Result of Public-Private Partnership Between MTA and Columbia University to Make Station Accessible and Deliver State of Good Repair Upgrades
See Photos and Video of the News Conference
See Broll of 125 St Station
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Columbia University today announced a public-private partnership to make the 125 St subway station in Manhattan accessible. In addition to the installation of three elevators, the project will include widened escalators on the west side of Broadway and state of good repair upgrades throughout the station.
“This MTA is passionate about advancing accessibility, and I’m proud of the way we are getting creative to accelerate these projects,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Every New Yorker deserves to take advantage of our great subway system. It’s one of the few things that actually makes the city affordable.”
“These upgrades at 125 St show how public-private partnerships can accelerate the improvements New Yorkers rely on,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “This is all part of the MTA’s commitment to delivering accessibility upgrades better, faster, and cheaper.”
“Columbia has long supported major capital upgrades to the MTA’s 125th Street station to improve the daily experience for the thousands of New Yorkers who rely on it,” said Columbia University Senior Executive Vice President Robert Kasdin. “Upon final approval by the necessary agencies, Columbia’s investment will support improvements that make it easier for residents, students, and workers to move through the neighborhood. We’re proud to join the MTA, elected officials, and the local community to help advance a project that will benefit everyone who depends on this station.”
“The MTA is using all possible avenues to reach our accessibility goals,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. “This partnership with Columbia University will improve accessibility and enhance the customer experience for both students and Harlemites like me who live here and will now have access to this station. I am so excited for this work to get underway.”
“It’s always a great a day when the MTA moves forward with work to make the transit system more accessible,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “Improvements like new elevators and wider escalators will be transformative for this community and I look forward to seeing more riders get where they need to go more efficiently, seamlessly and safely.”
The project will be designed and constructed by the MTA. It will be made possible by $33 million in funding from Columbia University through a public-private partnership. The total cost of the project will be decided once the design phase is completed. As part of the 2007 Manhattanville Campus land use approval process, Columbia was required to widen the escalators on the southwest corner of W 125 St and Broadway. Through this agreement, subject to approval by relevant agencies, the MTA will perform that work directly, with Columbia’s financial contribution covering the cost of the widened escalators and the construction of the street to mezzanine elevator and the MTA covering the cost of the rest of the station improvements.
Three new elevators, one serving the street to mezzanine and two serving the mezzanine to platform both northbound and southbound, will ensure station accessibility. Newly reconstructed escalators on the west side of Broadway connecting the street to the mezzanine will also be widened to 40 inches, and crews will perform station of good repair work, including platform upgrades.
Design will begin this year with construction anticipated to start by 2028.
The 125 St station, which is adjacent to Columbia’s Manhattanville campus, serves 6,500 daily riders. The 121-year-old station opened as part of the original Interborough Rapid Transit West Side Line in 1904. It is located on the historic Manhattan Valley Viaduct, an elevated section of the line between W 122 St and W 135 St.
Last year, MTA Construction & Development replaced 41 elevators and made 10 new stations ADA accessible. Since 2020, C&D has made 57 stations ADA accessible, delivering more ADA stations in the last five years than in the previous 10 years combined. Construction is currently underway at 40 stations across the system, including the 137 St-City College station, which is anticipated to be completed later this year.
The MTA is making historic investments in its 2025-2029 Capital Plan, including at least 60 more stations that will be made ADA-accessible and 45 subway station elevators to be replaced. Altogether, this will ensure that nearly 70% of all subway rides will take place to or from accessible stations. Thanks to funding from congestion pricing, major projects are advancing, including accessibility upgrades at seven stations, including the Bryant Park Complex on the trains. These accessibility projects came in 6% below engineering estimates.
“Accessibility is a vital part of an inclusive and vibrant community, and I am grateful for the recent agreement between the MTA and Columbia to install elevators at the 125th Street Station, vital infrastructure that will ensure service equity and accessibility for all members of our community,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “I was proud to stand in solidarity with our community on this issue. This is a victory for NY-13 constituents, our neighborhoods, and the region.”
“Our community has been waiting for this day for some time,” said State Senator Cordell Cleare. “And I commend all parties for coming together to activate a plan that will finally provide our residents with the accessibility upgrades on the 125th Street Line that they deserve.”
“For far too long, this subway station has been inaccessible to many of the people it serves, and I am proud to have helped deliver the elevators this community has been fighting for," said Assembly Member Micah Lasher. "This would not have been possible without the collaboration of the MTA, Columbia University, the Morningside Heights Community Coalition, the Elevator Lobby, and my colleagues in government, and I am grateful for their partnership. We will keep up the fight to improve transportation access for all New Yorkers."
“For too long, so many Harlem residents—especially seniors, people with disabilities, and parents with strollers—have had to rely on a station that was effectively unusable, limiting access to jobs, services, and community,” said City Comptroller Mark Levine. “After years of advocacy dating back to my time in the City Council, I’m proud we are finally delivering this long-overdue accessibility investment in the 125th Street train station. This project is a strong example of how public-private partnerships can advance equity and transit-oriented development that centers community needs. I applaud the community, the MTA, and Columbia University for working together to make this happen, and I look forward to its completion for the people of Harlem.”
“Securing elevators at the 125 St station has been a priority of mine since I first took office, and I’m grateful to MHCC for demonstrating just how important this project is to the community,” said NYC Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu. “I also want to thank Columbia and the MTA for stepping up and working together to make this station accessible for West Harlem. This station serves thousands of riders every day, and this investment means parents with strollers, older adults, and people with disabilities will be able to get around the city with the access and dignity they deserve.”
“I’m thrilled the 125th Street train station is finally set to receive long-overdue accessibility upgrades, including three brand new elevators and widened escalators,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “For the thousands of students, commuters, seniors, parents with strollers, and Uptown residents who rely on this station every day, these improvements will make navigating the subway safer, easier, and more accessible. I’m grateful to the MTA and Columbia University for partnering to finance this critical project, and to the local elected officials, the Morningside Heights Community Coalition, and Community Board 9 whose years of advocacy helped make this investment possible.”
"In our shared and challenging economic environment, the Elevator Lobby campaign has served to 'transport' our local institutions, community residents, public transit administration, and our elected officials to a 'new level' -- as part of a precedent setting public/private partnership that could become a model for communities advocating for essential amenities and benefits," said Elevator Lobby Co-Founder and Morningside Heights Community Coalition Board Member Robert Stern.