86th Street station (IRT Lexington Avenue Line) explained

86 Street
Address:East 86th Street & Lexington Avenue
New York, NY
Borough:Manhattan
Locale:Upper East Side
Coordinates:40.7795°N -73.9556°W
Division:IRT
Line:IRT Lexington Avenue Line
Service:Lexington
Connection: NYCT Bus:
MTA Bus:
Platforms:4 side platforms (2 on each level)
Tracks:4 (2 on each level)
Levels:2
Structure:Underground
Accessible:pf
Acc Note:Elevator for uptown local platform only
Embedded:
Embed:yes
86th Street Subway Station (Dual System IRT)
Added:March 30, 2005
Mpsub:New York City Subway System MPS
Refnum:05000236

The 86th Street station is an express station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 86th Street on the Upper East Side, it is served by the and trains at all times, the train at all times except late nights, and the <6> train during weekdays in peak direction.

The 86th Street station was constructed for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) as part of the Dual Contracts. The station opened on July 17, 1918, as part of the IRT's Lexington Avenue and Jerome Avenue lines from Grand Central–42nd Street to 167th Street. The station's platforms were extended in the early 1960s. It was also renovated in the 1970s, in 1986, and from 2002 to 2004.

The 86th Street station contains four side platforms and four tracks, split across two levels. Local trains use the upper level, which has two tracks and two side platforms, while express trains use the lower level, which are arranged in the same layout. The station was built with tile and mosaic decorations. The upper platforms contain exits to Lexington Avenue and 86th Street, as well as stairs to and from the lower platforms. Unlike at most express stations, the respective pairs of northbound and southbound platforms are not connected to each other within fare control. The station interior is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Construction and opening

Following the completion of the original subway, there were plans to construct a line along Manhattan's east side north of 42nd Street. The original plan for what became the extension north of 42nd Street was to continue it south through Irving Place and into what is now the BMT Broadway Line at Ninth Street and Broadway. In July 1911, the IRT had withdrawn from the talks, and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) was to operate on Lexington Avenue. The IRT submitted an offer for what became its portion of the Dual Contracts on February 27, 1912.[1] [2] As workers were blasting through the rock to excavate the tunnel, in March 1912, part of the roadway caved into the excavation site at 87th Street.[3]

In 1913, as part of the Dual Contracts, which were signed on March 19, 1913,[4] the Public Service Commission planned to split the original Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) system from looking like a "Z" system (as seen on a map) to an H-shaped system. The original system would be split into three segments: two north–south lines, carrying through trains over the Lexington Avenue and Broadway–Seventh Avenue Lines, and a west–east shuttle under 42nd Street. This would form a roughly H-shaped system.[5] [6] It was predicted that the subway extension would lead to the growth of the Upper East Side and the Bronx.[7] [8]

The 86th Street station opened on July 17, 1918, with service initially running between Grand Central–42nd Street and 167th Street via the line's local tracks.[9] [10] On August 1, the "H system" was put into place, with through service beginning on the new east and west side trunk lines, and the institution of the 42nd Street Shuttle along the old connection between the sides. The station's lower level opened on this date with the inauguration of express service.[11] [12] The cost of the extension from Grand Central was $58 million.[13]

Station renovations

The city government took over the IRT's operations on June 12, 1940.[14] [15] In late 1959, contracts were awarded to extend the platforms at Bowling Green, Wall Street, Fulton Street, Canal Street, Spring Street, Bleecker Street, Astor Place, Grand Central, 86th Street and 125th Street to 525feet to accommodate ten-car trains.[16]

In 1970, with the construction of a Gimbels department store directly above, Gimbels agreed to renovate the station's entrances.[17] For over a year, community members had asked Gimbels to include an entrance into the store's basement from the subway.[18] While the renovation took place mostly in the fare control areas, work was also done to fix the station's lighting, walls, floors, turnstiles, stairways, and token booths. The Gimbels store opened in 1972.[19] The renovation project cost $405,000.[20]

In 1983, the MTA added funding for a renovation of the 86th Street station to its 1980–1984 capital plan.[21] The station was renovated again in 1986 as part of a move to prevent the existing New York City Subway stations from falling apart after years of deferred maintenance. This was evidenced by the addition of the then standard orange platform edge in addition to the yellow platform edge that was originally there. The I-beams were painted red instead of the original blue and the other parts of the station were fixed.[22]

