Busiest subway station in all of Gotham gets two new elevators in service for holiday season & New Years ridership surge 

Completed four months ahead of schedule, the two-elevator replacement project at 42^nd Street-Times Square marked a major milestone at the busiest station in New York City’s 472-station transit network. The early finish on Christmas Eve ensured the elevators were operational for the holiday season and the world-famous New Year’s Eve ball drop, which draws an estimated one million visitors each year.

Led by Forte Construction Corp., the project improved accessibility at the hub built in 1904, which serves 16 subway lines and connects directly to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, while supporting a network-wide initiative to enhance accessibility across the entire MTA system.  

MTA data shows that 57,743,486 riders passed through the station in 2024 on their visit to the Crossroads of the World, home to flagship retail stores, world-renowned restaurants and Broadway. According to the Broadway League, the Theater District welcomed 14.7 million attendees and grossed $1.89 billion throughout the 2024-2025 Broadway season.

In this innovative project, a new shared elevator machine room was constructed along the mezzanine, just steps from the Shuttle connecting the passengers to Grand Central Terminal, Metro-North Railroad, and Manhattan’s East Side. The project made use of previously unused space above the platform, adding a cement floor between two columns to create the mechanical room and effectively extend the mezzanine. By consolidating the machinery into a single room, maintenance will now be more efficient, and the risk of elevator machinery being affected by potential track-level flooding is significantly reduced. Previously, the machine room had been located in the track and tunnel area. 

“It was an exciting task to work on one of the busiest subway stations leading into the holiday season,” said Project Manager Elif Chavez. “We’re proud to partner with the MTA to make the system more accessible and ensure riders could move through the station safely and smoothly during one of the busiest times of the year.”

Working closely with the MTA, Lead Designer Goldman Copeland, and Mid-American Elevator, Forte ensured the NRQW line’s uptown and downtown elevators meet the latest ADA and safety standards, giving riders a safer and more accessible transit experience. Construction was completed in two phases, taking one elevator out of service at a time to limit commuter disruptions and maintain ADA accessibility throughout the process. To manage the high volume of foot traffic at this station, all deliveries and construction debris removal were carefully scheduled for off-peak nights and weekends. 

“The elevators at 42nd St-Times Square are part of an ongoing project to update 19 elevators at multiple stations across the MTA transit system. The completion of both elevators on the NRQW lines mark another significant step in that process,” said Project Executive Reddy Vangala. “The team did an incredible job streamlining this project to an early completion while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality.”

Forte Construction is a leading general contracting firm with a team of nearly 500 professionals dedicated to delivering comprehensive construction solutions for major public and government agencies, including the MTA, NYC SCA, DASNY, and NYCHA. The firm manages a wide array of projects across the five boroughs and Long Island, working in close coordination with local municipalities to improve regional infrastructure. Forte is recognized for its expertise in transit accessibility and ADA compliance, with a demonstrated history of delivering billions of dollars in MTA construction and modernization projects, including the installation and ongoing delivery of more than 150 new elevators.