Broadway station (BMT Astoria Line) explained

Broadway
Address:Broadway & 31st Street
Astoria, NY
Borough:Queens
Locale:Astoria
Coordinates:40.762°N -73.9254°W
Division:BMT
Line:BMT Astoria Line
Service:Astoria local
Connection: MTA Bus:
Platforms:2 side platforms
Tracks:3 (2 in regular service)
Structure:Elevated
Close Date: (reconstruction)
Accessible:future

The Broadway station is a local station on the BMT Astoria Line of the New York City Subway. It is located above 31st Street at Broadway in Astoria, Queens. The station is served by the N train at all times, as well as by the W train on weekdays.

History

This station opened on February 1, 1917, along with the rest of the Astoria Line, which was originally part of the IRT, as a spur off the IRT Queensboro Line, which is now the IRT Flushing Line. Trains ran between Grand Central and Astoria.[1] [2] On July 23, 1917, the Queensboro Bridge spur of the elevated IRT Second Avenue Line opened. At that time, all elevated trains to Queensboro Plaza used the Astoria Line while all subway trains used the IRT Flushing Line, though this was later changed with trains alternating between branches.[3] This station started to be served by BMT shuttles using elevated cars on April 8, 1923.[4]

The city government took over the BMT's operations on June 1, 1940,[5] [6] and the IRT's operations on June 12, 1940.[7] [8] On October 17, 1949, the Astoria Line became BMT-only as the tracks at Queensboro Plaza were consolidated and the platforms on the Astoria Line were shaved back to allow BMT trains to operate on it. Service was initially provided by the Brighton Local (BMT 1) and the Broadway–Fourth Avenue Local (BMT 2) at all times.[9]

Station renovations

The platforms at this station, along with six others on the Astoria Line, were lengthened to 610feet to accommodate ten-car trains in 1950.[10] The project cost $863,000. Signals on the line had to be modified to take the platform extensions into account.[11]

Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Plan, the station underwent a complete overhaul as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative and was entirely closed for several months. Updates included cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories and maps.[12] [13] The award for Package 2 of the renovations, which covered renovations at the 30th Avenue, Broadway, 36th Avenue, and 39th Avenue stations, was awarded on April 14, 2017, to Skanska USA.[14] The Broadway and 39th Avenue stations were closed entirely on July 2, 2018, and reopened on January 24, 2019, slightly earlier than expected.[15] A previously demolished entrance to the northeast corner of Broadway and 31st Street was added once again to improve access.[16]

In 2019, the MTA announced that this station would become ADA-accessible as part of the agency's 2020–2024 Capital Program.[17] A request for proposals was put out on May 18, 2023 for the contract for a project bundle to make 13 stations accessible, including Broadway.[18] A contract for two elevators at the station was awarded in December 2023.[19]

Station layout

This station has two side platforms and three tracks. The center track is not used in revenue service, but it had been used regularly as recently as 2002. The station contains wooden canopies with transite and wooden mezzanines, but only the southbound platform has windscreens.[20] The station has a narrow crossover in its mezzanine that allows for passengers to change their direction of travel at the station.[21]

As part of the MTA Arts & Design program, Diane Carr created an artwork for the station, titled Outlook, which was installed in 2018. The work consists of hand-painted laminated glass murals in the mezzanine, fabricated by Peters Studios / Glasmalerei Peters.[22] [23] [24] The artwork is painted in shades of purple, green, and blue, along with accents in shades of brown, orange, and magenta.[25] According to Carr, the shapes in the artwork are inspired by the original landscape of the area, which once included swamps, ponds, woods, and meadows.[25] [23]