This station was renovated in 2003, along with the 77th Street and 116th Street stations on the Lexington Avenue Line. As part of the project, structural deficiencies were repaired, signage and lighting were enhanced, electrical service was upgraded, station facilities were rehabilitated, new fare arrays and a new token booth were installed, and portions of the station were upgraded to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In addition, visual clutter was eliminated, and artwork was installed. The contract for the station renovation project, which was expected to take two year, was expected to be advertised in October 2000.[23] The contract for these three stations was awarded in October 2001, and the projects were done in-house. The cost of the work at 86th Street station was $27.3 million, of which $20.3 million came from the Federal government.[24]

In fall 2004, the station renovation project was completed.[25] It consisted of repainting the I-beams from red to dark blue, as well as the removal of train arrival devices on the upper level that gave notices of approaching express trains on the lower level, among other things; the latter was replaced with countdown clocks, on both levels, which performed the same function.[26] [27] This station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 30, 2005.[28]

An ADA-accessible elevator to the northbound local platform was added in the 2010s. The rest of the station remained inaccessible, since there was no elevator from the local platform to the express platform and no elevators on the southbound side. Accessibility of the entire station was proposed in August 2019 as part of the MTA's "Fast Forward" program.[29]

A request for proposals was put out on May 18, 2023 for the contract for a project bundle to make 13 stations accessible, including completing work at 86th Street.[30] The contract for three additional elevators was awarded that December.[31]

Station layout

GroundStreet levelExit/entrance
Upper
level		Fare control for northbound platforms
Side platform
Northbound local← toward or
← toward late nights (96th Street)
Southbound local toward →
toward late nights (77th Street) →
Side platform
Fare control for southbound platforms
Lower
level		Side platform
Northbound express← toward Woodlawn
← toward or (125th Street)
Southbound express toward →
toward weekdays,
evenings/weekends (59th Street) →
Side platform
This underground station has two levels, each with two tracks and two side platforms. Each platform is long and up to wide. The upper level serves local trains while the lower level, located approximately 48feet below ground, serves express trains.[32] The 4 and 6 stop here at all times, and the 5 stops here at all times except late nights. There is no express service during late nights and the lower level is closed during that period. The next stop to the north is for local trains and for express trains, while the next stop to the south is for local trains and for express trains.

On each side, four staircases connect the levels: two each near the center of either platform and one each toward the northern and southern ends.[33] There are no crossovers or crossunders between the platforms, making this one of only two express stations in the system where free transfers between opposite directions are not possible.[34]

Because the Dual Contracts specified that the street surfaces needed to remain intact during the system's construction, a temporary web of timber supports was erected to support the streets overhead while the platforms were being constructed. The tunnel is covered by a U-shaped trough that contains utility pipes and wires. The outer walls of this trough are composed of columns, spaced approximately every 5 feet (1.5 m) with concrete infill between them. There is a 1-inch (25 mm) gap between the tunnel wall and the trackside wall, which is made of 4-inch (100 mm)-thick brick covered over by a tiled finish. Additional columns between the tracks, spaced every 5 feet (1.5 m), support the jack-arched concrete station roofs.[33] Teal columns run along all four platforms at regular intervals.[35]

The walls along all four platforms are clad with white ceramic tiles. The ceramic tiles were installed during the early-2000s renovation and are raised about from the original layer of tile. At the top of each wall is a colored mosaic frieze consisting mostly of yellows and browns. Small "86" tablets in a circle run along this frieze.[36] The name tablets have "86TH STREET" in a white serif font on a reddish-brown background with a buff-colored inner border and green outer border.[37] Similar tile signs reading "DOWNTOWN TRAINS" and "UPTOWN TRAINS", accompanied by white arrows, are on the walls. At the extreme southern ends of all four platforms, there are tan terracotta blocks and a darker trim line with "86TH ST" written on it in white sans serif font at regular intervals.

Each upper-level platform has one same-level fare control area in the center. The southbound side has a turnstile bank and token booth. The northbound fare control has an unstaffed turnstile bank.

