Another recent ruling is forcing the agency to accelerate its efforts to make all New York subway stations accessible to people with disabilities and mobility issues.

In a long-overdue victory for people with disabilities, a federal judge ruled that New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) must equip 95 percent of its rail stations with elevators or ramps, reports Jose Martinez in The City.
“The MTA announced the settlement last June — agreeing to install elevators or ramps by 2055 at the more than 300 stations that are currently inaccessible to wheelchair users and others with mobility impairments — but it wasn’t made official until Friday.” Today, roughly one quarter of the system’s 500 stations are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), notes Martinez.
The settlement includes a requirement to meet certain milestones along the way to full compliance in 2055, such as a requirement that “15% of New York City Transit’s portion of future capital plan funding must now be set aside for accessibility upgrades.”
Since the passage of ADA in 1990, cities and agencies have lagged in bringing public transit facilities and the public right-of-way into compliance. Another federal lawsuit accuses the MTA of neglecting to properly maintain the elevators that do exist at stations. Last December, the agency released a plan detailing designs for elevators and other accessibility upgrades at some of its stations, funded in part by private developers.
FULL STORY: Judge Approves MTA Deal to Make Subways 95% ADA-Compliant by 2055

Downtown Los Angeles Park Wins National Award
Vista Hermosa Natural Park, designed by the landscape architecture firm Studio-MLA, has won the ASLA 2023 Landmark Award. Completed in 2008, Vista Hermosa was the first public park built in downtown L.A. in over 100 years.

Norman, Oklahoma Eliminates Parking Mandates
The city made a subtle, one-word change that frees up developers to build parking based on actual need and eliminates costly unnecessary parking.

Boston Transit Riders Report Safety Concerns
Almost three-quarters of current and former riders report feeling unsafe while using MBTA services.

When it Comes to Transportation, It’s All About Options
Debunking the notion of the personal automobile as liberator.

Prioritizing Equity in Federal Transit Funding
TransitCenter recommends several transit capital projects deserving of federal transportation dollars.

California Housing Bills Streamline Affordable Housing
A series of current and proposed bills are paving the way for more affordable housing production in the state, where environmental laws are often deployed to delay or block new development.
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