Smith–Ninth Streets station explained

Smith–9 Streets
Address:Smith Street & Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY
Borough:Brooklyn
Locale:Gowanus
Coordinates:40.6744°N -73.9972°W
Division:IND
Line:IND Culver Line
Service:Culver IND north local
Platforms:2 side platforms
Tracks:4
Connection: NYCT Bus:
Structure:Elevated

The Smith–Ninth Streets station is a local station on the IND Culver Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over the Gowanus Canal near the intersection of Smith and Ninth Streets in Gowanus, Brooklyn, and is served by the F and G trains at all times. The station is 87.5feet above ground level and was the highest rapid transit station in the world when it was built.

This elevated station, opened on October 7, 1933, has four tracks and two side platforms. In 2009, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority began an extensive renovation of the station. It was closed entirely for a full reconstruction between June 2011 and April 2013.

History

One of the goals of Mayor John Hylan's Independent Subway System (IND), proposed in the 1920s, was a line to Coney Island, reached by a recapture of the BMT Culver Line.[1] [2] As originally designed, service to and from Manhattan would have been exclusively provided by Culver express trains, while all local service would have fed into the IND Crosstown Line.[3]

In 1925, the IND finalized plans to build its Culver (South Brooklyn) Line.[2] The line's path crossed the Gowanus Canal, and the IND originally wanted to build a deep-river tunnel under the canal. To save money, the IND built a viaduct over the canal instead, resulting in the creation of the only above-ground section of the original IND.[4] [5] The first section of the line opened on March 20, 1933, from Jay Street to Bergen Street.[6] The line was extended from Bergen Street to Church Avenue on October 7, 1933, including the Smith–Ninth Streets station.[7] [8]

Service patterns

The station was originally served by the A train. In 1936, the A was rerouted to the IND Fulton Street Line and was replaced by E trains from the Queens Boulevard Line.[7] In 1937, the connection to the IND Crosstown Line opened and (later renamed the G) trains were extended to this station, complementing the E. In December 1940, after the IND Sixth Avenue Line opened, E trains were replaced by the . Following the completion of the Culver Ramp in 1954,[9] [10] Concourse Express trains replaced F service to Coney Island.[11] In November 1967, the Chrystie Street Connection opened and D trains were rerouted via the Manhattan Bridge and the BMT Brighton Line to Coney Island. F trains were extended once again via the Culver Line.[12]

The station acted as a local-only station from 1968 to 1976, when F trains ran express in both directions between Bergen Street and Church Avenue during rush hours.[13] G trains were extended from Smith–Ninth Streets to Church Avenue to provide local service.[14] Express service between Bergen and Church ended in 1976 due to budgetary concerns and passenger complaints, and the GG, later renamed the G, was again terminated at the Smith–Ninth Streets station.[15]

In July 2009, the G was again extended from its terminus at Smith–Ninth Streets to a more efficient terminus at Church Avenue to accommodate the rehabilitation of the Culver Viaduct (see).[16] The G extension was made permanent in July 2012.[17] In July 2019, the MTA revealed plans to restore express service on the Culver Line between Jay Street and Church Avenue. Express service started on September 16, 2019.[18] [19]

Renovation

In 2007, the MTA announced a three-year, $257.5 million renovation project of the elevated Culver Viaduct, and that for twenty-seven months, this station would be fully or partially closed for a $32 million renovation.[20] [21] [22] [23] The renovation was necessitated because the viaduct was falling apart, with leaks and broken concrete riddling it. The station and the portions of the viaduct near the station had to be encased in a mesh wrapping because there was a significant danger of concrete falling from the viaduct.

On January 18, 2011, the second phase of the Culver Viaduct rehabilitation project began, resulting in the closure of the Manhattan-bound platform. This required northbound trains to use the express track and stop at a temporary platform placed over the local track. Due to construction limitations, the platform could only accommodate G trains; F trains bypassed this station on the same track.[24] On June 20, 2011, the station was closed entirely for further renovations, to be reopened in December 2012.[25] Due to delays and cost overruns, it reopened on April 26, 2013.[26] [27] Additional work was performed after the station reopened but it did not affect service. Residents lobbied for an elevator in the station during the renovation, but a spokesman for the MTA said that installation of an elevator was too costly and prohibitive, and that such an elevator would have damaged the station's structural integrity.[28]

Station layout

5th floor
Platform Level
Northbound local← toward
← toward (Carroll Street)
Northbound express← does not stop here
Southbound express does not stop here →
Southbound local toward →
toward (Fourth Avenue) →
4th floorUnderpassConnection between platforms
3rd floorEscalator mezzanine
2nd floorMezzanineFare control, station agent, Metrocard machines
GroundStreet levelExit/entrance

