By Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — For subway riders on the Upper West Side who have had to endure service headaches and trudge through puddles at the leaky 96th Street subway station during the its ongoing makeover, there's light at the end of the tunnel.
NYC Transit hopes to have achieved "substantial completion" of the station by September, a spokesperson tells DNAinfo, after 40 months of work.
"The scheduled date of substantial completion is September 2010," agency spokesman Deirdre Parker said.
That time can't come soon enough for some riders and local businesses.
"It's the worst subway station that I can remember," said Alison Edwards, 45, who uses the station everyday.
Because of the renovation that started in 2007, which will add a modern steel and curved glass entrance to the station, which was first built in 1904, weekend service has been disrupted. Also, platforms have sometimes crowded to such a degree that MTA workers have had to usher crowds through, Edwards said.
Above ground, concrete barriers and construction materials have piled up in front of businesses.
"For us it's right out the front," said Babu Pauli, the manager of Grand Metro. The materials have made it difficult for businesses to receive deliveries, Pauli said.
"Business is really down right now. Everyone is waiting for the subway to open," said Iydin Kurutanm, the manager of a women's clothing store on Broadway and 95th Street. He hoped the new station would bring more foot traffic to the area.
Parker said businesses affected by the construction could make a claim for assistance through the MTA's claims department.
As the construction of the 96th Street subway station dragged on, recent rains only added to the mess as water puddled on the floor and dripped onto the heads of those waiting for a train.
"It's one of the dirtiest places," said Freda Li, a Columbia University student. "It's dripping all over."
