Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues (New York City Subway)

Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues
New York City Subway rapid transit station complex
Head house
Station statistics
Address	Myrtle Avenue & Wyckoff Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11237 Queens, NY 11385
Borough	On the border of Brooklyn and Queens
Locale	Bushwick, Brooklyn; Ridgewood, Queens
Coordinates	40°41′58″N 73°54′40″W / 40.699511°N 73.911166°W / 40.699511; -73.911166Coordinates: 40°41′58″N 73°54′40″W / 40.699511°N 73.911166°W / 40.699511; -73.911166
Division	B (BMT)
Line	BMT Canarsie Line BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
Services	L  (all times)       M  (all times)
Transit connections	New York City Bus: B13, B26, B52, B54, Q55, Q58
Levels	2
Other information
Accessible
Traffic
Passengers (2014)	6,381,800 (station complex)[1]  6.7%
Rank	70 out of 421
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times

Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues is a New York City Subway station complex formed by the intersecting stations of the BMT Canarsie Line and the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. Served by the L and M trains at all times, it is located at Myrtle Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn and the Ridgewood neighborhood of Queens (since Wyckoff Avenue between Gates Avenue and Eldert Street forms the border between Brooklyn and Queens). The complex is connected by a set of stairs and several elevators and escalators between the elevated and underground levels.

Beginning in 2004, the station underwent rehabilitation that included structural steel repairs and significant expansion. The work, completed by Judlau Contracting in May 2008, cost $51 million.^[2] On April 19, 2007, the new and expanded main station building at the triangle of Myrtle, Gates and Wyckoff Avenues was formally opened. Improvements to the complex included lighting upgrades, stairway reconfigurations, new interior finishes, and a new communication system. In the fall of 2007, the station became ADA-accessible as three new elevators were put into service. A glass-enclosed rotunda adorns the front of the building.^[3]

Since many buses stop here, the MTA opened the Ridgewood Intermodal Terminal on August 20, 2010.^[4] Palmetto Street was shuttered to all traffic except for buses in order for the B26, B52, B54, Q55 and Q58 buses to terminate closer together, and to increase accessibility and convenience for bus, elevated, and subway transfers. It is important to note that neither the elevated BMT Myrtle Avenue Line nor the underground BMT Canarsie Line terminate here, merely the bus lines, excluding the B13, which passes through the terminal.^[5]

In 2008 Dattner Architects joint ventured with Parsons Brinkeroff to design the station's new headhouse. The new headhouse provides entries to both subway stations, adjacent bus routes and includes three ADA compliant elevators. This was a pilot project in the MTA's Design for the Environment program. The headhouse's ceiling is capped by a mosaic "From Earth to Sky” by Cadence Giersbach (MTA Arts for Transit Program)

BMT Myrtle Avenue Line platforms

Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Station statistics
Division	B (BMT)
Line	BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
Services	M  (all times)
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	December 19, 1889 (1889-12-19)
Accessible
Former/other names	Wyckoff Avenue
Station succession
Preceding station   New York City Subway   Following station Knickerbocker Avenue toward Myrtle Avenue, Essex Street, or 71st Avenue BMT Myrtle Avenue Line M  Seneca Avenue toward Metropolitan Avenue Flushing Avenue toward 71st Avenue Metropolitan Avenue Terminus
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times

The center trackway at Wyckoff Avenue

Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line (originally named Wyckoff Avenue) is an elevated station, which is located entirely in Brooklyn (unlike the Canarsie Line station that is located partially in Brooklyn and partially in Queens). At the time of its opening on December 19, 1889,^[6] it had a single island platform with two tracks. Originally, the line stub ended at the original Wyckoff station which was past the present curve that is just east of this station. It was subsequently extended in 1906 to the street level right-of-way to Metropolitan Avenue,^[7] and again in the 1910s during the Dual Contracts era onto the present elevated structure.

On July 29, 1914, the station was reconfigured to two island platforms in order to accommodate an additional express track to Broadway – Myrtle Avenue. (The remainder of the line east of this station is a two-track configuration.) When the elevated was rebuilt to three tracks in 1914, the BMT Canarsie Line was still planned to be on an elevated line between Montrose Avenue and Broadway Junction. The express track was in anticipation of potentially different service pattern and anticipation of Canarsie Line on Wyckoff Avenue that would have had track connections just east of this station between the two lines.

