DeKalb Avenue station (BMT Canarsie Line)

For other uses, see DeKalb Avenue (disambiguation).

The DeKalb Avenue station is a station on the BMT Canarsie Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Wyckoff and DeKalb Avenues in Bushwick, Brooklyn, it is served by the L train at all times.^[4]

DeKalb Avenue
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
An L train enters the station
Station statistics
Address	DeKalb Avenue & Wyckoff Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11237
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Bushwick
Coordinates	40°42′15″N 73°55′09″W / 40.704294°N 73.919277°W / 40.704294; -73.919277
Division	B (BMT)^[1]
Line	BMT Canarsie Line
Services	L  (all times)
Transit	NYCT Bus: B13, B38
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	July 14, 1928; 95 years ago (1928-07-14)
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2022	2,485,248^[3]  15.3%
Rank	125 out of 423^[3]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Jefferson Street toward Eighth Avenue Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues toward Canarsie–Rockaway Parkway
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to Jefferson Street to Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times

History

Background

 

Station name mosaics

 

Directional mosaics to Stanhope Street

The Dual Contracts also called for 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 under the East River and through Williamsburg to Montrose and Bushwick Avenues in Brooklyn.^[5] Booth and Flinn was awarded the contract to construct the line on January 13, 1916.^[6] Clifford Milburn Holland served as the engineer-in-charge during the construction.^[7]

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 (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 subway cars. The first of the cars were delivered by this ramp on June 20, 1924.^[8] On June 30, 1924, the section between Sixth Avenue in Manhattan and Montrose Avenue in Brooklyn opened.^[9][10]

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 had initially given its consent to an elevated line over the Evergreen Branch 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.^[11] 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 (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, underneath which it would run to Eldert Street. This plan was to cost $8 million.^[12]

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, 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.^[13] 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".^[14]

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.^[15]

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 (Jamaica Line). At this time, it was connected to the already-operating elevated line to Canarsie. The DeKalb Avenue station opened as part of this extension.^[16][17][18]

Station layout

 

Platform level

Ground	Street level	Exit/entrance
Mezzanine	Mezzanine	Fare control, station agent, MetroCard machines
Platform level	Side platform
	Westbound	←   toward Eighth Avenue (Jefferson Street)
	Eastbound	→   toward Canarsie–Rockaway Parkway (Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues) →
	Side platform

This underground station has two tracks and two side platforms.^[19] Each platform has blue columns at regular intervals with every other column having a standard black and white station name plate.

The mosaic tile bands are predominantly green and blue, with yellow and tan accents.^[19] Those installed on the stairway from the mezzanine to the Manhattan-bound platform in Summer 2000 feature a seven-inch entrance motif design with a dull green and blue background.^[19] The trim line has "D" tablets on it at regular intervals to represent "DeKalb."

Exits

 

Street entrance

This station has three entrances/exits. The main one is a mezzanine above the platforms and tracks at the west (railroad north) end. It has a single staircase from each platform, waiting area that allows free transfer between directions, turnstile bank, token booth, and four staircases to all corners of DeKalb and Wyckoff Avenues.^[20]

The other two entrances/exits are on platform level and unstaffed at the east (railroad south) end. Each fare control area has HEET turnstiles and two street stairs. The ones on the Manhattan-bound platform lead to either northern corners of Wyckoff and Stanhope Street while those on the Canarsie-bound one lead to either southern corners.^[20]

References

1. "Glossary". (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
2. "Annual Subway Ridership (2017–2022)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
3. "Annual Subway Ridership (2017–2022)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
4. . stationreporter.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013.
5. "Official Map of Dual Subway Showing Lines and Stations". The New York Times. April 26, 1914. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
6. "East River Tunnel Contract Awarded". The New York Times. January 14, 1916. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
7. Aronson, Michael (June 15, 1999). "The Digger Clifford Holland". Daily News. New York. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
8. "Installing Cars in 14th St. E. D. Subway". The Chat. June 21, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
9. "Subway Tunnel Through". The New York Times. August 8, 1919. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
10. "Celebrate Opening of Subway Link". The New York Times. July 1, 1924. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
11. "Long Delayed E. D. Transit Relief Move Announced". The Standard Union. October 29, 1922. pp. 9, 11. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
12. "New Link Approved by Subway Board; Extension of Eastern District Line Corresponds to Mayor's Program" (PDF). The New York Times. July 16, 1924. p. 19. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
13. "Fix Rest of Route of 14th St. Subway; Transportation Board Agrees on Line to the Elevated at Broadway, Brooklyn". The New York Times. September 24, 1924. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
14. "Viaduct Plan for Tube Vigorously Denounced". The Chat. August 9, 1924. p. 29. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
15. "3 Contracts Awarded for 14th St. Subway; Aggregate $9,531,204 and Call for Operation of Trains Within Twenty-eight Months". The New York Times. November 12, 1924. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
16. "Last Link of New 14th St-E.D. Subway To Be Opened Today: First Train This Afternoon Will Carry Officials – Citizens to Celebrate". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 14, 1928. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
17. "CELEBRATE OPENING OF NEW B. M. T. LINE; Officials and Civic Association Members Fill First Train From Union Square. MET BY BAND AT CANARSIE Crowds Cheer Passing Cars at Stations Along New Route to Jamaica Bay". The New York Times. July 15, 1928. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
18. "Districts Unite To Hail Opening Of Subway Link: Delegations All Way to Canarsie Welcome First Train, That Is Flag-Draped Many Officials on Board Lockwood in Speech Promises Better Connections". New York Herald Tribune. July 15, 1928. p. 17. ProQuest 1113768361.
19. "BMT Canarsie Line". nycsubway.org.
20. "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Bushwick" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2016.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to DeKalb Avenue (BMT Canarsie Line).

• nycsubway.org – BMT Canarsie: DeKalb Avenue
• The Subway Nut — DeKalb Avenue Pictures
• DeKalb Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Stanhope Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View (2015)
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View (2018)