Petition: Rehabilitate the East Broadway Subway Station Now

In recent weeks, we have focused attention on the stalled escalator replacement project at the East Broadway subway station.  In spite of repeated pleas from residents and local elected officials, the troubled upgrade remains in “final testing mode,” a year-and-a-half after it began.   But the out-of-commission escalator is only part of the problem, locals say.  They have now launched an online petition, urging the MTA to do something about the overall condition of the station. Here’s the full text of their plea:

The East Broadway station complex is in desperate need of a renovation. This station is the primary source of public transportation for a large section of the Lower East Side and Chinatown .We demand that this neglected station be immediately surveyed and prioritized for renovation to address its many on-going problems, including:

– crumbling infrastructure (ceiling, platform edges)

– poor ventilation

– garbage strewn tracks

– excessive rat population

– difficulty navigating various levels and staircases

– numerous leaks and poor drainage

– poor lighting

– damaged tiles

– inaudible public address system

– peeling paint

– general shabby and unpleasant appearance

The residents of the Lower East Side and Chinatown deserve an upgraded and modernized subway station just like scores of stations around New York City that have been renovated over the last 20 years. The East Broadway station has been neglected for far too long and with the Essex Crossing development bringing new residential and commercial traffic to the area in the coming years, the time is right to improve the East Broadway subway station and bring it in to the 21st Century.

Click here if you would like to sign the petition.  See more photos of the East Broadway station, in all its glory.