AT HER BREATH AS TWO BROKEN ESCALATORS FORCED THOUSANDS TO TAKE THE STAIRS. WHY FX PROMISED WEEKS AGO IS NOW DELAYED UNTIL DECEMBER. GOOD EVENING. I AM KRISTINE JOHNSON. I AM MAURICE DUBOIS TENS OF THOUSANDS ARE DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT ONE OF THE BUSIEST SUBWAY STATIONS IN THE CITY. TWO BROKEN ESCALATORS ARE CAUSING CHAOS THAT NEW YORKERS HAD ENOUGH. JOHN DIAS HAS QUESTIONED THE MTA ABOUT THIS. Reporter: THIS IS NEVER AS COMMON AS THE SUBWAY SOUNDS IN ANY GIVEN STATION. THESE DAYS PEOPLE ARE GASPING FOR AIR. Reporter: THE MTA ESTIMATES DURING THE WORKWEEK ALMOST

48,000 PEOPLE USE THE STATION AT 59 STREET DAILY, AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER, THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH TWO BROKEN ESCALATORS. COMMUTERS ARE FORCED TO TAKE THE STAIRS. >> THEY NEED TO FIX THAT. >> THEY NEED TO FIX IT. >> Reporter: THERE IS AN ESCALATOR WORKING, BUT THE LINE GETS TOO LONG. THEY ARE SURPRISED THERE IS A MORE ASSISTANCE. >> IT IS CRAZY. WHAT DO THEY DO FOR DISABLED PEOPLE? >> Reporter: WE ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ONE OR TWO STEPS. THIS IS THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS. >> Reporter: WE COUNTED. IT EQUATES TO 440 STAIRS A WEEK, WHICH IS ALMOST A QUARTER-MILE. IF YOU COMMUTE FIVE DAYS A WEEK,

LIKE LISA ORTIZ DOES. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE LAST HURDLE OF YOUR COMMUTE AND THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO. >> Reporter: NEARLY 2 WEEKS AGO THE MTA SAID THE ESCALATORS WOULD BE FIXED BUT RECENTLY PUSHED BACK THE RETURN OF SERVICE DATE TO THE END OF DECEMBER AFTER THE CONTRACTOR THAT OWNS AND OPERATES THE ESCALATORS SAID THERE IS STILL A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE CEILING. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SHOPS AT COLUMBUS CIRCLE SAID THEY HAVE A TEAM ACTIVELY WORKING ON PLANS TO FACILITATE THOSE REPAIRS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THE ESCALATOR CAN BE SAFELY REOPENED. WE QUESTIONED THE IN TERM PRESIDENT ABOUT IT.

>> KEEP OUR FEET TO THE FIRE. IT REFLECTS POORLY ON NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT. >> Reporter: WHY IS THAT? >> THEY NEVER FOLLOW THROUGH.

Columbus Circle subway escalators will be down for months, company says

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