Astoria Boulevard (BMT Astoria Line)
Astoria Boulevard  | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City Subway rapid transit station | |||||||||
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| Station statistics | |||||||||
| Address |
Astoria Boulevard & 31st Street Queens, NY 11102 | ||||||||
| Borough | Queens | ||||||||
| Locale | Astoria | ||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°46′12″N 73°55′05″W / 40.769979°N 73.918161°WCoordinates: 40°46′12″N 73°55′05″W / 40.769979°N 73.918161°W | ||||||||
| Division | B (BMT) | ||||||||
| Line | BMT Astoria Line | ||||||||
| Services |
N  (all times) W  (weekdays only) | ||||||||
| Transit connections |
 New York City Bus:  M60 SBS to LaGuardia Airport MTA Bus: Q19 | ||||||||
| Structure | Elevated | ||||||||
| Platforms |
2 island platforms cross-platform interchange | ||||||||
| Tracks | 3 (2 in regular service) | ||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||
| Opened | February 1, 1917[1] | ||||||||
| Former/other names | Astoria Boulevard – Hoyt Avenue | ||||||||
| Traffic | |||||||||
| Passengers (2015) |
3,926,062[2]  0.3% | ||||||||
| Rank | 128 out of 422 | ||||||||
| Station succession | |||||||||
| Next north |
Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard: N W | ||||||||
| Next south |
30th Avenue (local): N W Queensboro Plaza (express): no regular service | ||||||||
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Astoria Boulevard (also known as Astoria Boulevard – Hoyt Avenue) is an express station on the BMT Astoria Line. Located above 31st Street at Astoria Boulevard and the Grand Central Parkway 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 elevated station opened on February 1, 1917,[1] along with the opening of the rest of the Astoria Line, as an IRT line station, and the BRT (later BMT) also provided joint service.
On the morning of May 1, 1998, a backhoe working underneath the station (not performing New York City Transit-related work) struck the mezzanine, ripping out three support beams while damaging four more and creating a huge hole in the floor. There were no injuries, but trains bypassed the station at restricted speed.[3] Cleanup work began immediately and by noon, the slow speed restriction was removed. By 3:00 p.m., a temporary wooden floor was installed. Less than eight hours from the time of the first response, the station was back in full service. Permanent repairs were made overnight.
Today, several tourists visit the upper level for a view of the Hell Gate Bridge and Triborough Bridge
Station layout
| P Platforms |
Southbound local | ← toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (30th Avenue) ← toward Whitehall Street–South Ferry (weekdays) (30th Avenue) |
| Island platform, doors will open on the left | ||
| Peak-direction express | ← No regular service (No service: Queensboro Plaza southbound or Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard northbound) | |
| Island platform, doors will open on the left | ||
| Northbound local | → ( weekdays) toward Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard (Terminus) → | |
| M | Mezzanine | two entrances/exits, station agent, MetroCard vending machines |
| G | Street Level | Entrances/Exits |
The station has three tracks and two island platforms. The center track is not used in revenue service, but it had been used regularly as recently as 2002.
The station has wooden canopies with transite and wooden mezzanines. The northbound platform’s benches are surrounded by low windscreen on three sides. The southbound platform bears the tertiary name of Columbus Square, for a small park containing a statue of Columbus by Angelo Racioppi immediately east of the southeastern stair of the station. It also has an enclosed waiting area.
This station affords a view of the Hell Gate Bridge and viaduct to the north, Triborough Bridge to the west, and the Grand Central Parkway (Interstate 278) and Astoria Boulevard underneath. These three structures forced a change in the station. The overpass to the far north exit was an addition because of the Triborough Bridge’s construction in 1936. The parkway forced relocation of the north exit stairways since the parkway was too wide for the original stairways. The southern stairways are original. The mezzanine has separate turnstile banks from each side with crossunders from the platform stairs.
References
- 1 2 "First Train Runs On Elevated Line to Astoria Section". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. February 1, 1917. Retrieved 29 June 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ Mbugua, Martin; Rutenberg, James (1998-05-02). "Backhoe Cripples El". Daily News. Retrieved 2010-04-11.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Astoria Boulevard (BMT Astoria Line). |
- nycsubway.org – BMT Astoria Line: Astoria Boulevard/Hoyt Avenue
- Station Reporter — N Train
- Astoria Boulevard entrance from Google Maps Street View
- Hoyt Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
- Platforms from Google Maps Street View