Parsons Boulevard station

Parsons Boulevard is an express station on the IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Parsons Boulevard and Hillside Avenue in Queens,[6] it is served by the F train at all times, and the <F> train during rush hours in the peak direction. Limited rush hour E service also stops here due to capacity constraints at its primary terminal of Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer station, located four blocks south.

For other uses, see Parsons Boulevard.

 Parsons Blvd
 ​
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Manhattan bound platform with express tracks
Station statistics
AddressParsons Boulevard & Hillside Avenue
Queens, NY 11432
BoroughQueens
LocaleJamaica
Coordinates40.7077°N 73.8028°W / 40.7077; -73.8028
DivisionB (IND)
LineIND Queens Boulevard Line
Services      E  (limited rush-hour service)
​      F  (all times) <F>  (two rush hour trains, peak direction)
Transit connections NYCT Bus: Q43, Q83
MTA Bus: Q25, Q34, Q65, Q110, Q111, Q112, Q113, Q114
StructureUnderground
Platforms2 island platforms
cross-platform interchange
Tracks4
Other information
OpenedApril 24, 1937 (1937-04-24)[1]
Station code256[2]
Accessiblenot ADA-accessible; accessibility planned
Wireless service[3][4]
Opposite-direction transfer availableYes
Traffic
Passengers (2019)2,086,114[5]  4.1%
Rank227 out of 424[5]
Station succession
Next northJamaica–179th Street (express): E 
169th Street (local): F  <F> ​
Next southSutphin Boulevard (local): F  <F> ​
Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike (express): E 

This station opened on April 24, 1937 as part of an extension of the Independent Subway System's Queens Boulevard Line, and served as a terminal for F trains until the line was extended to 179th Street in 1950. Ridership at this station decreased sharply after the opening of the Archer Avenue lines in 1988.

History

Construction

The Queens Boulevard Line was one of the first built by the city-owned Independent Subway System (IND), and was planned to stretch between the IND Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan and 178th Street and Hillside Avenue in Jamaica, Queens.[7][8] The line was first proposed in 1925.[9] Construction of the line was approved by the New York City Board of Estimate on October 4, 1928.[10] On December 23, 1930, the contract for the construction of the section between 137th Street (now the Van Wyck Expressway) and 178th Street—Route 108, Section 11—was let. This section included the stations at 169th Street, Parsons Boulevard, Sutphin Boulevard, and Briarwood.[11] The contract for this section was awarded to Triest Contracting Corporation.[12] The line was constructed using the cut-and-cover tunneling method, and to allow pedestrians to cross, temporary bridges were built over the trenches.[13]

The first section of the line opened on August 19, 1933 from the connection to the Eighth Avenue Line at 50th Street to Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights.[14] Later that year, a $23 million loan was approved to finance the remainder of the line, along with other IND lines.[15] The remainder of the line was built by the Public Works Administration.[16] In summer 1933 work on this station and 169th Street were completed, far ahead of schedule.[12] In 1934 and 1935, construction of the extension to Jamaica was suspended for 15 months and was halted by strikes.[17] Construction was further delayed due to a strike in 1935, instigated by electricians opposing wages paid by the General Railway Signal Company.[18]

In April 1936, William Jerome Daly, the secretary of the New York City Board of Transportation, stated, in response to requests for a stop at 178th Street, that constructing a station at that location would prevent express service from operating past 71st Avenue. He said that with a final station at 169th Street, express trains could run to Parsons Boulevard, and that if the line was extended to Springfield Boulevard as planned, express service could be extended past 178th Street with a yard east of the new terminal.[19]

