Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station

TheAtlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station(formerlyAtlantic Avenue/Pacific Street station) is aNew York City Subwaystationcomplex shared by theBMT Fourth Avenue Line,theBMT Brighton Lineand theIRT Eastern Parkway Line.Named afterAtlantic Avenueand theBarclays Centerarena, it is located atFourthandFlatbush Avenues' intersections with Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street inDowntown Brooklyn.The complex is served by the2,4,D,N,QandRtrains at all times; the3train at all times except late nights; the5andBtrains on weekdays during the day; and a few rush-hourWtrains.

Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center ​​​​​​​
New York City Subwaystation complex
Entrance fromBarclays Center
Station statistics
Address	Atlantic Avenue, Pacific Street, Flatbush Avenue & Fourth Avenue Brooklyn, New York
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Downtown Brooklyn
Coordinates	40°41′04″N73°58′42″W
Division	A(IRT),B(BMT)
Line	BMT Fourth Avenue Line BMT Brighton Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line
Services	2(all times) ​3(all except late nights) ​4(all times) ​5(weekdays only)​ B(weekday rush hours, middays and early evenings) ​D(all times) N(all times) ​Q(all times)​ R(all times) ​W(limited rush hour service only)​
Transit	NYCT Bus:B37,B41,B45,B63,B65,B67 MTA Bus:B103 LIRRAtlantic Terminal
Levels	3
Other information
Opened	November 26, 1967(1967-11-26)(transfer between Brighton Line and Eastern Parkway Line) January 16, 1978(1978-01-16)(transfer between Fourth Avenue Line and rest of complex)
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Traffic
2023	9,583,506 13%
Rank	20 out of 423
Location
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops all times Stops weekdays during the day Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only
Atlantic Avenue Control House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
MPS	Interborough Rapid Transit Subway Control Houses TR
NRHP referenceNo.	80002643
Added to NRHP	May 6, 1980
Atlantic Avenue Subway Station (IRT and BMT)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
MPS	New York City Subway System MPS
NRHP referenceNo.	04001023
Added to NRHP	September 17, 2004

The Eastern Parkway Line platforms at Atlantic Avenue were built for theInterborough Rapid Transit Company(IRT) as a terminal station on thecity's first subway line,which opened on May 1, 1908. The Fourth Avenue Line platforms of theBrooklyn Rapid Transit Company(BRT; laterBrooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporationor BMT) opened in 1915 as the Pacific Street station. As part of theDual Contracts,the Brighton Line platform at Atlantic Avenue opened in 1920, and the Eastern Parkway Line platforms were modified to accommodate local and express service. There was also a station on the elevatedFifth Avenue Lineat Atlantic Avenue, which operated from 1888 to 1940 and was not connected to the subway complex. Several modifications have been made to the complex over the years, and all three stations were connected to each other withinfare controlby 1978. The complex was renovated in the early 2000s. The control house has been listed on theNational Register of Historic Placessince 1980, while the Brighton Line and Eastern Parkway Line stations have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004.

The Eastern Parkway Line station under Flatbush Avenue has twoside platforms,oneisland platform,and four tracks, while the parallel Brighton Line station has one island platform and two tracks. The Fourth Avenue Line station, running to the west under Fourth Avenue, has two island platforms and four tracks. The platforms are connected to each other and to theLong Island Rail Road(LIRR)'sAtlantic Terminalby several passageways. Numerous elevators make the complex compliant with theAmericans with Disabilities Act of 1990(ADA). As of 2023, it is the busiest subway station in Brooklyn and the 20th busiest station in the system, with nearly 10 million passengers.

History

Original subway

Construction

The landmarked Atlantic Avenue control house's exterior (top) and interior (bottom)

Planning for asubwayline in New York City dates to 1864.However, development of what would become thecity's first subway linedid not start until 1894, when theNew York State Legislaturepassed the Rapid Transit Act.The subway plans were drawn up by a team of engineers led byWilliam Barclay Parsons,the Rapid Transit Commission's chief engineer.The Rapid Transit Construction Company, organized byJohn B. McDonaldand funded byAugust Belmont Jr.,signed the initial Contract 1 with the Rapid Transit Commission in February 1900,in which it would construct the subway and maintain a 50-year operating lease from the opening of the line.In 1901, the firm ofHeins & LaFargewas hired to design the underground stations.Belmont incorporated theInterborough Rapid Transit Company(IRT) in April 1902 to operate the subway.

Several days after Contract 1 was signed, the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners instructed Parsons to evaluate the feasibility of extending the subway south toSouth Ferry,and then toBrooklyn.On January 24, 1901, the Board adopted a route that would extend the subway from City Hall to theLong Island Rail Road(LIRR)'sFlatbush Avenueterminal station (now known as Atlantic Terminal) in Brooklyn, via theJoralemon Street Tunnelunder theEast River.Contract 2, which gave the IRT a 35-year lease, was executed between the commission and the Rapid Transit Construction Company on September 11, 1902.Work under Fulton Street and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn commenced in April 1904.The IRT line in Brooklyn had been proposed as a two-track line under Fulton Street, expanding to three tracks under Flatbush Avenue.Belmont submitted a revised proposal to the Rapid Transit Commission in April 1905 to widen the line to four tracks.