The 2004 artwork here is called Happy City by Peter Sis. It consists of four different glass and etched stone mosaic murals in the shapes of huge eyes surrounded by various animals and objects. They are located at each stop of the four staircases near the fare control areas that go down to the lower level express platforms.[38]

Exits

This station has separate entrances for the northbound and southbound platforms. All of the entrances are at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 86th Street.[39]

From the southbound fare control, two staircases go up to the southwest corner of East 86th Street and Lexington Avenue, and two more that are built inside a Best Buy store on the northwest corner of the same intersection.[40]

From the northbound fare control, there is an unstaffed turnstile bank and two staircases going up to the southeast corner of East 86th Street and Lexington Avenue. An additional staircase and an elevator rise to the northeast corner. The elevator and staircase replace two narrow staircases formerly located inside a now-demolished shopping arcade at that corner. The elevator and staircase installations are part of the construction of a luxury residential tower at 147 East 86th Street.[41] [42]

Notable places nearby

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Walker. James Blaine. Fifty Years of Rapid Transit — 1864 to 1917. 1918. Law Printing. New York, N.Y.. 230–233. November 6, 2016.
  2. News: Petition for Subway in Lexington Ave.. May 22, 1912. 0362-4331. The New York Times. February 16, 2009. A petition is being circulated among the residents and property owners of the section just south of the Grand Central Station, in Park and Lexington Avenues, protesting against the proposed abandonment of the construction of the Subway in Lexington Avenue, between Forty-third and Thirty-second Streets.. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021130/https://www.nytimes.com/1912/05/22/archives/petition-for-subway-in-lexington-ave-district-residents-object-to.html. live.
  3. News: 1912-03-28. Street Caves in With Subway Blast; Lexington Avenue at Eighty-seventh Street Slowly Sinks Down Ten Feet.. en-US. The New York Times. 2023-05-30. 0362-4331. May 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230530004633/https://www.nytimes.com/1912/03/28/archives/street-caves-in-with-subway-blast-lexington-avenue-at-eightyseventh.html. live.
  4. News: Subway Contracts Solemnly Signed; Cheers at the Ceremonial Function When McCall Gets Willcox to Attest.. March 20, 1913. The New York Times. January 11, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021115/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1913/03/20/100611839.pdf. live.
  5. News: March 19, 1913. Money Set Aside For New Subways; Board of Estimate Approves City Contracts to be Signed To-day with Interboro and B.R.T.. en-US. The New York Times. November 10, 2017. 0362-4331. July 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210707225820/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1913/03/19/104910612.pdf. live.
  6. Book: Engineering News-record. 1916. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. 846. en. December 28, 2020. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021116/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Engineering_News_record/mONHAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=5%2C900+feet+long+clark+street+tunnel&pg=PA846&printsec=frontcover. live.
  7. News: The Seventh and Lexington Avenue Subways Will Revive Dormant Sections — Change in Operation That Will Transform Original Four-Tracked Subway Into Two Four-Tracked Systems and Double Present Capacity of the Interborough. Whitney. Travis H.. March 10, 1918. The New York Times. August 26, 2016. 12. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021133/https://www.nytimes.com/1918/03/10/archives/the-seventh-and-lexington-avenue-subways-will-revive-dormant.html?searchResultPosition=1. live.
  8. News: Public Service Commission Fixes July 15 For Opening of The New Seventh and Lexington Avenue Subway Lines — Will Afford Better Service and Less Crowding — Shuttle Service for Forty-Second Street — How the Various Lines of the Dual System Are Grouped for Operation and List of Stations on All Lines. May 19, 1918. The New York Times. November 6, 2016. 32. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021117/https://www.nytimes.com/1918/05/19/archives/article-1-no-title-east-tank-line-west-trunk-line-park-place.html?searchResultPosition=1. live.
  9. News: Lexington Av. Line to be Opened Today. July 17, 1918. The New York Times. April 21, 2020. en-US. 0362-4331. 13. December 14, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211214183011/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/07/17/102723156.pdf. live.
  10. News: 1918-07-17. Lexington Subway to Operate To-day. 8. New York Herald. 2023-05-30. May 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230530191937/https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald/66004851/. live.
