53rd Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)

53rd Street
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Northbound R train arriving at the platform
Station statistics
Address	53rd Street & Fourth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11220
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Sunset Park
Coordinates	40°38′37″N 74°0′55.86″W / 40.64361°N 74.0155167°W / 40.64361; -74.0155167Coordinates: 40°38′37″N 74°0′55.86″W / 40.64361°N 74.0155167°W / 40.64361; -74.0155167
Division	B (BMT)
Line	BMT Fourth Avenue Line
Services	N  (late nights)       R  (all times)       W  (limited rush hour service only)
Transit connections	New York City Bus: B11; B37 (on Third Avenue); B63 (on Fifth Avenue)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	June 22, 1915 (102 years ago) (1915-06-22)
Closed	March 27, 2017; 6 months ago (2017-03-27) (reconstruction)
Rebuilt	September 8, 2017; 45 days ago (2017-09-08)
Station code	034
Wireless service
Other entrances/ exits	Fourth Avenue and 53rd Street, Fourth Avenue and 52nd Street (southbound only)
Traffic
Passengers (2016)	2,334,471  1.7%
Rank	216 out of 422
Station succession
Next north	45th Street: N  R  W
Next south	59th Street: N  R  W
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops late nights only Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York Show map of the US

External video

Enhanced Station Initiative: 53 St Station Grand Opening

53rd Street is a local station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 53rd Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, it is served by the R train at all times, several W trains during rush hours, and the N train during late nights only.

This station opened on June 22, 1915 as part of the initial portion of the BMT Fourth Avenue Line to 59th Street, one station to the south from here.

This station was overhauled in the late 1970s. The Transit Authority repaired the station's structure and appearance, particularly the staircases and platform edges. The overhaul also replaced the original wall tiles, trim line, signs, and incandescent lighting. The "new" station walls originally contained cinderblock tiles (colored gray with yellow indentation), black and white signs, and fluorescent lights.

Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Plan, the station, along with thirty other New York City Subway stations, underwent a complete overhaul as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative and was entirely closed for 5 months. Updates included cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories and maps, improved signage, and improved station lighting. From January to May 2016, Grimshaw Architects worked on a design for the station's renovation, with Arup Group acting as a consultant.

The award for Package 1 of the renovations, which covered renovations at the Prospect Avenue, 53rd Street, and Bay Ridge Avenue stations on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line, was awarded on November 30, 2016. Citnalta-Forte Joint Venture was selected to renovate the three stations under a $72 million design–build contract, the first such contract in the subway system's history. The station was closed on March 27, 2017 for these renovations, and reopened on September 8, 2017, ahead of schedule.