Canal Street (New York City Subway)

This article is about the New York City Subway station complex in Chinatown. For the station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line, see Canal Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line). For the station on the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line, see Canal Street (IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line). For other uses, see Canal Street (disambiguation).
Canal Street
 
New York City Subway rapid transit station complex
Station statistics
Address Canal Street between Broadway & Centre Street
New York, NY 10013
Borough Manhattan
Locale Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo
Coordinates 40°43′05″N 74°0′00″W / 40.71806°N 74.00000°W / 40.71806; -74.00000Coordinates: 40°43′05″N 74°0′00″W / 40.71806°N 74.00000°W / 40.71806; -74.00000
Division A (IRT), B (BMT)
Line       BMT Broadway Line
      IRT Lexington Avenue Line
      BMT Nassau Street Line
Services       4  (late nights)
      6  (all times) <6> (weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction)
      J  (all times)
      N  (all times)
      Q  (all times)
      R  (all except late nights)
      Z  (rush hours, peak direction)
Transit connections NYCT Bus: M5
Structure Underground
Levels 2 (Manhattan Bridge platforms cross at an angle and under the other three lines)
Other information
Opened

September 4, 1917 (1917-09-04) (BMT Manhattan Bridge & Nassau St Lines)

January 16, 1978 (1978-01-16) (IRT)[1]
Accessible (IRT Lexington Avenue Line platforms only)
Traffic
Passengers (2014) 15,104,077 (station complex)[2] Decrease 0.8%
Rank 18 out of 421

Canal Street is a New York City Subway station complex. It is located in the Manhattan neighborhoods of Chinatown and SoHo, and is shared by the BMT Broadway Line, the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, and the BMT Nassau Street Line. It is served by the:

IRT Lexington Avenue Line platforms

Canal Street
 
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Station statistics
Division A (IRT)
Line       IRT Lexington Avenue Line
Services       4  (late nights)
      6  (all times) <6> (weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction)
Structure Underground
Platforms 2 side platforms
Tracks 4
Other information
Opened October 27, 1904 (1904-10-27)[3]
Accessible (not accessible to other routes)
Station succession
Next north Spring Street: 4  6  <6>
Next south Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall: 4  6  <6>
Worth Street (closed): no regular service
Next north Bleecker Street: 4  6  <6>
Next south Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall: 4  6  <6>

Canal Street on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line is a local station that has four tracks and two side platforms. Due to platform lengthening in the 1940s and 1950s, there are two distinct sections of this station. The original portion has tile-covered I-beams with small and large mosaics and an ornamental ceiling. The newer portion has 1950s green tile at the end of the platforms. There are also IND-type "To Canal Street" signs. New lights are being installed. Non-original name tables and small "C" mosaics exist.

Image gallery

BMT Nassau Street Line platforms

Canal Street
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Station statistics
Division B (BMT)
Line       BMT Nassau Street Line
Services       J  (all times)
      Z  (rush hours, peak direction)
Structure Underground
Platforms 2 island platforms (1 in regular service)
Tracks 3 (2 in regular service)
Other information
Opened August 4, 1913 (1913-08-04)[4]
Station succession

Preceding station   New York City Subway   Following station
toward Broad Street
BMT Nassau Street Line
J  Z 

Canal Street on the BMT Nassau Street Line has three tracks and two island platforms, but only the western island platform is accessible to passengers. Formerly, Canal Street resembled a typical express station except that the inner tracks dead-ended at bumper blocks at the south end with a platform-level connection joining the southern ends of the two platforms. These stub-end tracks were last used in the mid-1990s when weekend J service ended here instead of Chambers Street.

After a reconfiguration of the Nassau Street Line in 2004, the eastern (former "northbound") platform was abandoned and now used as a storage area and the platform-level connection was removed, allowing the former southbound express track to continue south. The westernmost (former "southbound") platform remains in operation and both tracks provide through service with southbound traffic using the former southbound "local" track and northbound traffic using the former southbound "express" track. The former northbound local track is now used only for non-revenue moves, train storage and emergencies while the northbound express stub track was removed. The former northbound "local" track merges with the former southbound "express" track (the latter of which is currently the northbound track) south of the station.[5]

This station was completed at the end of 1909 and included a bridge over the proposed Canal Street subway to cross underneath.[6] Part of the Canal Street subway was built and is part of the Manhattan Bridge Line.

