Thursday, March 12, 2009

Raised Subway Platforms for Wheelchairs


The Roosevelt Islander in a post this afternoon answered a question I raised to a spokesperson from the MTA but from whom I had not received an answer: "What was the purpose of the continuing platform construction at the Roosevelt Island subway station on both the Queens Bound and Manhattan Bound Platforms?"

According to Steve Shane via the Roosevelt Islander:

"The MTA is working on the platforms to eliminate the "gap" for the handicapped. The raised platform area is in the middle of each platform so that the handicapped may be observed by the conductor who controls the doors. The project is not yet finished, but is ongoing to get tile, etc. suitable for the job, plus signage and public notice. "



While I think the goal is a great one and obviously needed the location is at the thinnest point of the entire platform. So either a wheelchair waits in the waiting area in the foreground of the above picture and zips to this new boarding area or the individual waits in this boarding area potentially adding to the narrowness of this segment of the platform.

It's no ones fault that the center of the train just happens to line up here but it has the potential to be annoying for all parties. But at least the issue of the gap between the platforms and the train doors is being addressed allowing individuals to actually board the subway where before for a number of individuals they woudl need assistance to simply roll into a subway car.

3 comments:

  1. why are these platforms at the most narrow space? wouldn't it have made more sense to build them directly in front of the elevator?

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  2. They wanted to have those ramps close to the conductor so s/he can help out if necessary. I think it makes a lot of sense. I assume this is across the entire MTA system.

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  3. Sunday afternoon I entered the subway to take photo's of the raised platform on both sides of the RI subway. I am thankful that I now have another way to travel.
    I trust my destination to other subway platforms have the same accessiable ramps. I will have to call ahead to find out if the elevators are working and there is an accessiable ramp for me to use.
    I and will let all at RIDA know of the newly created ramp for the disable commmunity of RI on the "F" train
    Uncle Jim
    VP RIDA

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