Avenue U station (IND Culver Line)

Avenue U
Avenue U
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
	Platforms view
Station statistics
Address	Avenue U & McDonald Avenue; Brooklyn, New York
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Gravesend
Coordinates	40°35′46.14″N 73°58′23.95″W / 40.5961500°N 73.9733194°W
Division	B (IND, formerly BMT)
Line	IND Culver Line; BMT Culver Line (formerly)
Services	F (all times) <F> (two rush hour trains, peak direction)
Transit	NYCT Bus: B3
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	3 (2 in regular service)
Other information
Opened	May 10, 1919 (105 years ago)
Opposite-; direction; transfer	Yes
Former/other names	Gravesend
Traffic
2023	386,152 15.3%
Rank	402 out of 423
Services
Services
Location
Track layout
	Legend
Street map
Station service legend
Symbol	Description
	Stops all times
	Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service)
	Stops weekdays and weekday late nights

The Avenue U station is a local station on the IND Culver Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Avenue U and McDonald Avenue in Gravesend, Brooklyn. It is served by the F train at all times and the <F> train during rush hours in the peak direction.

History

As part of Contract 4 of the Dual Contracts, between the city and the BRT, a three-track elevated railway was built above the surface Culver Line from the Fifth Avenue Elevated southeast and south to Coney Island.^[3] The Culver Line was operated as a branch of the Fifth Avenue Elevated, with a free transfer at Ninth Avenue to the West End Line into the Fourth Avenue Subway.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7] Avenue U station opened as the line was extended from Kings Highway at noon on May 10, 1919.^[8]^[9]^[10]

On October 30, 1954,^[11]^[12] this station began being served by IND D Concourse Express trains operating to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue as the connection between the IND South Brooklyn Line at Church Avenue and the BMT Culver Line at Ditmas Avenue opened.^[13]^[14] BMT Culver Line (5) trains were truncated to Ditmas Avenue, the south end of the connection, operating through to Manhattan via the Nassau Street Loop during the day, and terminating at Ninth Avenue at other times.^[15]^[16] This Culver Shuttle became full-time on May 28, 1959, and was discontinued in 1975.^[17]^[18]^[19]

From June 7, 2016, to May 8, 2017, the Coney Island-bound platform of this station was closed for renovations as part of a $140 million renewal project on the Culver Line.^[20]^[21]^[22]^[23] The Manhattan-bound platform was closed for a longer period of time, from May 22, 2017, until July 30, 2018.^[24]^[25]

Station layout

Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound local	← toward Jamaica–179th Street (Kings Highway)
	Peak-direction express	→ No regular service
	Southbound local	→ toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Avenue X) →
	Side platform
Mezzanine		Fare control, station agent, MetroCard and OMNY machines
Ground	Street level	Entrance/exit

This station has two side platforms and three tracks with the middle track unused in revenue service.^[26] The two platforms have beige windscreens and green canopies that run for nearly the entire length. The north end has black waist-level fences only. The platform signs consist of black boards with "Avenue U" in white lettering.

Exits

This station has two entrances with the full-time one at the north end. From each platform, one staircase leads down to an elevated station-house beneath the tracks, where a bank of turnstiles and token booth are present. Outside fare control are two street stairs to the two northern corners Avenue U and McDonald Avenue.^[27]

At the south end of the station are unstaffed exits leading to Gravesend Neck Road. From each platform, a single staircase goes down to a short wooden landing outside of a sealed station house where a full-height turnstile and emergency gate provide exit from the system. Another staircase then goes down to the street. The Coney Island-bound side is exit-only while the Manhattan-bound side is HEET turnstile access. The station house, now used as an employee-only facility, was once opened to the public and had a booth.^[27]

References

^ "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
^ New York Public Service Commission, New Subways For New York: The Dual System of Rapid Transit, June 1913
^ The New York Times, B.R.T. Will Open Culver Line Elevated Road as Far as Kings Highway on Sunday Next, March 9, 1919, page 23
^ The New York Times, Culver Line Open Today, March 16, 1919, page 8
^ Frederick J. H. Kracke, Public Service Commissioner, The New York Times, New Rapid Transit Link in Operation, March 16, 1919, page 106
^ The New York Times, Culver Elevated Opens, March 17, 1919, page 21
^ Legislative Documents. J.B. Lyon Company. January 1, 1920.
^ The New York Times, New Transit Line Opened, May 11, 1919, page 25
^ The New York Times, New Culver Extension, May 18, 1919, page 116
^ Chiasson, George (May 2010). "A History of the F (and V) Train Service". New York Division Bulletin. 53 (5). Electric Railroaders' Association: 1, 4.
^ Culver Line Ceremonies
^ The New York Times, Adequate Transit Promised for City, October 29, 1954, page 25
^ Sparberg, Andrew J. (October 1, 2014). From a Nickel to a Token: The Journey from Board of Transportation to MTA. Fordham University Press. ISBN 978-0-8232-6190-1.
^ The New York Times, Bronx to Coney Ride in New Subway Link, October 18, 1954, page 34
^ The New York Times, Bronx-Coney Line is Opened by IND, October 31, 1954, page 73
^ "BMT Acts to Speed Rush-Hour Service" (PDF). The New York Times. May 21, 1959. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
^ Muir, Hugh O. (June 8, 1959). "TA Says End Of Culver Line Speeds BMT". New York World-Telegram. Fultonhistory.com. p. B1. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
^ Hanley, Robert (May 12, 1975). "Brooklyn's Culver Shuttle Makes Festive Final Run". The New York Times. p. 20. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
^ "Feasibility and Analysis of F Express Service in Brooklyn" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
^ "Coney Island-bound F subway trains will not stop at Avenue I, Bay Pkwy, Avenue N, Avenue P, Avenue U, and Avenue X until early 2017". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2016. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
^ "Coney Island-bound Service Restored". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
^ "New York City Subway Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
^ "New York City Subway Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
^ "$140 Million Culver F subway Line Station Renewal Project Begins Next Phase". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 18, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
^ Dougherty, Peter (2020). Tracks of the New York City Subway 2020 (16th ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 1056711733.
^ ^a ^b "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Coney Island" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2016.

