Rahul Somvanshi
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has finished installing two new elevators at Northern Boulevard station in Queens, making the subway more accessible for thousands of daily riders.
The station, which serves over 5,300 daily riders on the M and R lines (and E and F trains during late nights), now has two street-to-platform elevators, fixed-up staircases, accessible boarding areas, and better sidewalks and curbs outside the station.
“The new MTA is all about completing projects faster, better and cheaper – which is how we’ve opened 37 accessible stations in the past five years,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.
The Northern Boulevard station upgrades were completed in two phases – the northbound elevator opened in March 2025 and the southbound in August 2025. The project also included a new fare array at the southbound entrance, better lighting throughout the station, and updated fire alarm and communications systems.
These improvements are especially important for Woodside residents. “No one with a disability, a stroller, or heavy items should be struggling to get in or out of the subway,” said Assembly Member Steven Raga. “These new elevators and accessibility improvements are a major win for the Woodside community.”
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) helped fund the project. About 22.5% of the project budget went to disadvantaged business enterprises. A joint venture of J-Track and TC Electric did the construction work, while Modern Elevator handled the elevator manufacturing and installation.
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The station also got an artistic upgrade. Three mosaic murals by artist Oscar Oiwa, called “Woodside Window,” now decorate the mezzanine walls near station entrances. The 360-square-foot artwork shows dreamy views of the neighborhood.
The Northern Boulevard station project is part of “Package 4,” which improves four subway stations across Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx. Since 2020, the MTA has completed 38 accessibility projects, with 33 more under construction and another 21 in design or procurement.
This progress supports the MTA’s 2022 agreement with accessibility advocates to make 95% of the subway system accessible by 2055. The current 2020-2024 Capital Program has set aside nearly $6 billion to make 67 stations newly accessible and upgrade 78 elevators systemwide.
The upcoming 2025-2029 Capital Plan will continue this work with accessibility upgrades planned for 60 more stations, partly funded by congestion pricing revenue.
Representative Grace Meng emphasized that “These upgrades will make it easier for many constituents to access the trains they rely on for getting them where they need to go.”
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. put it in broader terms: “If our mass transit system is not accessible to all New Yorkers, regardless of ability, then neither is our city as a whole.”
