Jefferson Street (BMT Canarsie Line)
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The Jefferson Street station is a station on the
BMT Canarsie Line The BMT Canarsie Line (sometimes referred to as the 14th Street–Eastern Line) is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway system, named after its terminus in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is served by the ...
of the
New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...
. Located in
Bushwick, Brooklyn Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by the neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens, to the northeast; Williamsburg to the northwest; East New York and the cemeteries of Highland Par ...
at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Wyckoff Avenue, it is served by the L train at all times.


History


Background

In 1913, the
Dual Contracts The Dual Contracts, also known as the Dual Subway System, were contracts for the construction and/or rehabilitation and operation of rapid transit lines in the City of New York. The contracts were signed on March 19, 1913, by the Interborough Ra ...
were signed, which called for the construction of various rapid transit services throughout the City of New York. Among these was a subway line initially known as the 14th Street–Eastern District Line, usually shortened to 14th Street–Eastern Line. The line would run beneath 14th Street in Manhattan, from
Sixth Avenue Sixth Avenue – also known as Avenue of the Americas, although this name is seldom used by New Yorkers, p.24 – is a major thoroughfare in New York City's borough of Manhattan, on which traffic runs northbound, or "uptown". It is commercial ...
under the East River and through Williamsburg to Montrose and Bushwick Avenues in Brooklyn.
Booth and Flinn Booth and Flinn (1876—1950) was one of the largest American general contracting companies of its era. It was established and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. History The company was founded by William Flinn (1851& ...
was awarded the contract to construct the line on January 13, 1916.
Clifford Milburn Holland Clifford Milburn Holland (March 13, 1883 – October 27, 1924) was an American civil engineer who oversaw the construction of a number of subway and automobile tunnels in New York City, and for whom the Holland Tunnel is named. Life Holland was ...
served as the engineer-in-charge during the construction. Due to the city's failure to approve the section of the line between Montrose Avenue and East New York, the 14th Street/Eastern Line was initially isolated from the rest of the system. In 1924, a temporary connection was built from the
Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk Co ...
(LIRR)'s Bushwick Yard that ran via Montrose Avenue and then connected to the 14th Street/Eastern Line under Bushwick Avenue just near the Montrose Avenue station. This was done to allow the delivery of
BMT Standard The AB Standard was a New York City Subway car class built by the American Car and Foundry Company and Pressed Steel Car Company between 1914 and 1924. It ran under the operation of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) and its successors, whi ...
subway cars. The first of the cars were delivered by this ramp on June 20, 1924. On June 30, 1924, the section between Sixth Avenue in Manhattan and Montrose Avenue in Brooklyn opened.


Construction and opening

For the extension of the 14th Street/Eastern Line from Montrose Avenue to East New York, the
New York City Board of Estimate The New York City Board of Estimate was a governmental body in New York City responsible for numerous areas of municipal policy and decisions, including the city budget, land-use, contracts, franchises, and water rates. Under the amendments effec ...
had initially given its consent to an elevated line over the
Evergreen Branch The Evergreen Branch was a branch of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) that ran in Brooklyn and part of Queens in New York City. The line, at its fullest extent, ran between Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens. The line consisted of tw ...
of the LIRR. The Board of Estimate subsequently refused to allow a construction contract for the elevated line, while the BRT did not want to build an underground line. The extension was changed to an underground alignment following opposition from industries on the Evergreen Branch. In July 1924, the
New York City Board of Transportation The New York City Board of Transportation or the Board of Transportation of the City of New York (NYCBOT or BOT) was a city transit commission and operator in New York City, consisting of three members appointed by the mayor. It was created in ...
(BOT) approved a modified route for recommendation to the Board of Estimate. The route would be wholly underground and consist of three tracks. From Montrose Avenue, it would curve east under McKibbin Street, private property, and Harrison Place. Past Varick Avenue, it would turn southeast to
Wyckoff Avenue This article provides a listing (with simple descriptions, where possible) of the streets in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, including Fort Hamilton, the last active-duty military post in New York City. State-named roadways Avenues N ...
, underneath which it would run to Eldert Street. This plan was to cost $8 million. In September 1924, the BOT approved the remaining section of the route between Eldert Street and Broadway Junction in East New York. East of Eldert Street, the route would turn south to a ground-level alignment parallel to the LIRR's
Bay Ridge Branch The Bay Ridge Branch is a rail line owned by the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and operated by the New York and Atlantic Railway in New York City. It is the longest freight-only line of the LIRR, connecting the Montauk Branch and CSX Transporta ...
, then run southeast in a tunnel underneath private property to the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Bushwick Avenue, where it would emerge onto a ramp leading to the existing Canarsie elevated. An ornamental viaduct over Bushwick Avenue and Eastern Parkway was removed from the original plans due to opposition from property owners who called it a "
Chinese wall A Chinese wall or ethical wall is an information barrier protocol within an organization designed to prevent exchange of information or communication that could lead to conflicts of interest. For example, a Chinese wall may be established to sepa ...
". Three contracts for the construction of the extension were awarded in December at a total cost of $9,531,204. The section from Montrose Avenue to Varick Avenue was awarded to the Underpinning and Foundation Company, while the section from Varick Avenue to Bleecker Street and from Bleecker Street to Halsey Street went to the Oakdale Contracting Company. On July 14, 1928, the line was extended further east beneath Wyckoff Avenue and then south paralleling the Bay Ridge Branch to a new station at Broadway Junction, above the existing station on the
Broadway Elevated The BMT Jamaica Line, also known as the Broadway - Brooklyn Line is an elevated rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It runs from the Williamsburg Bridge southea ...
(Jamaica Line). At this time, it was connected to the already-operating elevated line to
Canarsie Canarsie ( ) is a mostly residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of Brooklyn, New York City. Canarsie is bordered on the east by Fresh Creek Basin and East 108th Street; on the north by Linden Boulevard; on the west by Ralph Aven ...
. The Jefferson Street station opened as part of this extension.


