Dear Editor,

I write to applaud the efforts of the Richmond Hill Guyanese advocacy group in convincing New York City Transit to upgrade the subway train station at Lefferts Boulevard in the heart of the  Guyanese American community in Richmond Hill.  As a result of the lobbying of the Richmond Hill Development Corporation, the station will undergo a complete transformation. For decades, no capital work was done to the station. But the station got the city’s attention when a Guyanese group threatened legal action.

The station is the end (or beginning) of the line of the A train, and is one of the busiest stations in the outer borough of Queens utilized by thousands of Guyanese and other people daily. It is an elevated terminal station at the intersection of Lefferts Boulevard and Liberty Avenue.  It was built in 1915 and is badly in need of a facelift as well as an elevator for people with disabilities who can’t climb steps.  Guyanese lobbied for an elevator for years at the station and the city  has now responded to the request.

The effort to transform the subway station was spearheaded by the Richmond Hill Economic Development Corporation led by Vishnu Mahadeo, who is its President, and comprises mostly Guyanese.  In August 2010, the RHEDC wrote to the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority informing the agency it is in violation of the American Disability Act of 1990 with regard to the station. The act requires that all public facilities be made accessible to people with  disabilities and that these must also be wheelchair accessible. Facilities had 10 years to be in compliance with the law.  The station needed an elevator. But twenty years later, Lefferts Boulevard station was not in compliance.

RHEDC challenged the MTA that it is in violation of the Disability Act.  In October 2010, the MTA responded to the complaint and agreed to conduct a study to determine if the station was in violation of the ADA and whether it is feasible and practical to make the station accessible to the disabled and to wheelchairs.  The study came back positive with the MTA saying Lefferts Blvd can become ADA compatible with some adjustment to the structure. The MTA agreed to a dialogue with the stakeholders in Richmond Hill on how to proceed with the project.

Officials of the MTA and Guyanese community leaders met several times over the last year at the station to plan the structure. Last month, the MTA sent two of its top representatives including its architect to a town hall meeting held in Richmond Hill where the commitment was announced to completely rehabilitate the Lefferts Blvd subway station. The MTA said its capital expenditure has budgeted for the rehabilitation of the station and that work is expected to begin by yearend.  The spokespersons of the MTA thanked the Richmond Hill advocates for bringing the matter to its attention and for working with the MTA to find a solution.

RHEDC President Vishnu Mahadeo said credit for the achievement belongs to the community, and that many individuals worked prior to his involvement in the project. “The success was due to a sustained push from community advocates. I wanted community input into the project and I am pleased that people came together and see it through. RHEDC simply hosted the town hall meets and provided the forum for advocacy of the project. Credit belongs to all.”

There will be a total facelift for the station which will have an elevator from the street level to the waiting area where tickets are purchased and then continuing up to the train platform. There will also be new steps on both sides of the avenue and all the way up to the platform, a new roof, a viewing gallery, a waiting room, and upgrading of the track. Although funding is available for the project, it will take some time before it gets off the ground because it involves advertising and bidding to choose a contractor and closure during the night.

Yours faithfully,

Vishnu Bisram