Opening

The Joralemon Street Tunnel opened in January 1908 between Lower Manhattan and a temporary terminus atBorough Hall,the first underground subway station in Brooklyn.The line was to extend three more stops to Atlantic Avenue; this extension was nearly complete by March, except for the Atlantic Avenue station.The extension opened on May 1, 1908; the first train, an express from Manhattan, leftBowling Greenat 1:02 a.m. and entered Atlantic Avenue sixteen minutes later.The extension's opening was marked with a parade and a poem praising Belmont.According toThe New York Times,the extension was "regarded as of the utmost importance" because it connected the IRT with the LIRR for the first time.The extension relieved congestion at the overcrowded Borough Hall station;trains from Atlantic Avenue were already crowded by the time they reached Borough Hall.

The Atlantic Avenue station originally had two tracks, with oneisland platformand twoside platformsin aSpanish solutionarrangement.Initially, the station was served by express trains along both the West Side (now theBroadway–Seventh Avenue LinetoVan Cortlandt Park–242nd Street) and East Side (now theLenox Avenue Line).Lenox local trains to145th Streetserved the station during late nights.TheBrooklyn Rapid Transit Company(BRT) extended its streetcar lines to the Atlantic Avenue station when the IRT extension opened.The LIRR and IRT also held discussions on the feasibility of running LIRR trains onto the IRT tracks tothe Bronx,but this was not done because the LIRR did not have enough rolling stock.

Tilework in original station

To address overcrowding, in 1909, theNew York Public Service Commissionproposed lengthening the platforms at stations along the original IRT subway.As part of a modification to the IRT's construction contracts made on January 18, 1910, the company was to lengthen station platforms to accommodate ten-car express and six-car local trains. In addition to $1.5 million (equivalent to $49.1 million in 2023) spent on platform lengthening, $500,000 (equivalent to $16.4 million in 2023) was spent on building additional entrances and exits. It was anticipated that these improvements would increase capacity by 25 percent.The island platform at the Atlantic Avenue station on the modern Eastern Parkway Line was extended 105 feet (32 m) to the east.On January 23 and 24, 1911, ten-car express trains began running.

Dual Contracts expansion

After the original IRT opened, the city began planning new lines. As early as 1903, Parsons had proposed constructing a four-track extension of the IRT line under Flatbush Avenue, running southeast from Atlantic Avenue toGrand Army Plaza;from there, two branches would have extended south toFlatbushand east toBrownsville.This plan did not progress for a decade due to various disputes over the original subway.Nonetheless, the Atlantic Avenue station was never intended as the permanent terminus of the line, and various proposals for extensions and spurs were put forth.In 1908, the IRT unsuccessfully proposed a two-track subway line across theManhattan BridgetoCanal Streetin Manhattan;this line would have used the outer tracks at the Atlantic Avenue andNevins Streetstations, then diverged from the original line to cross the Manhattan Bridge.

Fourth Avenue Line

The Fourth Avenue Line station was originally known as Pacific Street.

TheNew York City Board of Estimateapproved the construction of theFourth Avenue Line,a subway line running underFourth Avenue,in early 1908.Contracts for the Fourth Avenue Line were awarded on May 22, 1908, for the section between 43rd Street and the Manhattan Bridge, but the Board of Estimate did not approve them until October 29, 1909, when a taxpayer's lawsuit regarding the city's debt was settled.Groundbreaking for the first section of the subway, betweenDeKalb Avenueand 43rd Street (ending at36th Street), took place on November 13, 1909, atDeKalb AvenueandFlatbush Avenue,after the plans and surveys for the line were completed.The Fourth Avenue Line was assigned to the BRT (after 1923, theBrooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporationor BMT) in theDual Contracts,a series of contracts for the construction, rehabilitation, and operation of rapid transit lines in New York City, which were adopted on March 4, 1913.

William Bradley built the portion of the line from the intersection of Fulton Street and Ashland Place to the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Sackett Street, including the Pacific Street station.This section passed under the existing IRT subway and required the relocation of a sewer.Because of the presence of the sewer, the section under Flatbush Avenue was built in two pieces; the eastern part of the tunnel was built first, followed by the western part.The president of the IRT wrote a letter to the Public Service Commission, complaining that the Fourth Avenue Line's construction was damaging the IRT station at Atlantic Avenue.The South Brooklyn Board of Trade proposed in 1910 to change the Pacific Street station from an express stop to a local stop, as well as changing theNinth StreetandDeKalb Avenuestations from local to express stops, but this was not done.By January 1912, the tunnel containing the Pacific Street station had been completed, and contractors were installing station finishes.D. C. Serber received a contract to install the station finish along the northbound local track, as well as various other station finishes, in early June 1915.