In August 1936, construction to Forest Hills was expected to be completed by the end of the year. While the tracks were installed all the way to 178th Street, the stops to the east of Union Turnpike still needed to be tiled, have stairways, turnstiles and lighting installed. Two additional contracts remained to be put up for bid, both the results of last minute changes. One of the changes concerned the line's eastern terminal. Initially, express trains were planned to terminate at a station at 178th Street. However, the plans were changed to terminate the express trains at Parsons Boulevard, requiring the installation of switches. Since construction of the tunnel was already completed in this section, a few hundred feet of the wall separating the eastbound and westbound train tracks had to be removed to fit the two switches.[20] In addition, a new tunnel roof and new side supports had to be constructed.[21] Since the line's new terminal would be at 169th Street, the tracks at 178th Street would be used to turn back trains. This change delayed the opening of the line from Union Turnpike to 169th Street,[21] and also led to protests from the Jamaica Estates Association because the 178th Street station had been eliminated.[20]

A 3.5-mile (5.6 km) extension from Roosevelt Avenue to Kew Gardens opened on December 31, 1936.[22] In March 1937, the extension to 169th Street was expected to be opened on May 1, requiring work to be finished by April 3, and fully approved and tested by April 20. As of this point, minor station work remained, including the installation of light bulbs, with the only major work left to be completed being the final 200 feet (61 m) of track in the 169th Street terminal.[21]

Opening

On April 9, 1937, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia announced that the operation of the $14.4 million extension to Jamaica and express service would begin on April 24. The extension to Hillside Avenue and 178th Street, with a terminal station at 169th Street, opened as planned on April 24, 1937.[23][24][25][1] Service was initially provided by E trains, which began making express stops from 71st Avenues to Queens Plaza during rush hours on the same date, and by EE local trains during non-rush hours. The express service operated between approximately 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.,[16][26] and ran every three to five minutes.[27] This extension was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Parsons Boulevard station and with a parade along Hillside Avenue.[28]

On December 15, 1940, F trains began running via the newly opened IND Sixth Avenue Line, also running express west of 71st Avenue. 169th Street and Parsons Boulevard were both used as terminal stations during this time, with the E terminating at 169th Street and the F at this station.[29] This setup was instituted to prevent congestion at both stations.[30]:123

While 169th Street was the end of the line, F trains terminated at Parsons Boulevard because the 169th Street station provided an unsatisfactory terminal setup for a four-track line. There were no storage facilities provided at the 169th Street station, and since 169th Street was a local station, trains on the outer local tracks had to cross over to the inner express tracks to reverse direction. Therefore, the line was planned to be extended to 184th Place with a station at 179th Street containing two island platforms, sufficient entrances and exits, and storage for four ten-car trains. The facilities would allow for the operation of express and local service to the station.[30] Delayed due to the Great Depression and World War II, the extension was completed later than expected and opened on December 11, 1950.[31][32] E trains were extended there at all times and F trains were extended evenings, nights, and Sunday mornings.[33] On May 13, 1951, all F trains outside of rush hour were extended to 179th Street using the local tracks beyond Parsons Boulevard. On October 8, 1951, trains were extended to 179th Street at all times.[34] During rush hours F trains skipped 169th Street running via the express tracks. At other times, the F stopped at 169th Street.[35]

Changes
Signs showing that some E trains stop on the express tracks during rush hours

In 1976, Hillcrest High School students painted 12 murals in the station.[36] In the 1980s, this station was part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s Neighborhood Adopt-A-Station Program. According to a sign on the wall, the Parsons Boulevard station was adopted by students of Hillcrest High School.[37] Additionally, in 1983, improvements to the Parsons Boulevard station were scheduled as part of an MTA improvement program.[38]

Ridership at this station decreased following the opening of the parallel Archer Avenue lines on December 11, 1988,[39] which was expected to severely lessen congestion at the Sutphin Boulevard, Parsons Boulevard, and 169th Street stations. Ridership checks conducted before and after the opening of the new line showed that ridership at this station, between 5 and 10 a.m. on weekdays, decreased from 10,457 riders to 5,183 riders, a 50% decrease.[40]