Delayed by construction of the Chambers Street station, this part of the Nassau/Centre Street subway opened in August 1913.

There was an opening in the center wall about fifty feet from the end of the station[7] that had a narrow platform, which was used by train crews to cross between trains on the center tracks. In 2004, this opening was sealed with new tiling, as the eastern platform was in the process of being closed.

South of this station there are unused stub tracks that formerly extended onto the Manhattan Bridge.[8]

In the renovation, the original "Canal Street" mosaics were restored, and new wall and floor tiling were installed.

BMT Broadway Line platforms

Canal Street
New York City Subway rapid transit station

Bridge Line platform
Station statistics
Division B (BMT)
Line       BMT Broadway Line
Services       N  (all times)
      Q  (all times)
      R  (all except late nights)
Structure Underground
Levels 2
Platforms 4 side platforms (2 on each level)
Tracks 6 (4 upper level, 2 of them not for passenger service, 2 lower level)
Other information
Opened

September 4, 1917 (1917-09-04)[9] (Manhattan Bridge)

January 5, 1918 (1918-01-05)[10] (Broadway Line)
Rebuilt 1988-2001
Former/other names Broadway (lower level)
Station succession
Next north Prince Street (local): N  Q  R 
14th Street – Union Square (express): Q 
Next south City Hall (via Tunnel): N  R 
DeKalb Avenue (via Bridge to Brighton): Q 
Atlantic Avenue – Barclays Center (via Bridge to Fourth Avenue): N 
Myrtle Avenue (via Bridge, closed): no regular service
Notes The MTA defines this platform set as two separate stations.

While the four platforms of Canal Street, located on two separate levels, are considered two separate stations by the MTA, both are considered stations on the BMT Broadway Line. One set of platforms services trains traveling to Lower Manhattan and the Montague Street Tunnel; the other set of platforms services trains coming from the Manhattan Bridge.

Main Line platforms (upper level)

Main Line platform. An R train is arriving.

Canal Street on the Main Line has four tracks and two side platforms. Only the outer local tracks, provide through service on the BMT Broadway Line via the Montague Street Tunnel. The center tracks, which have never seen revenue service, begin at the lower level of City Hall and run north to Canal Street, dead-ending at bumper blocks about two-thirds of the way through. The center tracks can be used for layups, but this use has been completely made redundant with the nearby City Hall lower level being used as a layup yard instead.[5]

As part of the Dual Contracts, these center tracks were to have continued up Broadway, fed by traffic from Brooklyn and the Montague Street Tunnel; local service was to have terminated at the upper level of City Hall. That plan was dropped prior to the line's completion. A new plan favored local service via City Hall's upper level, reconstruction south of that station to join the local tracks with the rest of the line and express service via the Manhattan Bridge. Thus, City Hall's lower level was abandoned during construction and never placed in service. Today, just north of this station, the actual express tracks from the lower level curve north, rise up and replace the stub-end center tracks from City Hall's lower level.

In the late 1960s, New York City Transit extended the platforms for 10 car trains, and fixed the station's structure and overall appearance by replacing the original wall tiles, old signs, and incandescent lighting to 70's style wall tiles, signs and fluorescent lights. They also fixed staircases and platform edges.

In 2001, the upper level received a major overhaul before the lower level reopened. Among the repairs included the staircases, re-tiling for the walls, new tiling on the floors, upgrading the station's lights and the public address system, installing ADA yellow safety treads along the platform edges, new signs, and new track beds in both directions.

Bridge Line platforms (lower level)

Bridge Line platform

Canal Street on the BMT Manhattan Bridge Line has two tracks and two side platforms. When it originally opened, this station was known as Broadway. Although technically located on the BMT Broadway Line, it was originally a distinct station from the main line. It is located on the lower level and oriented perpendicular to the other portions of the complex. East of the station, the tracks cross the south side of the Manhattan Bridge to enter Brooklyn. West of the station, the bridge tracks curve to the north, and ramp up between the tracks from the local upper level platform to form the express tracks of the Broadway Line.

