair beginning April 2019.  The Marcy Avenue station on the J/M/Z lines will receive enhanced stair capacity and platform widening, and Broadway Junction on the J/Z lines will receive additional stairs, as well as an expanded mezzanine.

Increased Signal and Track Funding As Part of Subway Action Plan

The amendment also includes funding of more than $300 million in signal and track work critical to enhancing reliability as part of the Subway Action Plan that was approved by the MTA Board in December 2017. The amended plan allocates funding for the Subway Action Plan, including $287 million worth of signal repair and modernization work, and $53 million for the installation of continuous welded rail (CWR), which is more reliable – and less prone to causing delays – than traditional rail.

The amended capital plan achieves savings from a below budget contract for the R211 class of new subway cars  and allocating other costs to future capital plans to reflect when actual work is performed.  The plan amendment voted on today does not require any additional funding to be requested.   

The plan amendment also makes adjustments to remaining projects in the current capital plan to reflect refined project scopes, revised cost estimates, and updated project delivery times.  For the East Side Access Project, approximately $418 million is shifted from the 2010-2014 capital plan to the 2015-2019 capital plan. Completion of East Side Access remains scheduled for 2022.

Source: http://www.mta.info/news/2018/04/26/funding-subway-station-ada-accessibility-approved

So Chambers is getting an elevator but they aren't do a renovation concurrently. Considering how elevator construction can be disruptive, why can't they do some overhaul at the same time?

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5 minutes ago, R68OnBroadway said:

So Chambers is getting an elevator but they aren't do a renovation concurrently. Considering how elevator construction can be disruptive, why can't they do some overhaul at the same time?

It would make sense to both IMO and find the funding for it too.

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3 years to dig a 38 ft deep hole in the ground that'll be 8 ft by 8 ft??

Proof positive (MTA) isn't qualified to run subways or hold the household Visa card. This reeks of saying "we're only doing this because we were forced to, so we're going to ruin every life we can while we do it because we're being forced to do our jobs when we got this job to get the paycheck without having to actually do any work."

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1 hour ago, LGA Link N train said:

People complain that (MTA) has no elevators.  (MTA) builds an elevator and people complain. 

 

Whenever anything involes the (MTA) All people do is complain. We're not going anywhere with this if you think about it 

I mean, the two options are pretty terrible:

  1. No elevators
  2. 1 elevator takes 3 years to install
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Tis the joys of dealing with the same contractors all the time. When you only have a couple of guys to deal with, they can give you any estimate they want and tell you to take it or leave it.

7 hours ago, R68OnBroadway said:

So Chambers is getting an elevator but they aren't do a renovation concurrently. Considering how elevator construction can be disruptive, why can't they do some overhaul at the same time?

Are you that surprised? They're about to do the same thing at Hunts Point Av. Elevators were installed in 2014 and now the station is slated to be renovated under the deferred ESI program in the next few years.

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4 hours ago, LGA Link N train said:

People complain that (MTA) has no elevators.  (MTA) builds an elevator and people complain. 

 

Whenever anything involes the (MTA) All people do is complain. We're not going anywhere with this if you think about it 

So if you ask your parents for shoes and they say no, then the court tells them to buy you shoes - all the while you can’t go anywhere because you have no shoes, and then years they finally get you shoes, but they spent $300 on knockoff LeBrons, you complaining or happy?

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8 minutes ago, Deucey said:

So if you ask your parents for shoes and they say no, then the court tells them to buy you shoes - all the while you can’t go anywhere because you have no shoes, and then years they finally get you shoes, but they spent $300 on knockoff LeBrons, you complaining or happy?

Well, in your scenario. I'd be happy because at least I have shoes to walk around with. (Even though I am an adolescent, I don't care about shoe products) but from the point I'm trying to make is that every time something "(MTA)" happens, all I see is people complaining. Even if it's something that they want. Say if I were to come to the conclusion of "In order for this elevator to be built, we would need to demolish this property." And people in the area of this station want an elevator to be built, what would you do? Are the people going to be thankful? No. They're not going to be thankful because thats all nyc subway commuters lIke to complain about the subway.

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3 minutes ago, LGA Link N train said:

Well, in your scenario. I'd be happy because at least I have shoes to walk around with. (Even though I am an adolescent, I don't care about shoe products) but from the point I'm trying to make is that every time something "(MTA)" happens, all I see is people complaining. Even if it's something that they want. Say if I were to come to the conclusion of "In order for this elevator to be built, we would need to demolish this property." And people in the area of this station want an elevator to be built, what would you do?

So you’d be okay without shoes for years because your parents just didn’t feel like buying them?

