Astoria Boulevard (BMT Astoria Line)
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| New York City Subway station Astoria Boulevard–Hoyt Avenue |
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| Station information | |
| Line | BMT Astoria Line |
| Services | N W(123a) |
| Platforms | 2 island platforms |
| Tracks | 3 |
| Other | |
| Borough | Queens |
| Opened | July 19, 1917 |
| Next north | Ditmars Boulevard–Astoria N W(123a) |
| Next south | Local: 30th Avenue N W(123a) |
| Express: Queensboro Plaza no regular service |
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Astoria Boulevard or Astoria Boulevard–Hoyt Avenue is an express station on the BMT Astoria Line. However, there is no express service on the line. 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. 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 Grand Central Parkway underneath. These three structures forced a change in the station. The overpass to the far north exit was an addition because of the 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 an unusual configuration of separate entries with crossunders from the platform stairs.
This station was the site of a demolition accident in May 1998. Early on a weekday morning, a backhoe working underneath the station (not performing New York City Transit-related work) struck the mezzanine, ripping out three support beams and damaging four more and creating a huge hole in the floor. No one was hurt and trains continued running through the station with slow speed limits in place, but did not stop. Cleanup work began immediately and by 12:00, the slow speed was removed. By 15:00, a temporary wooden floor has installed. Less than eight hours from the time of the first response, the station was back in full service. Permanent repairs were made overnight.