In conjunction with the opening of the Archer Avenue lines, service patterns were changed. E trains were rerouted via the new line, running to Jamaica Center, via the Queens Boulevard Line's express tracks, and began running express east of 71st Avenue.[41][42] However, some E trains continued to run from 179th Street as expresses during the morning rush hour, stopping at Parsons Boulevard.[43]:9–10 Service at local stations, such as Sutphin Boulevard, was replaced by the R, which was extended to 179th Street from 71st Avenue. The R extension allowed F trains to continue running express to 179th Street.[44][45] The changes in subway service angered riders at local stations east of 71st Avenue because they lost direct Queens Boulevard Express service. Local elected officials pressured the MTA to eliminate all-local service at these stations.[46] On September 30, 1990, the R was cut back to 71st Avenue outside of rush hours. Local service to 179th Street was replaced by F trains, which provided Queens Boulevard Express service, during middays, evenings, and weekends, and local G service during late nights.[47] In 1992, the MTA decided to have F trains run local east of 71st Avenue on a six-month trial basis to replace R service, which would be cut back to 71st Avenue at all times.[48] The test started on October 26, 1992 and was implemented on a permanent basis six months later, eliminating express service along Hillside Avenue.[49][46]

In 2003, MTA proposed closing 177 part-time token booths, later reduced to 62,[50] across the subway system and replace them with MetroCard Vending Machines and High-Entry/Exit Turnstiles to help cut the MTA's $1 billion deficit. The closure of booths began in August 2003.[51] The station's part-time token booth, which was manned for ​7 1⁄2 hours on weekdays, at 153rd Street was closed on August 17, 2003,[52] and automatic entrance to the 153rd Street exits was provided at all times. Access hours at these entrances were previously 6:15 a.m. to 10:40 p.m.[53][54]

Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Program, the station, along with thirty other New York City Subway stations, were scheduled to undergo a complete overhaul and would have been entirely closed for up to 6 months. Updates would have included cellular service, Wi-Fi, charging stations, improved signage, and improved station lighting.[55][56] However, these renovations are being deferred until the 2020–2024 Capital Program due to a lack of funding.[57] In December 2019, the MTA announced that this station would become ADA-accessible as part of the agency's 2020–2024 Capital Program.[58]

Station layout
Track layout
to 179 St
to 169 St
to Sutphin Bl
to Union Tpke
G Street Level Exit/Entrance
M Mezzanine Fare control, station agent, MetroCard vending machines
P
Platform level		 Southbound local ← toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Sutphin Boulevard)
Island platform, doors will open on the left, right
Southbound express ← toward World Trade Center (rush hours only) (Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike)
Northbound express → toward Jamaica–179th Street (PM rush hours only) (Terminus) →
Island platform, doors will open on the left, right
Northbound local → toward Jamaica–179th Street (169th Street) →

This underground station has four tracks and two island platforms.[59] F trains stop on the outer local tracks at all times[60] while infrequent rush hour E trains stop on the center express tracks.[61][62] The platform and mezzanine columns are I-beams painted maroon-red and the wall tiles along the tracks have an orange trim-line with a black border and name tiles underneath them consisting of "PARSONS" in white lettering on a black background.[63][64] Some of the black columns separating the express tracks have white signs reading "Parsons" in black lettering.[65] There is a usually unmanned signal tower on the southern end of the Manhattan-bound platform.[66]

Above the platforms is a full-length mezzanine that connects the two station entrances at either ends. It allows free crossovers between directions,[67] and has more staircases to the Jamaica-bound platform than the Manhattan-bound one because a crew office was built on the Manhattan-bound side.[68] A free passageway, which allows people to walk through the mezzanine without having to pay a fare, connects the entrances at 153rd Street and Parsons Boulevard.[69] At the Parsons Boulevard end of the station, there is a fenced off storage area.[70] A pump station for draining water after floods is located at the geographical west end of the station at 153rd Street.[71]:27

View of the station entrance at the northeast corner of Hillside Avenue and 153rd Street.

