The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently awarded eight transit systems in eight states $343 million in All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) grants to retrofit rail transit systems to make it easier for Americans to access public transportation.
More than 900 stations nationwide are not up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
Recipients will use funding to make rail stations more accessible by renovating platforms for level boarding, enhancing visual and audio systems, installing elevators, and improving signage.
“Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, great strides have been made in improving accessibility, but there is still a lot of work to accomplish,” FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool said. “By modernizing rail systems across the country, the ASAP program provides funding to address these overdue improvements. We want to ensure that all customers can use transit systems with ease and reliability, including people with disabilities, those using mobility devices, and other users needing more accessible spaces.”
Awardees include:
New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority received $156.5 million to improve accessibility at five stations.
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority received $16 million to rehabilitate eight stations.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency received approximately $4.7 million for improvements at five light rail stops.