Rehab Work Complete At 7 D Line Stations
For those who pay attention to the Service Diversions I update frequently, you would have noticed a lot of work on the 
recently. Most of this work was being done at 7 stations in the southern part of Brooklyn with one of the biggest parts being turning Bay Parkway into a fully ADA compatible station.
Yesterday morning, the MTA marked the end of the work by issuing the following press release:
The completion of the work to rehabilitate seven stations along the West End D Line in Brooklyn was marked today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Bay Parkway Station attended by MTA leaders and local elected officials. This seven station, $88 million stimulus project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 brought station elements at the elevated stations and segments of the elevated structure south of 62nd Street into a state of good repair.
Work included the transformation of the Bay Parkway Station into an ADA key station providing full vertical accessibility for the disabled through the installation of three elevators. One elevator provides access from the street to the unpaid side of the mezzanine and two elevators provide access from the paid side of the mezzanine to the northbound and southbound platforms. The Bay Parkway D Station is the 78th ADA key station in the subway system.
“I take great pride each time we are able to provide our customers with tangible results – modernized stations with updated amenities and the greater ability to serve the disabled,” said MTA New York City Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast. “I would especially like to thank the 33,000 customers who use these stations every day for their patience and flexibility as we had to close these stations at times to make repairs.”
Bay Parkway underwent a complete station rehabilitation including new lighting, new platform edges, rehabilitation of stairs, rehabilitation of the control area, and new platform windscreens. Bay Parkway also features new prototype free standing pedestal speakers to provide customers with real-time service information. Normally, speakers are integrated in the lighting system, however pedestals are now being used when a station’s canopies do not extend the length of the platform. Bay Parkway is the first station to have these pedestals. The Bay Parkway Station, designated as a Landmark, was restored in accordance with State Historic Preservation Office requirements.
The other six stations: 71st Street, 79th Street, 18th Avenue, 20th Avenue, 25th Avenue and Bay 50th Street Stations all underwent component rehabilitation that included new rubbing boards and warning strips at all platform edges, new platform windscreens, rehabilitation of stairs, repaired concrete floors at mezzanines, canopy column base concrete repairs, new windows and doors, painting, new signage and Arts for Transit installations. During the design phase, Arts for Transit worked closely with the architects and engineers at NYC Transit to determine the parameters and sites for the artwork. Artists were chosen through a competitive process that used selection panels comprised of Brooklyn based visual arts professionals and community representatives to review artists’ images of previous work to select finalists. (see art installation descriptions below).
The rehabilitation project also addressed the repair of a substantial amount of structural defects from 63rd Street to north of Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue. Work on the stations was substantially completed on July 10 with the elevators at Bay Parkway going into service this past Monday.
The contract was awarded to Citnalta Construction/Judlau Contracting, JV in August 2009. Rehabilitation work along the West End Line continues under a separate contract for the five stations from 9th Avenue to 62nd Street with completion slated for later this year.
As to be expected, a number of local officials were happy to have the work finally completed. Here is a sample of what some had to say:
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz
I applaud the MTA for its continuing efforts to improve service in Brooklyn and for the multi-year, $88 million capital project to restore and update the West End D train elevated line. Its completion is also due in no small part to President Obama and Congress—particularly our Democratic Brooklyn delegation—who authorized funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment (Stimulus) Act of 2009. In addition to the restored structures, new artwork and improved communications equipment along several stops on this line, the Bay Parkway Station in particular now has three new ADA-compliant elevators, making the service more accessible than ever for the thousands of Brooklynites who depend on the line every day.
State Senator Martin Golden
This is a great day for the thousands of Brooklynites who start and end their travels in one of these newly renovated West End Line D train stations. I thank the Transit Authority for the work accomplished at these seven stations that has significantly improved the environment for our commuters.
Representative Jerrold Nadler
I am proud to have supported federal funds for this important project, which has provided much-needed investment in mass transit infrastructure in Southern Brooklyn. These repairs to D train stations will improve the quality of life for thousands of Brooklynites in Bensonhurst, Borough Park, and Gravesend who use this well-trafficked line on a daily basis. The project will help disabled commuters, improve safety, ensure the long-term viability of the D line, and has generated good construction and transit jobs.
As you would expect, most paid lip service to get their name in the papers & ride the coattails of a job well done by the agency. We all know many of these would be the first to trash the agency if it served their “brownie point” agenda.
I will say it was nice to see the work completed & if I get the chance, I will take a swing by in the coming weeks to see how everything looks.
xoxo Transit Blogger
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment