Astoria-Ditmars Station
July 16, 2015 By Jackie Strawbridge
The MTA has a number of station repairs planned for the N/Q line in Astoria, with two staircase replacements already underway and expected to last about four months.
A staircase at the Broadway station – located at Broadway and 31st Street – closed for repairs on March 13 and is slated to open up July 31, the MTA said in an email.
Further up the line, the Astoria—Ditmars Blvd. stop – located between 23rd Avenue and Ditmars Boulevard on 31st Street – closed for repairs in early June, and is slated to reopen on Sept. 30.
MTA spokesperson Marisa Baldeo said that these projects involve the complete reconstruction of staircases at both of these stops. They mark two of the first fixes in a long list that the agency has for the line.
In 2010, the MTA switched its method of station repair from updating entire stations at a time, to addressing individual station components – such as these staircases – on a priority basis.
Baldeo said that all six stations between Astoria—Ditmars Blvd. and 39th Avenue on the N/Q line are slated for upgrades, but was reluctant to discuss details or timing, saying, “it’s really very early.”
She acknowledged that repair work will likely demand some weekend station closures.
Repairs for these stations are currently in the design phase, which usually takes “a few months,” Baldeo said. Afterwards, contracts are awarded, and then construction can begin.
As of Thursday, another staircase repair was scheduled for the 39th Avenue station, although a timeline has not been identified as of yet.
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4 Comments
MTA is a joke. Disgusting. More proof that we are conducting ourselves like a THIRD WORLD.
How about replacing the stairs with escalators? None of the Astoria stations are handicap accessible!
Placing escalators will not make it accessible to wheelchair bound individuals only elevators do that. Additionally, escalators require an enclosed space so that the elements don’t affect it and at the Broadway station it means building an entire enclosure which would mean more time and money.
the staircase at the Ditmars’ stop (now removed, as shown in the photo), were completely repaired about 12-18 months ago.
Way to go MTA, why do things right the first time when you can do it twice for twice the cost!! after all, it’s not your money. u gotta love bureaucracy where there is no accountability.