  11. News: August 2, 1918. Open New Subway Lines to Traffic; Called a Triumph — Great H System Put in Operation Marks an Era in Railroad Construction — No Hitch in the Plans — But Public Gropes Blindly to Find the Way in Maze of New Stations — Thousands Go Astray — Leaders in City's Life Hail Accomplishment of Great Task at Meeting at the Astor. 1. The New York Times. November 6, 2016. January 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210106233417/https://www.nytimes.com/1918/08/02/archives/open-new-subway-lines-to-traffic-called-a-triumph-great-h-system.html?searchResultPosition=1. live.
  12. News: 1918-08-02. New "H" System Brings Worst Subway Jam. 1, 6. New-York Tribune. 2023-05-30. May 31, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230531010656/https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune-new-h-system-brings-w/125572944/. live.
  13. News: July 11, 1918. Finish a New Link of the Dual Subway; Lexington Avenue Line North of Forty-second Street to Begin Local Service Wednesday. Branch Extends to Bronx Through service, with Times SquareGrand Central Shuttle Connections, to Open Soon. Changes in the Bronx.. 20. The New York Times. January 8, 2017. 0362-4331. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021118/https://www.nytimes.com/1918/07/11/archives/finish-a-new-link-of-the-dual-subway-lexington-avenue-line-north-of.html?searchResultPosition=1. live.
  14. News: 1940-06-13 . City Transit Unity Is Now a Reality; Title to I.R.T. Lines Passes to Municipality, Ending 19-Year Campaign . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-05-14 . 0362-4331 . January 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220107193115/https://www.nytimes.com/1940/06/13/archives/city-transit-unity-is-now-a-reality-title-to-irt-lines-passes-to.html . live .
  15. News: June 13, 1940 . Transit Unification Completed As City Takes Over I. R. T. Lines: Systems Come Under Single Control After Efforts Begun in 1921; Mayor Is Jubilant at City Hall Ceremony Recalling 1904 Celebration . 25 . New York Herald Tribune . .
  16. Book: Annual Report For The Year Ending June 30, 1959. New York City Transit Authority. 1959. 9. December 28, 2020. May 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210511153724/https://s3.amazonaws.com/nycsubway.org/images/pdf/nyct_annual_report_1959.pdf. live.
  17. News: Schumach. Murray. 1970-07-29. Gimbels Will Build Entrances To Subway at Yorkville Store. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-07-29. 0362-4331. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021118/https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/29/archives/gimbels-will-build-entrances-to-subway-at-yorkville-store.html. live.
  18. News: 1969-08-17. GIMBELS IS URGED TO HELP SUBWAY; 86th St. Group Calls on Store to Meet Traffic Needs. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-07-29. 0362-4331. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021120/https://www.nytimes.com/1969/08/17/archives/gimbels-is-urged-to-help-subway-86th-st-group-calls-on-store-to.html. live.
  19. News: Corry. John. 1972-02-25. Gimbels East Officially in Business. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-07-29. 0362-4331. May 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220504021119/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/02/25/archives/gimbels-east-officially-in-business-gimbels-east-is-officially-in.html. live.
  20. News: 1979-03-14. City Announces Plan For the Improvement Of Subway Stations. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-07-29. 0362-4331. February 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200222222046/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/03/14/archives/city-announces-plan-for-the-improvement-of-subway-stations-other.html. live.
  21. News: Goldman . Ari L. . April 28, 1983 . M.T.A. Making Major Addition to Capital Plan . en-US . The New York Times . May 4, 2023 . 0362-4331 . April 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220425151916/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/28/world/mta-making-major-addition-to-capital-plan.html . live.
  22. Web site: View of the downtown express platform. nycsubway.org. December 28, 2020. November 8, 1987. Eric. Oszustowicz. September 19, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919205022/https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?65601. live.
  23. Web site: July 2000. Forecast of MTA Capital Program Contracts July - December 2000. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20000816070400/http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mta/eye-nyct.htm. August 16, 2000. July 29, 2021. mta.nyc.ny.us. Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
  24. Web site: December 12, 2002. Contract Capers: Excess Costs and Politics in MTA Contracting. live. July 29, 2021. ppfeny.org. Public Policy and Education Fund of New York. 11, 13. https://web.archive.org/web/20190207015608/https://ppefny.org/wp-content/uploads/2002/12/20021212OtherContractCapers.pdf . February 7, 2019 .
  25. Web site: 86 Street (4,5,6) - The SubwayNut. Jeremiah Cox. subwaynut.com. May 14, 2014. November 6, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106184015/http://www.subwaynut.com/irt/86n4/index.php. dead.
  26. Web site: Learn More about Countdown Clocks.... Metropolitan Transportation Authority. mta.info. October 31, 2011. July 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714214034/http://web.mta.info/countdwn_clocks.htm. live.
