The MTA is putting its effort to improve the system’s century-old stations to make them more universally accessible in high gear, adding elevators, boarding upgrades, and mechanical improvements.

A station renovated as part of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s effort to improve accessibility at its subway stations won a ‘Construction Project of the Year,’ modeling how transit agencies can improve accessibility at older stations.
According to a press release from TAP Electric, a partner on the project team, “The rehabilitation included the installation of two elevators with a street-level elevator machine room; a passageway above the tracks to connect the platforms, new platform windscreens and canopies; new ADA compliant stairs to station platforms and passageways; and station agent booth upgrades. ADA improvements were made to the station’s architectural, structural, and mechanical components, and the control house and platforms were reconfigured to assist in ADA boarding.”
The Livonia Avenue station was built in 1905, and today the L train has a ridership of over 30 million annual riders. “Prior to this vital upgrade, disabled and limited mobility passengers, seniors, and families with young children in strollers could travel to the Wilson Avenue Station in Bushwick – some 2.4 miles away – which was previously the closest ADA-accessible station on the L Line.”
FULL STORY: Brooklyn’s Livonia Avenue Station ADA Modernization Wins Construction Project of the Year

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

The Unceremonious Death of a Freeway Expansion Project
The end of an Oregon freeway project didn't get much fanfare, but the victory is worth celebrating.

Houston Lot Size Reforms Yield Positive Results
New research shows that reducing lot size requirements helped create thousands of new homes.

Architecture and the Housing Crisis
A new book brings architects into the housing discussion.

New Los Angeles Rent Relief Program Targets Pandemic Debt
The program prioritizes the lowest-income tenants who accrued debt during the early part of the pandemic.

‘Agrihood:’ An Urban Farm With Affordable Housing
California’s largest urban farm also provides 165 units of affordable housing for seniors and veterans.
Knoxville-Knox County Planning
City of Stonecrest
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
National Capital Planning Commission
City of Culver City
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.