With an elevation of 87.5feet above ground level, Smith–Ninth Streets was the highest rapid transit station in the world when it was built.[29] [30] [31] This elevation was required by now-defunct navigation regulations for tall-mast shipping on the Gowanus Canal, so the elevated structure rises over the entire structure of the Ninth Street Bridge, a vertical-lift bridge which carries its namesake street over the canal.[32] West (railroad north) of this station, the IND Culver Line curves north and enters a tunnel into Carroll Street station. This station and the next station south, Fourth Avenue, were the only original elevated stations built by the IND, with the remainder being underground.[33]

This station and elevated structure are made entirely of concrete.[34] There were green mosaics along the concrete platform walls reading “Smith–9th St” in white sans-serif lettering, which were replaced with laminated replicas during renovations.[35] [36] A close examination of the canopied area suggests windows existed in the past. These were covered for many years and are now open air with safety grates.[37] [38] The station house is on ground level on the north side of 9th Street between Smith Street and the Gowanus Canal.[39] Inside, there is a turnstile bank, token booth, and three escalators and one staircase going up to a landing, where three more escalators and one staircase perpendicular for the first set go up to a crossunder.[40] [41] A single staircase then goes up to the western end of either platform.[42] The station has a single exit on Ninth Street east of Smith Street.[43] [44]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 1932-07-12. Plan to Recapture Culver Line Ready. en-US. 9. The New York Times. 2020-03-27. 0362-4331.
  2. News: 1925-03-21. New Subway Routes in Hylan Program to Cost $186,046,000. en-US. 1. The New York Times. 2020-03-27. 0362-4331.
  3. Feasibility and Analysis of F Express Service in Brooklyn. May 2016. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 24, 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160527062554/http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/pdf/F_express.pdf. May 27, 2016.
  4. News: Gay Midnight Crowd Rides First Trains in New Subway. September 10, 1932. New York Times. April 24, 2018. 1.
  5. News: Submits New Plan For Brooklyn Tube; Transportation Board Says Revised Project Would Save the City $12,000,000, No Tunnel Under Canal Bridge Over Gowanus Stream and Enclosed Viaduct Now Is Proposed.. July 17, 1927. The New York Times. April 23, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331.
  6. News: City Subway Adds Link.; Extension to Bergen-Smith Street Station in Brooklyn Opened.. March 21, 1933. The New York Times. April 23, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331.
  7. Web site: Independent Subway Services Beginning in 1932. August 21, 2013. thejoekorner.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191122080736/http://www.thejoekorner.com/lines/Indhistory.htm. November 22, 2019. August 2, 2015.
    Information adapted from:
    • Fall 1968. New York Division Bulletin. October and November 1968. Electric Railroaders’ Association, Inc..
  8. News: October 7, 1933. City Subway Extended. en-US. 16. The New York Times. December 18, 2018. 0362-4331.
  9. Web site: NYCTA- Pass for Culver Line Ceremonies - 1954. 1954. flickr.com. New York City Transit Authority. August 14, 2016.
  10. News: October 29, 1954. Adequate Transit Promised For City. en-US. 25. The New York Times. April 23, 2018. 0362-4331.
  11. Book: Sparberg, Andrew J.. From a Nickel to a Token: The Journey from Board of Transportation to MTA. October 1, 2014. Fordham University Press. 978-0-8232-6190-1.
  12. News: Perlmutter. Emanuel. November 16, 1967. Subway Changes To Speed Service. en-US. The New York Times. April 23, 2018. 0362-4331.
  13. News: 'F' Line Rush-Hour Service Will Be Added in Brooklyn. June 8, 1969. 0362-4331. The New York Times. August 26, 2016.
  14. Review of F Line Operations, Ridership, and Infrastructure. October 7, 2009. nysenate.gov. MTA New York City Transit Authority. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100531101000/http://www.nysenate.gov/files/pdfs/flinereport_0.pdf. May 31, 2010. July 28, 2015.
  15. News: Geberer. Raanan. Light at End of Tunnel: F Train Express may return. March 6, 2013. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 28, 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327221627/https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2013/03/06/light-at-end-of-tunnel-f-train-express-may-return/. March 27, 2020.
  16. Review of the G Line. July 10, 2013. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 2, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20191224164006/http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/G_LineReview_7_10_13.pdf. December 24, 2019. mta.info.
  17. News: M.T.A. Subway, Train and Bus Services to be Restored. Flegenheimer. Matt. July 19, 2012. The New York Times. April 23, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331.