It’s not about the act of them building an elevator; it’s about the act of them finding ways to do it as slowly and sloppily as possible with the greatest amount of contempt and disregard for those affected.

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7 hours ago, Porter said:

Hold the damn phone... Is the Park Place elevator STILL NOT OPEN?

The one at Park Place and Church? CORRECT! I walked by today. Not done, and no sign of activity. Insanity. They've been working on that one for at least four years, by my count. 

One year is way too long for any single elevator project. They should be able to do it in six months, nine at the most. These contractors are simply lazy, milking it, and no one is holding them accountable. As a taxpayer and an MTA customer, it's my money they're wasting. It's infuriating. 

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33 minutes ago, rbrome said:

One year is way too long for any single elevator project. They should be able to do it in six months, nine at the most. These contractors are simply lazy, milking it, and no one is holding them accountable. As a taxpayer and an MTA customer, it's my money they're wasting. It's infuriating.  

I'm itching for the chance to say this to their faces.

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On 4/28/2018 at 10:44 PM, kosciusko said:
On 4/28/2018 at 8:50 PM, Deucey said:

Because (MTA) picks one instead of two:Project_Triangle.png

Think you might be giving a bit more credit then is due...

That’s right. Because the MTA chooses none of these.

  • Fast? Nope.
  • Good? You tell me how those new stations are faring.
  • Cheap? Not a single recent major project has had reasonable costs.

The MTA’s choices are not representable on this two-dimensional plane.

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13 hours ago, rbrome said:

The one at Park Place and Church? CORRECT! I walked by today. Not done, and no sign of activity. Insanity. They've been working on that one for at least four years, by my count. 

One year is way too long for any single elevator project. They should be able to do it in six months, nine at the most. These contractors are simply lazy, milking it, and no one is holding them accountable. As a taxpayer and an MTA customer, it's my money they're wasting. It's infuriating. 

It's taken them several MONTHS to install a bloody staircase on the Northbound side of the (4)(5)(6) line at Grand Central, and it doesn't look like anything is being done, so you shouldn't be shocked by this, but I too wonder what's the holdup? Did they run out of funding or are they squabbling with the contractor over change orders or what?  The (MTA) is infamous for making a TON of changes mid-term and those changes don't come cheap and add to the construction time.  They need to hire competent project managers for these jobs that know what they're doing. Now I'm not saying that construction is easy, but Jesus Christ, we're talking about something pretty simple.  An elevator and a staircase should not take this long!

New York City is known for having some of the best completion times in the country when it comes to construction projects, but not with the (MTA). They need to hire a private consultant to give them advice on how to run these projects, especially since they've admitted that they don't have solid know-how in the area. Given the cost overruns on just about every project, they'd save money in the long run.

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19 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It's taken them several MONTHS to install a bloody staircase on the Northbound side of the (4)(5)(6) line at Grand Central, and it doesn't look like anything is being done, so you shouldn't be shocked by this, but I too wonder what's the holdup? Did they run out of funding or are they squabbling with the contractor over change orders or what?  The (MTA) is infamous for making a TON of changes mid-term and those changes don't come cheap and add to the construction time.  They need to hire competent project managers for these jobs that know what they're doing. Now I'm not saying that construction is easy, but Jesus Christ, we're talking about something pretty simple.  An elevator and a staircase should not take this long!

New York City is known for having some of the best completion times in the country when it comes to construction projects, but not with the (MTA). They need to hire a private consultant to give them advice on how to run these projects, especially since they've admitted that they don't have solid know-how in the area. Given the cost overruns on just about every project, they'd save money in the long run.

I doubt a consultant would say anything but something obvious. I think MTA should just try and hire in-house workers instead as they can then neogatiate pay contracts themselves and they can also fire and replace workers who refuse to do their jobs or just stand around.

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2 minutes ago, R68OnBroadway said:

I doubt a consultant would say anything but something obvious. I think MTA should just try and hire in-house workers instead as they can then neogatiate pay contracts themselves and they can also fire and replace workers who refuse to do their jobs or just stand around.

A consultant could advise them on a number of things that they may not have experience in... I was a project manager in the field and there were a number of clients that had such an arrangement so that they didn't get taken to the cleaners so to speak.  For one the cost of the trades and materials...  Sometimes it's the change orders that become really pricey and that's where a contractor can really screw you over if you don't know your stuff. If they have subs that they use that they can get a deal on but then overcharge you for it, well they certain will, and once the change orders are signed off on that's it. You agreed to the changes and the costs.  As Lance stated, another big problem is they keep using the same contractors, and these guys know the deal.  They've been in the business long enough to know the mark-ups and what their competition is charging, even if it's just a rough idea.  

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