Under the Dual Contracts, this station was meant to be part of a crosstown line under Canal Street, running from the Manhattan Bridge to the Hudson River, or towards West Street; however, prior to the opening of the Broadway Line, the BMT decided to route Manhattan Bridge traffic to the Broadway express tracks instead. After the lower level tracks curve north from the Bridge Line platforms, the tunnel continues straight ahead, past the diverge to the Broadway line. The bellmouths going westward from the west end of the station are a provision from the original plans and run for about 100 feet. Also, sitting on one of the trackways is a storage building.

The original tile on this station read simply "Broadway" and there was a small either wood or metal sign attached to the wall beneath the tile name that read "Canal Street."

With the exception of a three-month period in 1990, train service to these platforms was suspended from 1988 to 2001 during the Manhattan Bridge reconstruction project. The platforms remained open as the transfer passageways between the rest of the complex. Service between Manhattan and Brooklyn was redirected to the Main Line platforms and the Montague Street Tunnel. The three-month period was supposed to have allowed train service while work on the bridge was not being done, but on December 27, 1990, the discovery of missing steel plates and corrosion that threatened the bridge's integrity halted this service.[11][12] In 1997, a temporary art exhibit known as the Canal Street Canal by Alexander Brodsky, was installed on the northbound trackway. It consisted of a large waterproof tub filled with water, with Venetian canal boats floating inside.[13] The platforms reentered revenue service on July 22, 2001 with new tiling on the floors, upgraded lights and public address system, ADA yellow safety treads along the platform edge, new signs, and new trackbeds in both directions.

East of this station are the trackways leading from Chambers Street on the BMT Nassau Street Line. These trackways led onto the Manhattan Bridge south side tracks, while Broadway trains ran on the north side tracks of the bridge. These tracks were disconnected as part of the Chrystie Street Connection in 1967 and no longer have rails or any other infrastructure.

Image gallery

Station layout

G Street Level Exit/Entrance
(Elevators at NE corner of Canal Street and Lafayette Street for northbound   service, and at NW corner for southbound   service)
B1
Lexington Avenue Line platforms		 Side platform, doors will open on the right
Northbound local ← toward Pelham Bay Park ( toward Parkchester rush hours and middays) (Spring Street)
← toward Woodlawn late nights) (Spring Street)
Northbound express ← do not stop here
Southbound express → do not stop here →
Southbound local → toward Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall (Terminus)
→ toward New Lots Avenue late nights (Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall)
(No service: Worth Street) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right
B1
Nassau Street Line platforms		 Northbound ← No regular service
Island platform, not in service
Former northbound ← Trackbed
Northbound ← ( PM rush hours) toward Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer (Bowery)
Island platform, doors will open on the left
Southbound → ( AM rush hours) toward Broad Street (Chambers Street) →
B2
Broadway line platforms (via Tunnel)		 Side platform, doors will open on the right
Northbound local ← toward Forest Hills – 71st Avenue (Prince Street)
← toward Ditmars Boulevard late nights (Prince Street)
Northbound from City Hall ← Layup track
Southbound to City Hall → Layup track
Southbound via Tunnel → toward Bay Ridge – 95th Street (City Hall) →
→ toward Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue late nights (City Hall) →
→ alighting passengers only (some rush-hour trips) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right
B3
Broadway Line platforms (via Bridge)		 Side platform, doors will open on the right
Northbound express ← toward Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard (Prince Street)
← toward Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard weekdays, 57th Street – Seventh Avenue weekends (14th Street – Union Square all except nights, Prince Street late nights)
Southbound via Bridge → toward Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue via Sea Beach (Atlantic Avenue – Barclays Center) →
→ toward Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue via Brighton (DeKalb Avenue) →
(No service: Myrtle Avenue)
Side platform, doors will open on the right

The complex consists of four originally separate stations joined by underground passageways. Three of the four are perpendicular to Canal Street, crossing at Broadway (Broadway Main Line), Lafayette Street (Lexington Avenue Line) and Centre Street (Nassau Street Line). The Broadway-Manhattan Bridge Line platforms are directly underneath Canal Street itself. The Bridge Line platforms serve as transfer passageways between all other lines. After leaving Canal Street, the Manhattan Bridge Line makes a hard right onto Broadway.

