The Prospect Av station on the  line in Brooklyn is scheduled to close on Monday, June 5, as MTA New York City Transit advances its new “Enhanced Station Initiative,” which will modernize and upgrade more than 30 stations throughout the subway system.

Prospect Av is the third  station along Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn to temporarily close in both directions to accommodate an extensive overhaul of the station. Bay Ridge Av  closed on Saturday, April 29, and the 53 St  station closed on March 27, with work expected to be completed within six months at each station. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is spending $72 million on the renovations at these three stations.

The “Enhanced Station Initiative” will renovate subway stations with modern technology, enhanced customer amenities and better wayfinding with new entrances with canopies and electronic display screens, brighter lighting on platforms, and other elements such as benches or leaning bars. MTA New York City Transit plans to overhaul more than 30 stations across the subway system, some of which are more than a century old, and to redesign them for better wayfinding and customer flow.

“Once the renovations at Prospect Av are complete in fall 2017 and all three stations are fully reopened, this first group of upgraded stations will show customers that these temporary closures were well worth the wait. The stations will have amenities that our customers use every day, which means everyone who takes the subway in those communities can reap the benefits of improved features like redesigned wayfinding and brighter, more comfortable platform environments,” said New York City Transit Acting President Darryl Irick.

During the Prospect Av station closure, customers can use nearby  stations such as 4 Av-9 St or 25 St by taking the B37 or B63 buses. B37 customers (days/evenings) going to the 4 Av-9  station can walk to the bus stop at Third Avenue at 20^th Street or Third Avenue at 15^th Street. Customers going to 25 St  can walk to bus stops at Third Avenue at 14^th Street or Third Avenue at 21^st Street. Both  stations also can be reached via the B63 bus (all hours), with stops at Fifth Avenue and Prospect Av and Fifth Avenue at 18^th Street. MTA New York City Transit staff will closely monitor these alternative routes and make service adjustments if needed.

MTA New York City Transit is using a single-contractor design-build method to cut construction time and save money. The contractor, Citnalta-Forte Joint Venture, was awarded the contract in late 2016 for the overhaul, which includes infrastructure work such as concrete and steel repairs; new platform edges; waterproofing; track wall and platform wall repairs; new granite flooring; new stair finishes; glass barriers in station mezzanines; new LED lighting; and improved station signage. Other work will include:

Station entrances

All entrances will be refurbished and receive new handrails, stair treads, wall tiles, totems and digital screens providing real-time service information at the street level before customers enter the station. Canopies will be installed at select key entrances.

Turnstile areas

Walls and ceilings will be repaired, and new granite flooring, informational dashboards and glass barriers will be installed.

Mezzanines and platforms

LED light fixtures for brighter, more secure areas will be installed, along with security cameras and Help Point Intercoms. Digital screens for real-time arrival information and informational dashboards will be installed. Customer amenities include new station art; electronics charging stations built into station furnishings; new platform edges, and new benches and leaning bars.

The “Enhanced Station Initiative” project is part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s robust package of enhancements and capital investments to improve reliability, capacity and the customer experience inside stations. These stations will have Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity, intuitive wayfinding, and other features that customers will see or use on their daily commutes.

High-resolution renderings of the station renovations are available here.