The tower that existed east of this station^[8] was also built in anticipation of a junction between this line and an elevated Canarsie line. The Wyckoff tower never had an interlocking machine installed, it was just used as an office.

By 1946, the center track was removed, the two platforms were joined together by a wooden walkway near the station's two staircases, which was later replaced by a concrete connection. Railings were installed where the center track right of way remained exposed. In the 2000s station reconstruction, the double staircases were replaced with a single wide staircase.^[9][10]

BMT Canarsie Line platform

Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Station statistics
Division	B (BMT)
Line	BMT Canarsie Line
Services	L  (all times)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	July 14, 1928 (1928-07-14)
Accessible
Former/other names	Myrtle Avenue
Station succession
Next north	DeKalb Avenue: L
Next south	Halsey Street: L
Next north	Union Square: L
Next south	Canarsie – Rockaway Parkway: L
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times

The "Train Locator Console" video screen shows where trains on the Canarsie Line are located.^[11]

Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues on the BMT Canarsie Line (originally named Myrtle Avenue) is an underground station, was opened on July 14, 1928,^[12] and has two tracks with an island platform. A mosaic band is set at eye level, rather than high up on the wall, with brick red, yellow, tan and light blue offset by indigo and maroon. Unlike other Canarsie Line island platform stations, there are no visible girders in the walls. The ceiling is also lower than those at the other island platform stations. For most of the distance between here and Wilson Avenue, the Canarsie-bound side is located in Brooklyn, while the Manhattan-bound side is in Queens.

South of this station there is a third track for layups or storage, which is also used for trains terminating here.

Station layout

2F	Westbound	← toward 71st Avenue (weekdays), Essex Street (weekends), Myrtle Avenue (late nights) (Knickerbocker Avenue)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Former center track
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Eastbound	→ toward Metropolitan Avenue (Seneca Avenue) →
1F	Mezzanine	Fare control, station agent
G	Street Level	Exit/Entrance (Enter through station house entrances at the intersection of Myrtle/Wyckoff Avenues; elevator to platforms inside station house)
B1	Mezzanine	Fare control, station agent
B2	Northbound	← toward Eighth Avenue (DeKalb Avenue)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Southbound	→ toward Canarsie – Rockaway Parkway (Halsey Street) → → alighting passengers only (occasional rush-hour trips) →

Ridgewood Intermodal Terminal

Adjacent to this station is the Ridgewood Intermodal Terminal, a major central bus station that opened on August 20, 2010 at a cost of $4.5 million. Located on Palmetto Street, the facility is bordered on the south by the intersection of Myrtle and Wyckoff Avenues and on the north by St. Nicholas Avenue. Palmetto Street is closed to all traffic except for NYC Transit buses and deliveries.^[4][5]

The terminal features reconstructed roadway and sidewalks between Wyckoff and St. Nicholas Avenues on Palmetto Street. Concrete bus pads are on the roadway along both sides of Palmetto Street for the length of the block. Sidewalk canopies suspended from the elevated structure of the Myrtle Avenue Line on both sides of Palmetto Street provide shelter from the weather elements. Other features include sidewalk benches and new lighting to improve the waiting environment for customers, new bus stop signage, bus holding lights linked to the Canarsie Line (they will be activated as part of a subsequent signal system), and a new dispatcher’s booth for NYC Transit employees.

Six NYC Transit bus lines served in this terminal provide easier transfer to the subway and bus connections.^[13]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues (New York City Subway).

• nycsubway.org—BMT Myrtle Avenue Line: Wyckoff Avenue
• nycsubway.org—BMT Canarsie Line: Myrtle Avenue
• Station Reporter — Myrtle–Wyckoff Complex
• The Subway Nut — Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues (L) Pictures
• The Subway Nut — Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues (M) Pictures
• MTA's Arts For Transit — Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues
• Wyckoff Avenue entrance to station house from Google Maps Street View
• Myrtle and Wyckoff Avenues entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Myrtle Avenue Line platform from Google Maps Street View
• Mezzanine from Google Maps Street View
• Canarsie Line platform from Google Maps Street View