The Pacific Street station opened on June 22, 1915, as part of an extension of the subway toConey Island,which included the Fourth Avenue Line north of59th Streetas well as the entireSea Beach Line.The station's opening was marked with a competition between two trains heading fromChambers Street stationin Manhattan to the Coney Island station, one heading via theWest End Lineand the other via the Sea Beach Line; the latter got to Coney Island first.As an express station, the Pacific Street station was originally 480 feet (150 m) long to accommodate eight-car trains.Workers also built a passageway from the Fourth Avenue Line's Pacific Street station to the IRT's Atlantic Avenue station, which was completed by late 1915.The tunnel was not opened along with the rest of the Fourth Avenue Line station, since the IRT and BRT could not reach an agreement on splitting maintenance costs.Following pressure from Public Service Commissioner Travis H. Whitney, the two companies opened the passageway on October 4, 1916, while they worked out an agreement.

Brighton Line and Eastern Parkway Line extension

Two lines under Flatbush Avenue, one each operated by the BRT and IRT, were also approved as part of the Dual Contracts.The IRT was authorized to extend its Brooklyn line under Flatbush Avenue, with a four-track route paralleling the BRT's subway southeast of the existing Atlantic Avenue station.The BRT route, an extension of theBrighton Line,was to run under Flatbush Avenue and St. Felix Street in Downtown Brooklyn, with a station at Atlantic Avenue.This station would connect not only with the original IRT and the LIRR, but also with the Fourth Avenue Line station at Pacific Street.The BRT route was originally planned as a four-track line.Groundbreaking for the lines under Flatbush Avenue took place in May 1914, by which point the BRT line was reduced to two tracks.The Cranford Company was contracted to build two sections of the Flatbush Avenue tunnel, extending fromFulton StreettoGrand Army Plaza,in mid-1914.

The IRT's architects filed plans in mid-1915 for the construction of a glass structure on the south side of Atlantic Avenue, just outside the station, which was to contain stores.By 1918, the Atlantic Avenue station had become a bottleneck for IRT service, although the completion of the Dual Contracts was expected to alleviate the station's congestion.The Dual Contracts expansions necessitated that the station be widened to four tracks,so the original island platform was shaved back, allowing the IRT to install two tracks to the inside of the existing tracks. The island platform servedIRT Lexington Avenue Linetrains, while the side platforms were to serve trains using theClark Street Tunneland theIRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line,after the original IRT line was split into an "H" system in 1918.To allow this new service pattern, the Rapid Transit Commission allocated $300,000 in May 1918 for the construction of new track connections at theTimes Square,Borough Hall,and Atlantic Avenue stations.By 1917, new track crossovers had been installed at the IRT's Atlantic Avenue station, and a set of temporary platforms were removed after the two new tracks had been added.The connection between the southern ends of the platforms was removed, and a second underpass at the south end of the station opened in early 1919.Large signs were installed near some station entrances to help passengers who were transferring from BRT streetcar routes.The Public Service Commission also gave passengers maps of the revised station and track layout.

The Brighton Line platform was built as part of the Dual Contracts.

Meanwhile, for the construction of the Brighton Line's Atlantic Avenue station, the BRT sought aneasementfrom the LIRR because the route was to run partially under Atlantic Terminal.To the north of Atlantic Avenue, the BRT line was to be built under St. Felix Street and then Fulton Street, while to the south, it would run parallel to the four-track IRT line under Flatbush Avenue.Construction of the segment of the line under St. Felix Street, including the Atlantic Avenue station, was delayed due to disagreements with the LIRR,which did not grant the New York City government an easement until 1915.The LIRR agreed to build a concrete slab beneath its terminal for $250,000, allowing the BRT to build its station underneath. The Degnon Construction Company was hired to build the short section of tunnel under St. Felix Street for $810,265 in March 1916.The Brighton Line platform had to be placed at a relatively deep level, necessitating the construction of an escalator.The Transit Commission began soliciting bids in July 1919 for the installation of station finishes at the Brighton Line's Atlantic Avenue station.Charles H. Brown submitted a low bid of approximately $86,000 for this contract,which was then awarded to P. N. Brown & Co. at that price.By that December, the station was 98 percent completed.

Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line trains began operating to the IRT's Atlantic Avenue station after the Clark Street Tunnel opened in 1919.These trains originally terminated on the northbound local track.Express trains began operating on the Eastern Parkway Line when it was extended toUtica Avenueon August 23, 1920,although all off-peak trains from Manhattan continued to terminate at Atlantic Avenue until early 1921.The BRT Brighton Line's Atlantic Avenue station opened on August 1, 1920,providing direct service between the existing Brighton Line andMidtown Manhattan.