Station renovation

In 2019, the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the U.S. state of New York. The MTA is the largest public transit authority in th ...
announced that this station would become
ADA-accessible The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ...
as part of the agency's 2020–2024 Capital Program.


Station layout

This underground station has two
side platform A side platform (also known as a marginal platform or a single-face platform) is a platform positioned to the side of one or more railway tracks or guideways at a railway station, tram stop, or transitway. A station having dual side platforms ...
s and two tracks. The northbound platform is long, while the southbound platform is long, and both platforms are wide. The mosaic tile bands on both platforms are predominantly blue and brown with yellow and tan accents. There is a full frieze of icons with correct details. The colors, however, shift from the earth tones found in the original design to more pastel shades of rose, slate blue, yellow and peach. Some of the background tile is mottled. This is handmade work with all of the proper elements, including randomly cut and set tiles in the center. "J" tablets on a blue background run along the trim line at regular intervals. The station's name tablets read "JEFFERSON ST." in gold serif lettering on a blue/dark red background, yellow inner border, and green outer border. There are also directional signs in gold serif lettering on blue/dark red background and yellow/green border. Blue i-beam columns run along both platforms at regular intervals with alternating ones having the standard black station name plate in white lettering. New tile was installed at the Canarsie-bound platform in the summer of 2000.


Exits

This station's full-time
fare control In rail transport, the paid area is a dedicated "inner" zone in a railway station or metro station, accessible via turnstiles or other barriers, to get into which, visitors or passengers require a valid ticket, checked smartcard or a pass. A sys ...
area is at the extreme east ( railroad south) end. A double-width staircase from each platform goes up to a waiting area/crossover, where a
turnstile A turnstile (also called a turnpike, gateline, baffle gate, automated gate, turn gate in some regions) is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. A turnstile can be configured to enforce one-way human traffic. In addition, a t ...
provides entrance/exit from the station. Outside
fare control In rail transport, the paid area is a dedicated "inner" zone in a railway station or metro station, accessible via turnstiles or other barriers, to get into which, visitors or passengers require a valid ticket, checked smartcard or a pass. A sys ...
, there is a token booth and four staircases going up to all corners of Starr Street and Wyckoff Avenue. Both platforms have a same-level, unstaffed fare control area at the opposite end. One exit-only turnstile and one High Entry/Exit Turnstile lead to an enclosed staircase going up to a small brick building on either western corners of Jefferson Street and Wyckoff Avenue. The Manhattan-bound building is on the northwest corner while the Canarsie-bound building is on the southwest one.


References


External links

* Station Reporter — * The Subway Nut â€
Jefferson Street Pictures

Jefferson Street entrance from Google Maps Street View

Starr Street entrance from Google Maps Street View

Platforms from Google Maps Street View
{{NYCS stations navbox by line, canarsie=yes BMT Canarsie Line stations New York City Subway stations in Brooklyn Railway stations in the United States opened in 1928 1928 establishments in New York City Bushwick, Brooklyn