The complex was fully renovated between 1999 and 2004. The Broadway Main Line station was restored to its original look with new mosaics featuring Chinese characters, reflecting the station's location in Chinatown. The symbols on the red wall plaques mean "money" and "luck" and the "Canal Street" name tablet has ideographs that read "China" and "Town." During the most recent renovation in the 1990s, the original mosaics were uncovered but then either removed or covered over again. One of the original tablets has been preserved at the New York Transit Museum.

Some relative depths of the stations in the Canal Street complex are as follows:

Entrances and exits

The complex has a total of 13 staircase entrances and 2 separate elevator entrances for the Lexington Avenue Line’s platforms.[14]

Exit location Exit type Number of exits Platforms primarily served
NE corner of Broadway and Canal Street Staircase 1 Broadway Main Line
NW corner of Broadway and Canal Street Staircase 2 Broadway Main Line
SE corner of Broadway and Canal Street Staircase 2 Broadway Main Line
SW corner of Broadway and Canal Street Staircase 2 Broadway Main Line
SW corner of Centre Street and Canal Street Staircase 1 Nassau Street Line
NE corner of Lafayette Street and Canal Street Staircase 1 Broadway Bridge Line
Lexington Avenue Line (northbound)
Elevator 1 Lexington Avenue Line (northbound)
NW corner of Lafayette Street and Canal Street Staircase 1 Broadway Bridge Line
Lexington Avenue Line (southbound)
Elevator 1 Lexington Avenue Line (southbound)
SE corner of Lafayette Street and Canal Street Staircase 2 Broadway Bridge Line
Lexington Avenue Line (northbound)
SW corner of Lafayette Street and Canal Street Staircase 1 Broadway Bridge Line
Lexington Avenue Line (northbound)

References

  1. ↑ New York Times, City Subways Add 3 Transfer Points, January 16, 1978, page B2
  2. ↑ "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
  3. ↑ New York Times, Our Subway Open: 150,000 Try It, October 28, 1904
  4. ↑ New York Times, Passenger Killed on Loop's First Day, August 5, 1913, page 2
  5. 1 2 Marrero, Robert (2015-09-13). "469 Stations, 846 Miles" (PDF). B24 Blog, via Dropbox. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  6. ↑ http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/Canal.platf.jpg From the Abandoned Stations website: A Public Service Commission photo from 1909 shows the east platform with non-tiled steel columns. The view is looking south, showing the wall between the center tracks. The stepped structure at the base of wall near the image center is part of the bridge over the projected Canal St subway, not even begun at the time. The station looks completed, about four years before it opened. There is a rough strip near the platform edge. Track was to be installed by the operating company.
  7. ↑ http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/Canal.openoldside.jpg
  8. ↑ http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/Canal.junction.jpg From the Abandoned Stations website: "Another Public Service Commission image shows the tunnel just south of the station as it was in 1909. Here, as in the plan, the trackways curving in from the Manhattan Bridge line, right, just run into the main line on the level. At left is the track opening into the east track of Canal St station. This arrangement was rebuilt in 1913-1914, shifting the track to Canal St station a little farther back, so that when the Manhattan Bridge trains began running in 1915, they reached the east side of Chambers St without crossing the tracks of the Williamsburg Bridge trains".
  9. ↑ New York Times, Open First Section of Broadway Line, September 5, 1917
  10. ↑ New York Times, Open New Subway to Times Square, January 6, 1918
  11. ↑ Hevesi, Dennis (1990-12-28). "Hazards Halt Manhattan Bridge Subway Line". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  12. ↑ Sims, Calvin (1991-01-08). "New York Reopened Bridge Subway Line In Spite of Warnings". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  13. ↑ "Canal Street Canal, Alexander Brodsky (1997)". nycsubway.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  14. ↑ "MTA Neighborhood Maps: SoHo / TriBeCa" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York). 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.

Further reading

External links

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