1920s to 1950s

As part of an agreement with the IRT and BRT, theNew York Telephone Companyinstalled payphones at the Atlantic Avenue station in September 1920, making the station one of the first to receive such phones.In 1922, the Rapid Transit Commission awarded a contract to the Wagner Engineering Company for the installation of navigational signs at the Atlantic Avenue station and several other major subway stations. The IRT platforms received blue-and-white signs, while the BRT platforms received red-white-and-green navigational signs.

Also in 1922, the New York State Transit Commission commissioned its engineers to examine platform-lengthening plans for 23 stations on the lines of theBrooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation(BMT), the successor to the BRT, to accommodate eight-car trains. As part of the project, platforms would be lengthened to 530 feet (160 m).Though the Transit Commission ordered the BMT to lengthen these platforms in September 1923,no further progress was made until February 16, 1925, when theNew York City Board of Transportation(BOT) commissioned its engineers to examine platform-lengthening plans for Pacific Street and eleven other stations along the Fourth Avenue Line. It estimated the project would cost $633,000 (equivalent to $10,998,000 in 2023).The Brighton Line platform at Atlantic Avenue was also to be lengthened to accommodate eight-car trains.TheNew York City Board of Estimateappropriated $362,841 for the lengthening of the platforms at Pacific Street, Atlantic Avenue, and four other stations in January 1926and awarded the contract to Charles Meads & Company early the next month.The platform extensions at Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street opened on August 1, 1927.The eastbound IRT local platform at Atlantic Avenue also needed to be lengthened, but, according to witness testimony in 1926, only by about 24 feet (7.3 m).

In February 1928, bids were received by the BOT on a project to remove kiosk subway entrances from the median of Fourth Avenue and to relocate them to the sidewalk to improve safety for transit riders. As part of the project, the station entrances at Pacific Street, along with at 36th Street and 59th Street, would be relocated. In addition, malls between 44th Street and 47th Street would be reduced in width, and the malls from 61st Street to 58th Street, and from 36th Street to Atlantic Avenue would be removed. Mezzanines would be constructed to allow riders to cross Fourth Avenue below street level. Work would be completed within six months.As part of a pilot program, the BMT installed silencers on turnstiles at the Fourth Avenue Line's Pacific Street station in August 1930.

The city government took over the BMT's operations on June 1, 1940,and the IRT's operations on June 12, 1940.The BOT announced plans in November 1949 to extend platforms at several IRT stations, including Atlantic Avenue, to accommodate all doors on ten-car trains. Although ten-car trains already operated on the line, the rear car could not open its doors at the station because the platforms were so short.Funding for the platform extensions was included in the city's 1950 capital budget.TheNew York City Transit Authority(NYCTA) announced plans in 1956 to addfluorescent lightsthroughout the IRT portion of the station.In July 1959, the NYCTA announced that it would install fluorescent lighting at the Fourth Avenue Line station and five other stations along the Fourth Avenue Line for between $175,000 and $200,000. Bids on the project were to be advertised on August 7, 1959, and completed by fall 1960.

1960s to 1980s

In August 1961, NYCTA chairman Charles Patterson announced a $2.5 million project to reconfigure the tracks between Nevins Street and Atlantic Avenue, reducing the travel time between the two stations by up to one minute. The platforms at the two stations would be extended to accommodate 10-car trains, as opposed to the eight and nine-car trains that they could serve at the time, and the tracks between the two stations would be straightened.During the 1964–1965 fiscal year, the Brighton Line platforms at Atlantic Avenue, along with those at six other stations on the Brighton Line, were lengthened to 615 feet (187 m) to accommodate a ten-car train of 60-foot (18 m) IND cars, or a nine-car train of 67-foot (20 m) BMT cars.

Passengers had advocated for the passageway between the stations to be placed within fare control as early as 1949.The transfer between the Brighton Line and Eastern Parkway Line was placed within fare control until November 26, 1967, to alleviate congestion caused by major service changes related to the opening of theChrystie Street Connection.On January 16, 1978, the Fourth Avenue Line station was placed within the same fare control area as the two other stations in the complex.This eliminated the need for passengers to pay a second fare to transfer between the Fourth Avenue Line and either the Eastern Parkway Line or the Brighton Line.In addition, theMetropolitan Transportation Authority(MTA) planned to construct a passageway between the LIRR and subway stations at Atlantic Avenue; at the time, an average of 8,000 passengers per day transferred from the LIRR to the subway.

The MTA announced in late 1978 that it would modernize the Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street station. The improvements included new finishes on the walls and floors; acoustical, signage, and lighting improvements; replacement of old mechanical equipment; and new handrails.A further renovation of the Atlantic Avenue station was funded in 1983 as part of the MTA's capital plan.The renovation was supposed to begin in 1983 but was postponed to 1989 due to various issues such as cost overruns.The complex was planned to be renovated for $26.6 million, but MTA officials diverted funding for the project in December 1989 to cover a budget shortfall.To discourage crime, the MTA also installed CCTV cameras at the Atlantic Avenue IRT station in 1989.