Exits

The main entrance is at the north end of the station. It has a turnstile bank and a full-time token booth,[72] with two street stairs leading to either southern corner of Parsons Boulevard and Hillside Avenue, and a single staircase to the northwest corner.[6] This entrance formerly was the station's full-time entrance.[73][54]

The entrance at the south end is unstaffed, containing HEET turnstiles and three street stairs to the intersection of 153rd Street and Hillside Avenue–one each at the northern, southwest, and southeast corners of the intersection.[6][67][54] The part-time token booth at 153rd Street was removed in 2003.[54]

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References
  1. "New Subway Link to Jamaica Opened; La Guardia, City Officials and Civic Groups Make Trial Run on 10-Car Train". The New York Times. April 25, 1937. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  2. "Station Developers' Information". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  3. "NYC Subway Wireless – Active Stations". Transit Wireless Wifi. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  4. More Subway Stations in Manhattan, Bronx in Line to Get Online, mta.info (March 25, 2015). "The first two phases included stations in Midtown Manhattan and all underground stations in Queens with the exception of the 7 Main St terminal."
  5. "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership 2014–2019". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  6. "Parsons Boulevard Neighborhood Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  7. See:
  8. "Queens Lauded as Best Boro By Chamber Chief". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 23, 1929. p. 40. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  9. "New Subway Routes in Hylan Program to Cost $186,046,000" (PDF). The New York Times. 1925-03-21. p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  10. "$17,146,500 Voted For New Subways; Estimate Board Appropriates More Than $9,000,000 for Lines in Brooklyn. $6,490,000 For The Bronx Smaller Items for Incidental Work --Approves the Proposed Queens Boulevard Route". The New York Times. October 5, 1928. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  11. "178th Street Subway Stop Now Assured. Place Is Designated for Station by Transportation Board" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. December 1, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  12. "New Subway to Jamaica Ahead of Schedule Time". New York Daily News. September 17, 1933. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  13. Hirshon, Nicholas; Romano, Foreword by Ray (January 1, 2013). Forest Hills. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-9785-0.
  14. "Two Subway Links Opened In Queens" (PDF). The New York Times. August 19, 1933. p. 13. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  15. "Unfinished Sections of Subway Lines To Be Completed" (PDF). The New York Sun. December 13, 1933. p. 47. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  16. "Trains Testing Jamaica Link Of City Subway". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 10, 1937. p. 3. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  17. Neufeld, Ernest (August 23, 1936). "Men Toil Under Earth to Build Subway" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. p. 2 (Section 2). Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  18. See:
  19. "Last Jamaica Subway Stop May Be at 169th Street. Can't Have Expresses and Distance, Too, Official Says" (PDF). Long Island Sunday Press. April 26, 1936. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  20. Neufeld, Ernest (August 23, 1936). "Men Toil Under Earth to Build Subway" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. p. 2 (Section 2). Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  21. "Two Crews Rush to Finish Last 200 Feet of Subwav: Work Must End April 3 to Allow Time for Tests" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. March 19, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  22. "City Subway Opens Queens Link Today". The New York Times. December 31, 1936. p. 3. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  23. Kramer, Frederick A. (1990). Building the Independent Subway. Quadrant Press. ISBN 978-0-915276-50-9.
  24. "Subway Link Opens Soon: City Line to Jamaica Will Start About April 24" (PDF). The New York Times. March 17, 1937. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  25. "Trial Run to Jamaica on Subway Tomorrow: Section From Kew Gardens to 169th Street Will Open to Public in Two Weeks" (PDF). The New York Times. April 9, 1937. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  26. "Jamaica Will Greet Subway" (PDF). The New York Sun. April 23, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  27. "Transit Link Open Today; 8th Ave. Line Extended to Jamaica—Celebration Arranged". The New York Times. April 24, 1937. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  28. "LaGuardia Heads Speakers Marking Subway Opening Ceremonies Planned Saturday Celebrating Hillside Avenue Extension" (PDF). North Shore Daily Journal. April 23, 2017. p. 3. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  29. See:
  30. Report including analysis of operations of the New York City transit system for five years, ended June 30, 1945. New York City: Board of Transportation of the City of New York. 1945. hdl:2027/mdp.39015020928621.
  31. "Subway Link Opens Monday" (PDF). The New York Times. December 6, 1950. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  32. See:
  33. See:
  34. "All 'F' Trains Will Run to 179 Street". Long Island Star-Journal. Fultonhistory.com. October 4, 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  35. "Queens Subway Changes: Parsons Boulevard, 179th Street Stations Are Accepted" (PDF). New York Times. October 4, 1951. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  36. "12 Murals to Decorate Parsons Blvd. Station". The New York Times. 1976-10-29. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
