MTA's $72M subway renovations will begin with three Brooklyn stations

Recall when Governor Andrew Cuomo revealed plans to bring big changes to the city’s subway system? Well apparently, it’s happening: first the MTA introduced Wi-Fi into all 279 of the system’s stations and now the agency has announced that the first set of 30 subway stations to receive a facelift will be three stations along the R line in Brooklyn.

The Prospect Avenue, Bay Ridge Avenue, and 53rd Street trains stations on the R line will each close for a six-month period to receive “extensive renovations” as part of the MTA and Governor Cuomo’s $72 million Enhanced Station Initiative. Once the work is complete, each station will debut with new platform edges, LED lighting, granite floors, improved station signage, new stairs, increased security cameras and Help Points, as well as upgraded electrical and communications systems. Commuters will also get to enjoy electronic charging stations, new benches, and new station art.

“These first three stations to be renovated represent the start of a new age for our subway system,” said MTA Interim Executive Director Ronnie Hakim.

Rather than altering service around stations as they are under construction, the MTA has opted to completely close each station for a period of six month to allow for quicker completion. Luckily, all three stations will not close at once. The MTA has employed a single contractor that will work on one station at a time as a way to save money and shortened the overall length of construction.

Beginning March 27th, the 53rd Street Station will close for service in both directions; the Bay Ridge Avenue station is scheduled to close on April 29th for six months; and the Prospect Avenue station is scheduled to close on June 5th for six months.

Renovations for all stations in the project are expected to be complete by 2020.

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