1990s to present

The MTA requested funding for the station's renovation as part of its 1990–1994 capital program.In April 1993, theNew York State Legislatureagreed to give the MTA $9.6 billion for capital improvements. Some of the funds would be used to renovate nearly one hundred New York City Subway stations,including all three stations at Atlantic Avenue–Pacific Street.About $49 million in funding was allotted to the Atlantic Avenue station's renovation,but, by mid-1993, the city indicated that it might not be able to provide these funds.In 1994, the administration of mayorRudy Giulianiproposed delaying the station's renovation;the project was indefinitely deferred later the same year.The Brighton Line and Fourth Avenue Line stations at Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street were also supposed to receive elevators,as part of the MTA'splan to make dozens of "key stations" accessible to passengers with disabilities.By 1993, the elevator installations had been postponed to 2002 due to a lack of money.

Local newspaperNewsdaywrote that the station suffered from chipped tiles, missing ceiling sections, and flaking plasterwork and that some of the damage had been painted in an attempt to hide the deterioration.At the time, the subway station and adjacent LIRR terminal saw 50 million passengers per year, and a major mixed-use development was being planned for the area above the station.A pair of Palestiniansplotted to bomb the stationin 1997, but police thwarted the attack.

Renovation

Stair from IRT mezzanine to Fourth Avenue mezzanine and exit, directly below the former headhouse

On January 21, 1997, work began on a 42-month project to widen Flatbush Avenue from six to eight lanes near Hanson Place and Atlantic Avenue and to waterproof and repair the roof of the IRT station.The MTA announced the same month that it would award an $11 million design contract for the renovation the following month. At the time, the project was to cost $147 million.A joint venture of de Domenico + Partners andParsons Brinckerhoffwas hired to design the project,which included a new LIRR entrance, a new lower mezzanine below the IRT station, and ventilation improvements.The MTA approved plans in March 1998 to renovate the Atlantic Avenue–Pacific Street subway station and the adjoining LIRR terminal, as well as build theAtlantic Terminal shopping mallabove the station.Work on the stations' renovation began in 2000, and work on the shopping mall commenced the next year.

When the renovation began, workers dug two temporary 40-foot-deep (12 m) holes, through which they installed supports measuring 90 feet (27 m) long to carry the weight of the street above. The supports allowed workers to excavate the entire site at once and reduced construction time by one year.The entire IRT station had to be supported by 36-foot-long (11 m) crossbeams hanging from the roof of the station box; the station was also supported by conventional columns from below.The installation of these supports required extensive pile testing because this technique had never been used on the New York City Subway system.The subway infrastructure under Flatbush Avenue, as well as the avenue itself, were collectively raised by less than an inch.

As part of the project, contractors built or rebuilt fifteen stairs.The MTA also re-tiled the walls and floors, upgraded the station's lights and the public address system, and installed new trackbeds for local and express trains entering the IRT station.The passageway between the Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street portions of the complex was widened from 15 to 42 feet (4.6 to 12.8 m).An escalator was replaced at Hanson Place, and a new station entrance was added there.The station house was also temporarily relocated for restoration, then moved back to its original site.To approximate the original look of the station house, contractors ordered bricks from Minnesota for $4 apiece.In 2004, the Brighton and Eastern Parkway lines' platforms were added to the NRHP.Additionally, eight elevators were installed throughout the station complexat a cost of $77.9 million.When the elevators were completed, disabled riders could only enter one car of IRT express trains because part of that platform was too narrow. The entire IRT express platform became accessible in 2007 after the MTA spent $360,000 to relocate two stair railings.

Later modifications

In June 2009, the MTA sold thenaming rightsof the station complex toBarclays,who had also bought the naming rights to the under-constructionBarclays Centersports arena, for 20 years at $200,000 per year.It was one of the few such renames in the system; following this renaming, the MTA considered selling the naming rights of other subway stations.A new entrance through the station, the Atlantic Terminal Pavilion, opened in 2010.As part of a pilot program, digital announcement boards, train countdown clocks, and improved intercom systems were installed in the station the same year.In advance of Barclays Center's opening, the station was renamed Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center in May 2012.A new entrance serving the arena, which includes stairs, escalators, and an elevator, opened in September 2012 at a cost of $76 million.The new entrance, originally budgeted at $29 million, required digging a hole measuring 35 feet (11 m) deep and 100 by 125 feet (30 by 38 m) wide.

The MTA announced in December 2021 that it would install wide-aisle fare gates for disabled passengers at five subway stations, including Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center, by mid-2022.The implementation of these fare gates was delayed; the MTA's chief accessibility officer indicated in February 2023 that the new fare gates would be installed at the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center andSutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airportstations shortly afterward.The MTA announced in late 2022 that it would open customer service centers at 15 stations; the centers would provide services such as travel information andOMNYfarecards. The first six customer service centers, including one at the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station, were to open in early 2023.The Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station's customer service center opened in February 2023.

