Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Cameron Jenkins, NPR

NYC subway station reopens 17 years after it was destroyed during Sept. 11 attacks

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

WTC Cortlandt subway station reopened in New York on Saturday, nearly 17 years after it was destroyed during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
WTC Cortlandt subway station reopened in New York on Saturday, nearly 17 years after it was destroyed during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
Patrick Sison

Seventeen years after it was destroyed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, New York City's Cortlandt Street subway station has at long last reopened.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the city's subway system, unveiled the reconstructed station on Saturday, just three days before the anniversary of the attack.

"The opening of WTC Cortlandt returns a subway station to a vibrant neighborhood and represents a major milestone in the recovery and growth of downtown Manhattan," MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said in a statement. "WTC Cortlandt is more than a new subway station. It is symbolic of New Yorkers' resolve in restoring and substantially improving the entire World Trade Center site."

The old Cortlandt Street station was buried by countless tons of debris that collapsed into it on the morning of the attacks. The station connected residents along the No. 1 line on Manhattan's west side to the World Trade Center.

It cost $181 million to rebuild the station, according to The Associated Press. The new stop includes an air-tempered ventilation system, elevator access from the street and a white marble mosaic by artist Ann Hamilton featuring text from the Declaration of Independence and the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The new station also has fewer columns, which allows for more space on both platforms — a move intended to ease navigation for customers with wheel chairs.

WTC Cortlandt station is fully accessible, according to the MTA. The station has elevator access from the street on its southbound platform and elevators for each platform from the mezzanine.

Work on the new station began in 2015, however construction was slowed by bureaucracy and missed deadlines, CBS New York reports. Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.