  37. Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "An old adopt a station sign for the Hillcrest High School for cleaning I suppose, don't think this program still exists". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  38. Goldman, Ari L. (1983-04-28). "M.t.a. Making Major Addition to Capital Plan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
  39. Johnson, Kirk (December 9, 1988). "Big Changes For Subways Are to Begin". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  40. See:
  41. Johnson, Kirk (December 9, 1988). "Big Changes For Subways Are to Begin". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  42. Alternatives Analysis/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Queens Subway Options Study. United States Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Urban Mass Transit Administration. May 1990. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  43. Archer Avenue Corridor Transit Service Proposal. New York City Transit Authority, Operations Planning Department. August 1988.
  44. Polsky, Carol (December 11, 1988). "New Subway Line Finally Rolling Through Queens". Newsday.
  45. "Archer Avenue Extension Opens December 11". Welcome Aboard: Newsletter of the New York City Transit Authority. New York City Transit Authority. 1 (4): 1. 1988.
  46. "Service Change Monitoring Report Six Month Evaluation of F/R Queens Boulevard Line Route Restructure" (PDF). www.laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny.edu. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 1993. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  47. "Service Changes September 30, 1990" (PDF). subwaynut.com. New York City Transit Authority. September 30, 1990. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  48. "Van Wyck Blvd Station" (PDF). www.laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny.edu. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 1992. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  49. "October 1992 New York City Subway Map". Flickr. New York City Transit Authority. October 1992. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  50. "An Examination of the Finances of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority April 2003" (PDF). Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for the City of New York. April 2003. p. 35. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  51. Newman, Philip (August 6, 2003). "Closing of token booths draws near for borough". Queens Courier. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  52. Newman, Philip (August 13, 2003). "MTA to close token booths at 9 boro sites". Queens Courier. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  53. Markowitz, Michael (February 24, 2003). "Token Booth Closings". Gotham Gazette. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  54. "Parsons Boulevard Token Booth Closure" (PDF). mta.info. 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 18, 2003. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  55. Whitford, Emma. "MTA Will Completely Close 30 Subway Stations For Months-Long "Revamp"". Gothamist. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  56. "MTAStations" (PDF). governor.ny.gov. Government of the State of New York. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  57. Berger, Paul (April 3, 2018). "New York Subway Cuts Back Plans to Renovate Stations". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  58. "Press Release - MTA Headquarters - MTA Announces 20 Additional Subway Stations to Receive Accessibility Improvements Under Proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan". MTA. December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  59. Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
  60. "F Subway Timetable, Effective November 17, 2019" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  61. "E Subway Timetable, Effective November 17, 2019" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  62. Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "A limited rush hour service E train stopped on the express track beneath its sign". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  63. Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "A close up of the 'parsons' text on a column at Parsons Blvd". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  64. Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "The orange wall trim that's three tiles wide and the 1/2 tile black border with Parsons letting one full tile below it along the local track walls at Parsons Blvd". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  65. Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "Original, now very dirty, black lettering on a white background 'Parsons' signs are still intact along the columns between the express tracks". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  66. Cox, Jeremiah (February 9, 2004). "Looking down towards the very end of the Jamaica-bound platform at Parsons Blvd". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  67. Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "A view down the mezzanine to the HEET exit to 153 Street at Parsons Blvd". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  68. Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "This non-public area has been built in a portion of the middle of the mezzanine". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  69. Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "The long out of fare control passageway to the 24 hour booth". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  70. Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "There is a fenced off storage area at the Parson's Blvd end of the mezzanine". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  71. "August 8, 2007 Storm Report" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 20, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
  72. Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "The one station token booth, the mezzanine is so wide it is just plopped in the middle of it". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  73. Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "Exit to 153 St or the 24 hour booth, an old Standard font sign". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
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