WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Congressman Adriano Espaillat is hosting a community discussion Saturday to address the transit concerns of Uptown residents.
The event, which Espaillat said is to address requests his office has received from constituents, will feature MTA representatives and Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, who has released several reports in recent months on the MTA.
Stringer released an audit report in May on how the failing MTA maintenance system is contributing to the disruptions of the subway station elevators and escalators. Earlier this month, the comptroller released a report that highlights how train delays and changes impact the lives of subway riders.
Excited to announce special guest @NYCComptroller to join Saturday's #NY13 discussion with a report on @NYCTSubway @MTA #SummerofHell pic.twitter.com/FvfFanEk7l
— Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) July 19, 2017
The quality of Uptown riders' commutes has been on the decline since earlier this year, when the problem-plagued subway elevators on the 168th Station delayed service along the line for several weeks in a row. The broken elevators even trapped an MTA working during one of the outages.
The subway elevators along the A train and 1 train stations in Uptown made up half of the top 10 worst elevators in Manhattan, according to the MTA’s quarterly performance summary.
@ydanis @c_pichardo @JMartinezNYC @NYCComptroller @SalAlbaneseNYC @MTA Never ends at 181st. Who is advocating for us? pic.twitter.com/3rQUIiOjqY
— Ryan Mensing (@ryan_mensing) July 19, 2017
MTA officials said in February they had allocated $44 million out of the 2015-2019 capital program to repair the elevators.
"Uptown Manhattan has been disproportionately hit hardest by subway derailments, commuter delays, fires, congestion, cancelations, and a host of other transit issues,” Espaillat said in a statement to DNAinfo New York.
“I am responding to the requests I have received from my constituents and am hosting this community discussion to address the nature of our transit problem, look at budgetary solutions, and find ways to address immediate repairs. I want commuters to know that I am aware of this crisis that has plagued our city far too long. Saturday’s discussion is to send the message to them to say that I hear them, I stand with them, and I am ready to address this crisis once and for all.”
The meeting is taking place Saturday, July 22 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Russ Berrie Pavilion at 1150 St. Nicholas Avenue.
