The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has opened a modernized elevator at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn, completing its 25th elevator replacement of 2026.
The project was finished on budget and forms part of the authority’s ongoing efforts to improve subway accessibility, safety and reliability.
The replacement elevator connects the N line platform to the D line overpass at the station, which serves nearly 9,000 riders each weekday. The project was designed by Forte Gramercy JV, with Mid-America responsible for installation.
“The elevator replacement at Coney Island–Stillwell Av — our 25th completed just this year — is more proof of our commitment to improve accessibility across the system,” said Jamie Torres-Springer, MTA Construction and Development president. “We’re completing projects at major transit hubs like this one better, faster and cheaper than ever before, delivering the reliable and accessible transit system our riders depend on.”
The completion marks the second-highest annual number of elevator replacements in MTA history, following a record set in 2025, according to the MTA.
Eligible elevators are particularly important for people with disabilities, older adults, caregivers traveling with strollers and passengers who cannot use stairs. Replacing aging equipment can also reduce breakdowns, limit service disruptions and improve the overall travel experience.
The work included a new elevator cab and associated equipment, modifications to the shaft and pit and replacement of the street-level headhouse glass and canopy. Electrical, mechanical and machine-room equipment was also modernized. Upgrades to remote monitoring, fire alarms, intercoms and cameras are intended to improve security and help maintenance crews respond more quickly when problems occur.
The opening is part of a wider MTA accessibility program. The authority has 164 fully accessible stations, including 49 made accessible since 2020. Under its 2025-2029 capital plan, the MTA is investing nearly $7.1 billion in station accessibility, with a goal of making at least 60 additional stations accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
