America’s largest rail system — 472 stations, 25 routes, 665 miles of track, 6.5 million riders daily. That’s the NYC subway: a 24/7 system that never stops — and it’s the biggest accessibility challenge on the planet.
New York spans 5 boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island. Each has stations from different eras — some over 100 years old. Retrofitting for accessibility is a structural engineering puzzle.
Progress under the ADA: Since 2020, 57 stations have been upgraded to be accessible, 40 are under construction, and over 60 are in the current plan. The target is 95% of stations accessible by 2055.
The $68.4 billion capital plan (2025-2029) allocates $47.84 billion directly to NYC Transit. This is a statement that accessibility isn’t optional — it’s infrastructure priority.
Access-A-Ride, the 24/7 paratransit service, covers all 5 boroughs. Fare matches the subway fare. It’s an option for areas where rail access isn’t there yet. Book through the app.
New York is proving that even the world’s largest system can shift toward accessibility — and $68.4 billion is the clearest answer yet.
Sources: MTA Accessibility Data 2026