  18. News: Barone. Vincent. July 9, 2019. Limited F express service coming to Brooklyn for rush hour. en. AMNY. live. July 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191003114752/https://www.amny.com/transit/f-express-train-1.33648949. October 3, 2019.
  19. July 10, 2019. MTA NYC Transit Adding Limited F Express Service for Brooklyn Residents with Longest Commutes. New York City Transit. 2019-07-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20190914235449/http://www.mta.info/press-release/nyc-transit/mta-nyc-transit-adding-limited-f-express-service-brooklyn-residents. live. September 14, 2019.
  20. Web site: Musumeci . Natalie . Smith–Ninth rehab running late, station won't reopen for months . The Brooklyn Paper . December 27, 2012 . July 6, 2016.
  21. Web site: O’Neill . Natalie . Smith-Ninth Street station to remain closed till fall . The Brooklyn Paper . March 16, 2012 . July 6, 2016.
  22. News: MTA Gives Brooklyn Board Bad News About Smith–9th St. Closure, F-Train Express. Maldonado. Charles. November 16, 2007. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 27, 2007. https://archive.today/20080124151607/http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=27&id=16802. January 24, 2008. dead. mdy-all.
  23. News: Mike . McLaughlin . Fix for Fourth Avenue station looks F'ing great . The Brooklyn Paper . November 24, 2007 . November 27, 2007.
  24. Web site: Culver Line Rehabilitation. November 15, 2007. secondavenuesagas.com. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 23, 2018. September 7, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150907045743/http://cdn-sas.secondavenuesagas.com/wp-content/uploads/Culver%20Presentation.pdf. dead.
  25. Web site: Kral . Georgia . Smith & 9th Straphangers Face New, and Longer, Commutes . BoCoCa, NY Patch . June 20, 2011 . July 6, 2016.
  26. Web site: Smith-9th Sts F/G Station Returns to Service. April 26, 2013. mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. https://web.archive.org/web/20160509130250/http://www.mta.info/news-brooklyn%E2%80%99s-smith-9th-streets-fg-station-returns-service/2013/04/26/smith-9th-sts-fg-station. 2016-05-09. dead. August 14, 2016.
  27. Web site: Newman . Andy . City's Highest Subway Station Reopens . The New York Times . April 26, 2013 . July 5, 2016.
  28. Web site: Photos: Smith-9th Street Station Finally Reopens But Isn't Handicap Accessible . Gothamist . April 26, 2013 . July 6, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160505194544/http://gothamist.com/2013/04/26/newly_reopened_smith-9th_street_sta.php . May 5, 2016 . mdy-all .
  29. Web site: Kral . Georgia . June 15, 2015 . The 10 coolest subway stations in NYC . April 24, 2018 . am New York.
  30. Book: MTA New York City Transit Facts & Figures 2000 . 2000 . New York City Transit.
  31. Web site: January 7, 2011 . Rebuilding the Culver Viaduct . August 14, 2016 . . October 22, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201022212253/http://www.mta.info/news/2011/01/07/rebuilding-culver-viaduct . dead .
  32. Web site: The Bridges of the Gowanus Canal. www.nyc.gov. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. en. April 23, 2018.
  33. Book: Kramer, Frederick A.. Building the Independent Subway. 1990. Quadrant Press. 9780915276509. en.
  34. Web site: One of the circular mesh protective barriers above the concrete platform fence, they look a lot nicer than the chain linked fencing before. Cox. Jeremiah. April 30, 2013. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  35. Web site: Smith-9th St. name tablet with its very unusual design.. Cox. Jeremiah. June 9, 2009. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  36. Web site: A fake picture of a name tablet awaits a new real one to be applied. Cox. Jeremiah. April 30, 2013. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  37. Web site: Smith/9th Street during construction. Dooley. John. January 29, 2012. nycsubway.org. April 23, 2018.
  38. Web site: The shadows along the exposed portion of the platforms. Cox. Jeremiah. April 30, 2013. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  39. Web site: Approaching the newly renovated station at street level. Cox. Jeremiah. April 30, 2013. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  40. Web site: The turnstiles and escalators up. Cox. Jeremiah. April 30, 2013. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  41. Web site: Down or Up? Escalators or Stairs, the only choices. Cox. Jeremiah. April 30, 2013. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  42. Web site: Approaching the one staircase at the front end of the Queens-bound platform at Smith-9th Streets that leads down to the series of passageways and escalators down to street level.. Cox. Jeremiah. June 9, 2009. subwaynut.com. April 23, 2018.
  43. Web site: MTA Neighborhood Maps: Red Hook. mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 2, 2015. 2015.
  44. Web site: Review of the G Line: Appendices. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 28, 2015. July 10, 2013.

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