Councilmember Rafael Espinal and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams are calling on the MTA to allocate "serious founding" to fix Broadway Junction.
The two lawmakers were joined by Riders Alliance, an advocacy group that fights for better public transit options in NYC, at a press conference Monday morning where they decried the dilapidated condition of the East Brooklyn station. The hub, they said, has been neglected for decades, despite being Brooklyn's third busiest station.
"This station is the heart of North Brooklyn, and it's failing," said Espinal. "It is a disgrace, that a station this large lacks access to elevators, and it is a disgrace, that have undergone months of repair, to continue to break down on a daily basis."
The 25-acre hub serves over 100,000 commuters daily and is home to five subway lines, six bus routes and the Long Island Rail Road, and sits at the intersection of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Bushwick, Cypress Hills, East New York and Ocean Hill.
At the press conference, the lawmakers called for MTA investment to create elevators access to all of the platforms and the five subway lines that run through Broadway Junction. Additionally, Espinal demanded funding to reliably repair the consistently broken escalators as well as to ensure general upkeep and maintenance throughout the station.
The appeal comes almost two weeks after the New York City Economic Development Corporation unveiled a proposal to reimagine Broadway Junction as a major transit hub in East Brooklyn. The plan focuses on five main aspects to improve Broadway Junction: transit access and equity; inclusive growth; economic and workforce development; active places and neighborhood amenities; and public realm and open space. Some critics say the plan comes just in time as gentrification is encroaching on East Brooklyn. Critical improvements that cannot wait, according to Adams.
"Transportation cannot be based on gentrification," said Adams. "Broadway Junction serves over 100,000 commuters a day, but it is in a state of disrepair, and in dire need of accessibility upgrades. We are calling on the MTA to make these investments a priority."
Representatives of the Riders Alliance also called on Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to make Broadway Junction a priority. The governor allocated $25 billion of the state's FY 2020 budget to capital MTA projects. In response, the Alliance launched the "Riders Capital Plan," a survey that gives New Yorkers the opportunity to weigh in on how the funds should be spent.
To participate in the survey, go here.