Station layout

Ground	Street level	Entrances/exits, pavilion, station house, fare control, station agents,LIRRticket booth,MetroCardandOMNYmachines Elevators at: SE corner of Pacific Street and Fourth Avenue for the​​​​ At Hanson Place and Flatbush Avenue for the​​​​and LIRR
		Barclays Center
		Connection toAtlantic Terminal shopping mall
Basement 1 Eastern Parkway platforms	Side platform
	Northbound local	←towardWakefield–241st Street(Nevins Street) ←towardHarlem–148th Street(Nevins Street) ←towardWoodlawnlate nights(Nevins Street)
	Northbound express	←towardWoodlawn(Nevins Street) ←weekdays towardDyre AvenueorNereid Avenue(Nevins Street)
	Island platform
	Southbound express	→towardCrown Heights–Utica Avenue(New Lots Avenueselect rush hour trips)(Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College)→ →weekdays towardFlatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College(Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College)→
	Southbound local	→towardFlatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College(Bergen Street)→ →(late nights) towardNew Lots Avenue(Bergen Street)→
	Side platform
Basement 1 LIRR platforms	Track1	→Atlantic Branchservices towardJamaicaandpoints east(Nostrand Avenue)→
	Platform A,island platform
	Track2	→Atlantic Branchservices towardJamaicaandpoints east(Nostrand Avenue)→
	Track3	→Atlantic Branchservices towardJamaicaandpoints east(Nostrand Avenue)→
	Platform B,island platform
	Track4	→Atlantic Branchservices towardJamaicaandpoints east(Nostrand Avenue)→
	Track5	→Atlantic Branchservices towardJamaicaandpoints east(Nostrand Avenue)→
	Platform C,island platform
	Track6	→Atlantic Branchservices towardJamaicaandpoints east(Nostrand Avenue)→
Basement 2	Mezzanine	Passageway between platforms
Basement 3 Brighton platform	Northbound	←weekdays towardBedford Park Boulevardor145th Street(DeKalb Avenue) ←toward96th Street(DeKalb Avenue)
	Island platform
	Southbound	→weekdays towardBrighton Beach(Seventh Avenue)→ →towardConey Island–Stillwell AvenueviaBrighton(Seventh Avenue)→
Basement 3 Fourth Avenue platforms	Northbound local	←towardForest Hills–71st Avenue(Whitehall Street–South Ferrylate nights)(DeKalb Avenue) ←towardNorwood–205th Streetlate nights(DeKalb Avenue) ←towardAstoria–Ditmars Boulevardlate nights(DeKalb Avenue) ←towardAstoria–Ditmars Boulevard(select weekday trips)(DeKalb Avenue)
	Island platform
	Northbound express	←towardNorwood–205th Street(Grand Street) ←towardAstoria–Ditmars Boulevardor96th Street(select weekday trips)(Canal Street)
	Southbound express	→towardConey Island–Stillwell AvenueviaWest End(36th Street)→ →towardConey Island–Stillwell AvenueviaSea Beach(36th Street)→
	Island platform
	Southbound local	→towardBay Ridge–95th Street(Union Street)→ →towardConey Island–Stillwell Avenuelate nights(Union Street)→ →toward86th Street(select weekday trips)(Union Street)→

The station complex consists of three stations: those of the Eastern Parkway Line, Brighton Line, and Fourth Avenue Line. The Fourth Avenue Line station runs in a southwest-northeast direction under Fourth Avenue. The Eastern Parkway Line station runs in a northwest-southeast direction underFlatbush Avenue,next to theLong Island Rail Road'sAtlantic Terminal,while the Brighton Line platform runs almost precisely north-south under the terminal.The Brighton Line platform is oriented with St. Felix Street and runs partly under private property.

The shallowest of the stations, the Eastern Parkway Line platforms, is at the same level as the Atlantic Terminal railway platforms and are only 20 feet (6.1 m) below street level. The second level below ground is the Fourth Avenue Line platforms, which are 40 feet (12 m) deep and have a mezzanine.The deepest is the Brighton Line platform, which is approximately 60 feet (18 m) deepand has two mezzanines above it.The Eastern Parkway Line and Brighton Line portions of the complex are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mezzanines

A 350-foot-long (110 m) passageway connects the Fourth Avenue Line platforms with the other platforms.This passageway was originally only 15 feet (4.6 m) widebut was widened to 42 feet (13 m) during the 2000s.At the western end of the passageway is a small mezzanine above the Fourth Avenue Line platforms, which has a fare control area and station agent's booth; the fare control area leads to exits at Fourth Avenue and Pacific Street.Originally, stairs led down from this passageway to the southbound IRT local platform, and additional stairs led to an underpass below the IRT platforms. The stairs to the southbound IRT local platform were replaced with a ramp during the 2000s renovation.

