This is the tallest subway station in New York City—and it’s finally getting major accessibility upgrades

If you’ve ever trudged up to the Smith–9th Streets station in Gowanus, Brooklyn, you know it’s not for the faint of heart—or the bad of knees. Perched nearly 90 feet above street level, the city’s tallest subway stop (and one of the tallest in the world) offers sweeping skyline views and a daunting staircase workout. Now, after 92 years of vertiginous climbs, the MTA says relief is on the way: Elevators are coming.

The upgrade, announced on August 8 by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon and the MTA, is part of the agency’s $68.4 billion 2025–2029 Capital Plan. More than 60 subway stations are slated for accessibility improvements, including Brooklyn’s Court Street, Hoyt–Schermerhorn, 36th Street and 4th Avenue–9th Street.

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“Every day, New Yorkers hike the stairs up this station like they’re climbing Mount Everest, struggling to catch the train on time,” Gounardes said. “With elevators coming to the Smith–9th Street station, that’s finally going to change.”

The station, which serves the F and G lines, opened in 1933 and has never had elevators—just escalators with a “long history” of breaking down, as Simon put it. That’s meant decades of headaches for wheelchair users, parents with strollers, travelers lugging suitcases and anyone who finds the daily climb more punishment than cardio.

The MTA hasn’t given a completion date yet, but officials say the work will push the subway system past 50-percent accessibility. It’s also a step toward meeting a court-ordered settlement requiring 95-percent of stations to be ADA-accessible by 2055.

“No station better demonstrates the need for accessibility than Smith–9th Street, the highest point in the entire subway system,” said Quemuel Arroyo, the MTA’s chief accessibility officer. “We’re excited to start work there and throughout the borough soon.”

For riders, that means the city’s most sky-high commute will finally be an option for everyone, not just the stair-sturdy and escalator-lucky. Until then, you can still enjoy the panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline from the platform, just make sure to leave a few extra minutes for the climb.