  27. Web site: Countdown Clocks Station List. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. mta.info. October 31, 2011. July 20, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140720040816/http://web.mta.info/cclocks_stations.htm. live.
  28. Web site: National Register of Historical Places - NEW YORK (NY), New York County. www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. August 4, 2017. March 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170324173904/http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ny/New+York/state.html. live.
  29. News: Berger . Paul . August 2019 . MTA Has a Target List of Accessible Stations but Stalls Release . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210110100514/https://www.wsj.com/articles/mta-has-a-target-list-of-accessible-stations-but-stalls-release-11564618823 . January 10, 2021 . August 2, 2019 . Wall Street Journal . en-US.
    • Web site: Fast Forward Station Groupings List . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210110100513/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EA2B8EkX4AApEmW.jpg . January 10, 2021 . August 2, 2019 . Metropolitan Transportation Authority . Wall Street Journal.
    • Web site: Fast Forward Station Groupings List . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210110100516/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EA2B8EmXYAErH3G.jpg . January 10, 2021 . August 2, 2019 . Metropolitan Transportation Authority . Wall Street Journal.
  30. Web site: 2023-05-18 . A37758 Design-Build Services for ADA Upgrades Package 5: Accessibility Upgrades at 13 Stations in the City of New York . 2024-03-02 . Metropolitan Transportation Authority . July 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230723222521/https://new.mta.info/document/112391 . live .
  31. Web site: 20 Dec 2023 . December 2023 MTA Board Action Items . 2024-03-02 . Metropolitan Transportation Authority . 46–47 . December 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231222012801/https://new.mta.info/document/129196 . live .
  32. Web site: Second Avenue Subway March 2014 Public Workshop Follow-Up Report, page 23. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 21, 2016. January 6, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170106193615/http://web.mta.info/capital/sas_docs/SAS_March_2014_Public_Workshop_Follow-Up_Report.pdf#page=23. live.
  33. Records of the National Park Service, 1785 – 2006. National Archives. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75313893. National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, 2013 – 2017. New York MPS 86th Street Subway Station (Dual System IRT). 75313893. National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: New York.
  34. News: Williams. Keith. 2018-08-16. Weird Subway Quirks, Addressed. en-US. The New York Times. 2023-06-03. 0362-4331. June 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230603220841/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/nyregion/weird-subway-quirks-addressed.html. live.
  35. Web site: Cox. Jeremiah. August 15, 2008. Passengers get off a downtown 6 train. August 4, 2017. subwaynut.com. May 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140514222602/http://www.subwaynut.com/irt/86n4/86n46.jpg. dead.
  36. Web site: Cox. Jeremiah. August 15, 2008. Close-up of 86 in the trimline. August 4, 2017. subwaynut.com. March 14, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314143814/http://www.subwaynut.com/irt/86n4/86n44.jpg. dead.
  37. Web site: Cox. Jeremiah. August 12, 2011. A name tablet. August 4, 2017. subwaynut.com. May 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140514220302/http://www.subwaynut.com/irt/86n4/86n413.jpg. dead.
  38. Web site: NYCT Permanent Art. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. mta.info. en. August 4, 2017. August 5, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170805015306/http://web.mta.info/mta/aft/permanentart/permart.html?agency=nyct&line=6&artist=1&station=16. live.
  39. Web site: April 2018. 86th Street Neighborhood Map. December 28, 2020. mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211227191100/https://new.mta.info/document/2066. live.
  40. Web site: Cox. Jeremiah. August 12, 2011. One of the entrances inside the storefront of Best Buy. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314143804/http://www.subwaynut.com/irt/86n4/86n416.jpg. March 14, 2016. August 4, 2017. subwaynut.com.
  41. Web site: Zimmer. Amy. March 21, 2016. MTA's Deal With Developer to Alter 86th St. Subway Station Angers Locals. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180516175015/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160321/upper-east-side/locals-angered-by-developers-plans-alter-ues-subway-station/. May 16, 2018. May 16, 2018. DNAinfo New York.
  42. Web site: Weaver. Shaye. June 16, 2017. Developer to Create 'Obstacle Course' With New UES Subway Entrances: Locals. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180516174755/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170616/upper-east-side/east-86th-street-lexington-avenue-tower-developer-plans-new-staircase-elevator-to-subway/. May 16, 2018. May 16, 2018. DNAinfo New York. mdy-all.

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