External links

nycsubway.org – BMT Culver Line: Avenue U
Station Reporter — F train
The Subway Nut — Avenue U Pictures
Avenue U entrance from Google Maps Street View
Gravesend Neck Road exit only from Google Maps Street View
Platforms from Google Maps Street View (During 2016-2018 Renovation)

[SASDEIS-DIVISION-1] "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.

[riderref-2] "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.

[3] New York Public Service Commission, New Subways For New York: The Dual System of Rapid Transit, June 1913

[Kings-4] The New York Times, B.R.T. Will Open Culver Line Elevated Road as Far as Kings Highway on Sunday Next, March 9, 1919, page 23

[5] The New York Times, Culver Line Open Today, March 16, 1919, page 8

[6] Frederick J. H. Kracke, Public Service Commissioner, The New York Times, New Rapid Transit Link in Operation, March 16, 1919, page 106

[7] The New York Times, Culver Elevated Opens, March 17, 1919, page 21

[:1-8] Legislative Documents. J.B. Lyon Company. January 1, 1920.

[X-9] The New York Times, New Transit Line Opened, May 11, 1919, page 25

[X2-10] The New York Times, New Culver Extension, May 18, 1919, page 116

[NYERA-Culver2-May2010-11] Chiasson, George (May 2010). "A History of the F (and V) Train Service". New York Division Bulletin. 53 (5). Electric Railroaders' Association: 1, 4.

[12] Culver Line Ceremonies

[NYTImes-AdequateTransit-19542-13] The New York Times, Adequate Transit Promised for City, October 29, 1954, page 25

[Sparberg2014-14] Sparberg, Andrew J. (October 1, 2014). From a Nickel to a Token: The Journey from Board of Transportation to MTA. Fordham University Press. ISBN 978-0-8232-6190-1.

[15] The New York Times, Bronx to Coney Ride in New Subway Link, October 18, 1954, page 34

[16] The New York Times, Bronx-Coney Line is Opened by IND, October 31, 1954, page 73

[17] "BMT Acts to Speed Rush-Hour Service" (PDF). The New York Times. May 21, 1959. Retrieved September 4, 2016.

[18] Muir, Hugh O. (June 8, 1959). "TA Says End Of Culver Line Speeds BMT". New York World-Telegram. Fultonhistory.com. p. B1. Retrieved September 5, 2016.

[19] Hanley, Robert (May 12, 1975). "Brooklyn's Culver Shuttle Makes Festive Final Run". The New York Times. p. 20. Retrieved September 5, 2016.

[MTA-FExpStudy-May201622-20] "Feasibility and Analysis of F Express Service in Brooklyn" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016.

[21] "Coney Island-bound F subway trains will not stop at Avenue I, Bay Pkwy, Avenue N, Avenue P, Avenue U, and Avenue X until early 2017". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2016. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.

[22] "Coney Island-bound Service Restored". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.

[23] "New York City Subway Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.

[24] "New York City Subway Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.

[25] "$140 Million Culver F subway Line Station Renewal Project Begins Next Phase". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 18, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.

[tracks-26] Dougherty, Peter (2020). Tracks of the New York City Subway 2020 (16th ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 1056711733.

[MTA-NameofNeighborhood-2015-27] "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Coney Island" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2016.

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v t e Stations of the New York City Subway, by service
Queens Blvd Express/ Sixth Avenue Local	Jamaica–179th Street 169th Street Parsons Boulevard Sutphin Boulevard Briarwood Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike 75th Avenue Forest Hills–71st Avenue Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue 21st Street–Queensbridge Roosevelt Island Lexington Avenue–63rd Street 57th Street 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center 42nd Street–Bryant Park/Fifth Avenue 34th Street–Herald Square 23rd Street 14th Street West Fourth Street–Washington Square Broadway–Lafayette Street/Bleecker Street Second Avenue Delancey Street East Broadway York Street Jay Street–MetroTech Bergen Street Carroll Street Smith–Ninth Streets Fourth Avenue Seventh Avenue 15th Street–Prospect Park Fort Hamilton Parkway Church Avenue Ditmas Avenue 18th Avenue Avenue I Bay Parkway Avenue N Avenue P Kings Highway Avenue U Avenue X Neptune Avenue West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Queens Blvd Express/ Sixth Avenue Local (Rush Hour Express)	Jamaica–179th Street 169th Street Parsons Boulevard Sutphin Boulevard Briarwood Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike 75th Avenue Forest Hills–71st Avenue Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue 21st Street–Queensbridge Roosevelt Island Lexington Avenue–63rd Street 57th Street 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center 42nd Street–Bryant Park 34th Street–Herald Square 23rd Street 14th Street West Fourth Street–Washington Square Broadway–Lafayette Street Second Avenue Delancey Street East Broadway York Street Jay Street–MetroTech Seventh Avenue Church Avenue Ditmas Avenue 18th Avenue Avenue I Bay Parkway Avenue N Avenue P Kings Highway Avenue U Avenue X Neptune Avenue West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
See also Lists by borough (The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens) Accessible Closed Terminals Transfer Commons category Note: Service variations, station closures, and reroutes are not reflected here. Stations with asterisks have no regular peak, reverse peak, or midday service on that route. See linked articles for more information.