Exits

The mezzanine is configured like 30th Avenue. Outside of fare control, street stairs descend to all corners of Broadway and 31st Street.[26] [27] An exit-only stair from the northbound platform descends to the east side of 31st Street between Broadway and 34th Avenue.[28]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: First Train Runs On Elevated Line to Astoria Section. February 1, 1917. Newspapers.com. June 29, 2015. Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
  2. Book: Annual report. 1916-1917.. Interborough Rapid Transit Company. 1917. New York. 15–16. HathiTrust.
  3. News: Subway Link Over Queensboro Bridge. July 22, 1917. The New York Times. December 18, 2011. 31.
  4. News: Additional Subway Service to Borough of Queens. April 8, 1923. The New York Times. December 18, 2011. RE1.
  5. News: June 2, 1940. B.M.T. Lines Pass to City Ownership; $175,000,000 Deal Completed at City Hall Ceremony-- Mayor 'Motorman No. 1'. en-US. The New York Times. May 14, 2022. 0362-4331. https://web.archive.org/web/20210719094900/https://www.nytimes.com/1940/06/02/archives/bmt-lines-pass-to-city-ownership-175000000-deal-completed-at-city.html. July 19, 2021. live.
  6. News: June 2, 1940 . City Takes Over B. M. T. System; Mayor Skippers Midnight Train . 1 . New York Herald Tribune . .
  7. News: June 13, 1940 . 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 . May 14, 2022 . 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 .
  8. 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 . .
  9. News: Direct Subway Runs to Flushing, Astoria. October 15, 1949. The New York Times. December 18, 2011. 17.
  10. Book: General Contractors Association. Bulletin. 1950. New York. en.
  11. Book: Board of Transportation of the City of New York. Proceedings of the Board of Transportation of the City of New York. 1950. New York. en.
  12. Web site: Whitford. Emma. January 8, 2016. MTA Will Completely Close 30 Subway Stations For Months-Long "Revamp". live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200323103253/https://gothamist.com/news/mta-will-completely-close-30-subway-stations-for-months-long-revamp. March 23, 2020. July 18, 2016. Gothamist.
  13. Web site: MTA Stations. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191102093442/https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/MTAStations.pdf. November 2, 2019. July 18, 2016. governor.ny.gov. Government of the State of New York.
  14. Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting. April 24, 2017. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 17. April 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20200820053635/http://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/pdf/170424_1315_CPOC.pdf. August 20, 2020. mta.info. live.
  15. Web site: Broadway and 39 Av stations will temporarily close for extensive renovation All times beginning 5 AM, July 2, until February 2019. June 2018. web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. en. June 18, 2018.
  16. Web site: Broadway & 39 Av NW Stations to Undergo Extensive Repairs & Renovations. June 8, 2018. www.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. en. June 8, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141944/http://www.mta.info/press-release/nyc-transit/broadway-39-av-nw-stations-undergo-extensive-repairs-renovations. dead.
  17. Web site: Press Release - MTA Headquarters - MTA Announces 20 Additional Subway Stations to Receive Accessibility Improvements Under Proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan. December 19, 2019. MTA. December 20, 2019. April 21, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200421204344/http://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/mta-announces-20-additional-subway-stations-receive-accessibility. dead.
  18. Web site: May 18, 2023 . A37758 Design-Build Services for ADA Upgrades Package 5: Accessibility Upgrades at 13 Stations in the City of New York . May 10, 2024 . mta.info . Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
  19. Web site: December 20, 2023 . December 2023 MTA Board Action Items . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231222012801/https://new.mta.info/document/129196 . December 22, 2023 . March 2, 2024 . Metropolitan Transportation Authority . 46–47.
  20. Web site: Looking across to the narrow end of the windscreened Manhattan-bound platform. Cox. Jeremiah. May 26, 2010. subwaynut.com. August 8, 2017.
  21. Web site: Approaching the turnstiles from the Astoria-bound side, notice the sign for the narrow fenced in passageway to crossunder and change direction. Cox. Jeremiah. May 26, 2010. subwaynut.com. August 8, 2017.
  22. Web site: Outlook . CODAworx . March 22, 2024.
  23. Web site: Outlook . MTA . March 22, 2024 . en.
  24. Web site: Artwork: "Outlook" (Diane Carr) . www.nycsubway.org . March 22, 2024.
  25. Web site: Barber . Megan . 8 most beautiful subway stations in the U.S. . Curbed . September 20, 2019 . May 31, 2024.
  26. Web site: MTA Neighborhood Maps: Astoria. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 27, 2015. 2015.
  27. Web site: A street level view of Broadway Station. Cox. Jeremiah. August 5, 2009. subwaynut.com. August 8, 2017. August 9, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170809092019/http://www.subwaynut.com/bmt/broadwayn/broadwayn18.jpg. dead.
  28. Web site: Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 19, 2017. November 13, 2017. 25.

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