MTA New York City Transit today announced that the Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy subway station will undergo a transformative intermodal project beginning in May to increase accessibility and improve customer amenities at the Brooklyn terminus of the  line, which is also a major bus transfer point for thousands of eastern Brooklyn residents. The station will remain open to service during the construction. 

“The Rockaway Parkway station is the only link between the subway and buses in this part of eastern Brooklyn, which is why it’s so important that this station be accessible to anyone using public transit here,” said NYC Transit President Andy Byford.  “With this expansive improvement project, we’re making sure that whether you’re a subway or a bus customer -- or very likely both -- you will have seamless access to every part of the station and that you have the amenities for a comfortable and clean commute.”  

“We’re continuing to work hard to increase accessibility throughout the New York City Transit system, including looking at places where we can get that done quickly and without a huge impact to customers,” said Alex Elegudin, NYCT Senior Advisor for Systemwide Accessibility. “Enhancing the accessibility at Rockaway Parkway is a win-win for everyone because the improvements benefit both bus and subway customers and help us move closer to our goal of having an accessible station not more than two stops away for any customer.”

The Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy station, which opened for service 113 years ago, is unique in that it is one of the few street-level stations in the subway system and bus stops are integrated within the station property. Due to its intermodal nature, the station was prioritized to improve its existing accessibility features for thousands of customers who transfer between buses and subways there and to enhance the overall station environment.

While the station is currently accessible, the improvements will bring the station to a higher level of usability with additional accessibility features. The entire project will include rehabilitating the intermodal bus terminal, creating designated bus stops with a new sidewalk curb for bus ramps to extend to the appropriate height for wheelchair access, rehabilitating the subway station house, upgrading the station agent booth with wheelchair-user height amenities, constructing an accessible unisex bathroom, adding new crew facilities, replacing doors and windows, installing new roofs, constructing new accessible sidewalks, adding turnstiles and accessible subway platform edges, repairing the station’s island platform, and regrading all station ramps.

The first phase of the project, which will focus on the bus terminal, begins on Monday, May 13. During this phase, the B6 and B42 stops will be temporarily relocated to nearby streets until fall 2019. B42 buses will terminate on Rockaway Parkway between Glenwood Road and Smiths Lane at the existing B60 stop. Westbound B6 buses will stop on Rockaway Parkway between Glenwood Road and Conklin Avenue. Once this phase is completed, the B6, B42 and B82 local routes and B82 Select Bus Service will stop at the station.

More than 12,000 customers enter the subway system through the Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy station every weekday, and half of those customers transfer between buses and the subway at that station. As a reminder, transfers between MTA buses and subways are free with MetroCards, and beginning 12:01 a.m. on May 13 through the construction on the bus terminal in the station, an additional free MetroCard transfer is available for customers who use the B42 route during the course of their journey. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2020.