MTA to close Bay Ridge Ave. station for repairs

Fix-up is part of agency’s Enhanced Station Initiative

November 22, 2016 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

While the news that the Bay Ridge Avenue station will be getting a whole new look is welcome news for many riders, the fact that the station will have to close for a time will likely mean headaches for commuters. Eagle photo by Paula Katinas

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One of the busiest subway stops in Bay Ridge will be closed for a period of time to allow the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to conduct major renovations at the train station.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the Bay Ridge Avenue station on the R train line is one of three subway stations in New York City set to undergo repairs under the MTA’s Enhanced Station Initiative.

The MTA is expected to award a contract for the first three stations in the initiative: Prospect Avenue, 53rd Street Station and Bay Ridge Avenue on the R line.

At the start of the project, minor construction activities will be done while the stations remain open, according to the governor’s office.

But as part of an effort to fast track the work, the stations will be closed for approximately six months. The closures will enable the contractor to get in, get the work done and get out, according to Cuomo’s office.

A timetable for the closure has not been announced.

The Bay Ridge Avenue station is located in a major transportation hub in Bay Ridge. The location of the station at Bay Ridge and Fourth avenues offers riders the chance to transfer to three bus lines: the B9, B64 and B70.

“New, modern subway stations across the system are an essential part of our efforts to rebuild and reimagine the MTA for the 21st Century,” Cuomo said in a statement. “These milestones demonstrate remarkable progress in the redesign and renovation process that will revamp these stations for current and future generations of New Yorkers.”

The station improvements will include:

Enhanced lighting throughout the stations.
Improved signage for easier navigation, including digital, real-time updates on on-time performance at subway entrances before customers even enter the station.
Amenities, such as countdown clocks, cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi and new art, as well as security cameras.
Renovations that consider the architectural legacy of each station and are sensitive to historical elements.

State Sen. Marty Golden (R-C-Bay Ridge-Southwest Brooklyn), who is the state Senate’s representative on the MTA Capital Review Board, said the Bay Ridge Avenue station is badly in need of work.

“The approval to modernize and improve the Bay Ridge Avenue train station is a major victory for all those who utilize the station each and every day as their central point to travel. I am sure many would agree that this station needs an overhaul and has for some time. I am proud to have worked to secure this station project to make the entry and exit point to the NYC Transit system more attractive,” Golden stated.

Golden said that he is confident that other stations along the R subway line, including the 77th Street and 95th Street stops, will be approved for improvements in the near future.

Golden added that he is also looking forward to the start of the elevator construction at the 86th Street station in the spring.