NYC Expands Street Accessibility Upgrades

By Y.M. Lowy

New York City is moving ahead with major improvements to make streets, sidewalks, and bus stops easier and safer to use for people with disabilities. The changes include new signals for people with vision disabilities, smoother sidewalks, and upgraded bus stops across the five boroughs. 

Over the past year, NYC DOT installed Accessible Pedestrian Signals at more than 3,400 intersections. These signals help people who are blind or have low vision cross streets safely. That’s 600 more than their original goal. 

About 500,000 square feet of damaged sidewalks were repaired near 785 properties. NYC DOT also built 105 raised crosswalks to slow traffic and make crossings more visible and safer.

The city upgraded 45 bus stops to be physically accessible, nearly twice the number planned for the year. Some of the work focused on stops under elevated train lines, which often need extra attention.

By May 2026, the NYC DOT plans to add crossing signals at 900 more intersections, fix sidewalks next to 1,500 more buildings, and upgrade 500 bus stops each year with better access, and some parking meters will be lowered to make them easier to reach.