West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium (New York City Subway)

West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Station statistics
Address West 8th Street near Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
Borough Brooklyn
Locale Coney Island
Coordinates 40°34′34.24″N 73°58′32.88″W / 40.5761778°N 73.9758000°W / 40.5761778; -73.9758000Coordinates: 40°34′34.24″N 73°58′32.88″W / 40.5761778°N 73.9758000°W / 40.5761778; -73.9758000
Division B (BMT/IND)
Line BMT Brighton Line
IND Culver Line
Services       F  (all times)
      Q  (all times)
Transit connections NYCT Bus: B36
Structure Elevated
Levels 2
Platforms 4 side platforms (2 on each level)
Tracks 4 (2 on each level)
Other information
Opened May 19, 1919 (1919-05-19)
Former/other names Coney Island–West Eighth Street
Traffic
Passengers (2015) 789,416[1] Increase 6.5%
Rank 388 out of 422
Station succession
Next north Ocean Parkway (Brighton): Q 
Neptune Avenue (Culver): F 
Next south Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue: F  Q 

West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium is a New York City Subway station, located on the BMT Brighton Line and IND Culver Line. The station is located over the private right-of-way of the defunct New York and Coney Island Railroad, north of Surf Avenue and running easterly from West 8th Street on the Coney Island peninsula in Brooklyn. It is served by the F and Q trains at all times.

History

Track layout
Former tracks
to Ocean Pkwy
to Neptune Av
to Ocean Pkwy
Superimposed tracks section
 (Left tracks above right ones)
to Stillwell Av
Lower level
 Upper level

The station, originally identified as Coney Island–West Eighth Street, replaced the Culver Depot, the surface terminus of the Brighton Beach and Culver Lines. The new station consisted of a two-level elevated line, with two tracks and two side platforms on each level. Brighton service began serving the station on June 13, 1919,[2] with Brighton Local trains using the lower level and Brighton Express trains (when operated) using the upper level. On May 1, 1920, Culver trains began sharing the lower level with the Brighton Line.

The usage of both levels varied over the years, with different Brighton services using the lower level at different times. Brighton Locals used the lower level of West 8th Street until 1954,[3] when the track connection between the Brighton Line at Ocean Parkway and the lower level of West 8th Street station was severed. Since then Brighton and Culver trains have had exclusive use of their respective levels since. The structure for the connector tracks still exists.

In September 1954, the NYCTA announced that it would build a 700-foot long overpass connecting the station with the then proposed New York Aquarium. The estimated cost for the project was $500,000, and it was expected to be completed by November 1955.[4]

Station layout

3F Side platform, doors will open on the right
Southbound ← toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Terminus)
Northbound → toward 57th Street–Seventh Avenue (Ocean Parkway) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right
2F Side platform, doors will open on the right
Southbound ← toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Terminus)
Northbound → toward Jamaica–179th Street (Neptune Avenue) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right
G Street Level Exit/Entrance, fare control

The current station continues to have two tracks and two side platforms on each level; the BMT Brighton Line currently occupies the upper level and the IND Culver Line occupies the lower level.

The 2005 artwork here is called Wavewall by Vito Acconci.[5]

Street stair and pedestrian overpass to Aquarium, demolished in August 2013

The station is two blocks east of the neighboring Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue station, which is the southern terminus of both the Brighton and Culver Lines and of the F and Q services.[6]

Exits

This station contains three entrances. The first one contains three High Entry-Exit turnstiles and leads directly to the Manhattan-bound platform of the lower level. The main entrance is directly underneath and leads to West Fifth Street on one side and Surf Avenue on the other.[6] There was a pedestrian bridge that spanned Surf Avenue and connected the two aforementioned entrances; the walkway was torn down on August 8, 2013, due to safety issues. A crosswalk and widened sidewalks replaced the bridge, which was built when the New York Aquarium was first opened at that location.[7] The third entrance leads to West Sixth Street, which at this point, is a dirt road only for pedestrians that runs directly underneath the Culver Line. This entrance contains HEET and exit-only turnstiles and an escalator that leads directly to the Manhattan-bound platform of the upper level.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership". New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  2. ↑ "www.nycsubway.org: BMT Brighton Line". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "www.nycsubway.org: BMT Brighton Line". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Proposed B. M. T. Overpass to Coney Island Aquarium". Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  5. ↑ "MTA - Arts & Design | NYCT Permanent Art". web.mta.info. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  6. 1 2 "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Coney Island" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Bridge abridged! Aquarium span scrapped". August 9, 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
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