An underpass below all of the IRT platforms connects with the Fourth Avenue Line passage to the west and the Brighton Line and LIRR platforms to the east.Built as part of the original IRT station in 1908, it allowed IRT passengers to exit through the head house of Atlantic Terminal.The underpass was reconfigured and expanded as part of the early-2000s renovation, when elevators were built between the underpass and each IRT platform. In addition to a large stairway leading up to the Fourth Avenue Line passageway, two stairs lead from this underpass to the northbound IRT local platform, while three stairs lead to the IRT express platform.A set of turnstiles separates the Eastern Parkway Line mezzanine from a concourse leading to the LIRR station.

There is an additional underpass at the south end of the IRT station, which opened to the public in 1919.By the 2000s, this underpass had been closed to the public and converted to staff areas, and the stairs from either IRT local platform to the passageway had been removed.Another passageway between the Eastern Parkway and Brighton Line is present at the south end of the station, which also leads to an exit immediately adjacent to Barclays Center.

There are two mezzanines above the Brighton Line platform, which have wave-patterned wainscoting and white ceramic tiles.The lower mezzanine runs the entire length of the station. At the north end of the mezzanine is a set of high entry-exit turnstiles and a high exit-only gate, while the center of the mezzanine contains more high entry-exit turnstiles and a high exit-only gate. The rest of the lower mezzanine was closed to the public by the 2000s.

Artwork

The station contains a sculpture byGeorge Trakas,Hook (Archean Reach), Line (Sea House), and Sinker (Mined Swell),which was commissioned as part of theMTA Arts & Designprogram and installed in 2004.The sculpture is placed under askylightin the station's old control house, which is between the Fourth Avenue Line platforms and the other platforms, and includes a peephole and a boat-shaped steel structure. The walls of the mezzanine contain a wave-shaped granite wainscoting where the Fourth Avenue Line platforms (formerly the Pacific Street station) meet the other platforms (formerly the Atlantic Avenue station). In designing the sculpture, Trakas had intended to compare the station's role as a train hub with the maritime traffic on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

"Hook" on a transfer corridor

"Line" in the former control house

"Sinker" on the double-wide stairway to the northbound IRT local platform

Exits

Street stair at the northwestern corner of Fourth Avenue and Pacific Street

To the Fourth Avenue portion of the complex, there is a stair to the northwest corner of Fourth Avenue and Pacific Street. There is also a stair and elevator to the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Pacific Street.This elevator makes the Fourth Avenue Line station ADA-accessible.

To the Eastern Parkway/Brighton portion of the complex, there is a stair to the northwestern corner of Hanson Place and St. Felix Street, and a stair and elevator to the southwestern corner of Hanson Place and St. Felix Street.A passageway also leads from the Brighton Line station's upper mezzanineto the basement of theWilliamsburgh Savings Bank Tower,as well as directly to the street within the building.Two stairs lead to the north side of Flatbush Avenue southeast of Hanson Place.One of the street stairs had a metal hood, dating from the original IRT station's opening, which was removed as part of the 2000s renovation.The station also has a direct exit to the LIRR's Atlantic Terminal station through both the IRT mezzanine and the northbound local platform.The Atlantic Terminal exit at Hanson Place and Flatbush Avenue is also ADA-accessible and leads to the Brighton Line and Eastern Parkway Line platforms.

A stair, an elevator, and a set of escalators lead toBarclays Centerat the southeast corner of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues.The elevator is privately maintained and, during the 2010s, was one of the least reliable in the New York City Subway system.This subway entrance has a sloped roof that faces Barclays Center and is surrounded by wooden benches and gray pavers.Agreen roofwas installed above the subway entrance as part of the construction of Barclays Center Plaza.Formerly, a stair led to the sidewalk at the southeast corner of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues, but this stair had been closed by the 2000s.

Control house

Looking southwest at the control house

The original IRTstation house,also known as the control house, was designed byHeins & LaFarge,who also designed elements of many of the original IRT subway stations.It is designed in the Flemish Renaissance style. Intended as an ornate entrance to the station, the building sits on a traffic island bounded by Atlantic Avenue, Fourth Avenue, and Flatbush Avenue, which is known asTimes Plaza.The control house occupies an area of 50 by 37 feet (15 by 11 m)and was adjacent to what is now the IRT station's southbound local platform.The station house was one of several on the original IRT; similar station houses were built atBowling Green,Mott Avenue,72nd Street,103rd Street,and116th Street.

The one-story control contains exterior walls made ofbuffbrick, with awater tablemade of granite blocks. Above the ground story of the structure, the north and south facades contain four square windows, above which is a row ofdentils.The west and east facades each contain three window openings with metal screens, The north and south facades are topped by a set ofDutch Revival-stylegables.Terracotta letters spelling the name "Atlantic Avenue" are placed on the sides of each gable.Above the letters are a flatlintelwith akeystone,as well as acartoucheflanked byswags.Just below the roof, the west and east facades contain ventilation grilles. The roof itself is made of standing-seam copper.

The control house's original interior was gutted by the 1970s, when it was used as a concession stand.Despite being listed on theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1980, the control house fell into decline over the years before being temporarily relocated during the station's 2000s renovation.Although the control house has since been restored, the actual entrance was removed and serves as a skylight into the IRT station.The skylight contains part of theHook, Line, and Sinkerartwork.

IRT Eastern Parkway Line platforms

Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center ​​​
New York City Subwaystation (rapid transit)
Southbound local platform
Station statistics
Division	A(IRT)
Line	IRT Eastern Parkway Line
Services	2(all times) ​3(all except late nights) ​4(all times) ​5(weekdays only)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2side platforms(local) 1island platform(express)
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	May 1, 1908(1908-05-01)
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Former/other names	Atlantic Avenue
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Nevins Street 2​3​4​5 northbound Express Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College 4​5 services split Local Bergen Street 2​3​4 viaFranklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College
Track layout toNevins Street toBergen Street toFranklin Avenue
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops all times Stops weekdays during the day Stops late nights only Stops weekdays and weekday late nights Stops late nights and weekends Stops weekends and weekend late nights

TheAtlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station(originallyAtlantic Avenue station) is an express station on theIRT Eastern Parkway Line.The station has four tracks, oneisland platform,and twoside platforms.The local tracks are used by2trains at all times;3trains at all times except late nights;and4trains at night.The express tracks are used by 4 trains at all times except late nights,as well as by5trains on weekdays during the day.On all routes, the next station to the north isNevins Street.The next station to the south isBergen Streetfor local trains andFranklin Avenue–Medgar Evers Collegefor express trains.

The platforms are all 530 feet (160 m) long; the southernmost 135 feet (41 m) of each platform was built in the early 1910s.Two stairs descend from the center of each side platform to the mezzanine connecting with the BMT and LIRR. Three stairs and an elevator descend from the center of the island platform to the mezzanine.The LIRR's Atlantic Terminal is just to the northeast of the northbound local platform, on the same level.There are turnstiles leading from the northbound local platform to the LIRR tracks; the station agent's booth for these turnstiles is located outside fare control, within the LIRR terminal.A second underpass, connecting only to the Brighton Line platforms, is at the southern end of each platform.

Design

As with other stations built as part of the original IRT, the station was constructed using acut-and-covermethod.The tunnel is covered by a U-shaped trough that contains utility pipes and wires. The bottom of this trough contains afoundationofconcreteno less than 4 inches (100 mm) thick.Each platform consists of 3-inch-thick (7.6 cm) concrete slabs, beneath which are drainage basins.The platforms contain cast-iron columns with Tuscancapitals,spaced every 15 feet (4.6 m).Additional columns between the tracks, spaced every 15 feet (4.6 m), support thereinforced concretestation roofs.The ceiling above the platforms and tracks is made of flat concrete and is covered with plaster.There is a 1-inch (25 mm) gap between the trough wall and the platform walls, which are made of 4-inch (100 mm)-thick brick covered over by a tiled finish.

The walls adjacent to the local platforms consist of a pink marblewainscotingon the lowest part of the wall, measuring 2 feet (0.61 m) high. Above this wainscoting is a horizontal band of pink mosaic tiles as well as white ceramic tiles. The walls contain mosaic tile plaques with the name "Atlantic Avenue"; these are framed by multicolored mosaic bands with foliate and geometric patterns, which in turn are framed by pink mosaic tile.The mosaic tiles at all original IRT stations were manufactured by the American Encaustic Tile Company, which subcontracted the installations at each station.Along the platforms, there are faience plaques every 15 feet (4.6 m), which depict tulips and scrolls flanking the letter "A".The plaques at the southern end of the southbound local platform are made of mosaic instead of faience.The northern end of the southbound local platform originally had glazed ceramic-block walls, while the northern end of the northbound platform hasI-beamcolumns instead of round cast-iron columns.The express island platform has I-beam columns, and part of the floor is made of glass blocks.

Track layout

The Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station is one of three express stations in the New York City Subway system to have side platforms for local services and a center island platform for express services.The other two are the 34th Street–Penn Station stops on theIND Eighth Avenue Lineand on theIRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line.This may have been done to reduce crowding, as cross-platform transfers could be made at the adjacent Nevins Street station.This arrangement was also a modification of the original station layout.When the Atlantic Avenue station opened in 1908, it was the terminal for the line and had two tracks, two side platforms, and one island platform. All of the platforms were connected at their southeastern end.

Northwest of the station, two trackways connected the LIRR'sAtlantic Branchand the IRT line; only the northbound trackway was originally built.Vestiges of this track still exist.In addition, an unused trackway splits from the southbound local track for a proposed subway under Fourth Avenue (later built as theBMT Fourth Avenue Line). It merges with theManhattan-bound express track and ends on abumper blockbetween the two express tracks at Nevins Street.Southeast of the station, there were provisions for two trackways to diverge to the LIRR'sAtlantic Branch.The trackways to the southeast were never used but can be seen from public areas.

BMT Brighton Line platform

Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center ​
New York City Subwaystation (rapid transit)
NorthboundR68Btrain arriving at the station
Station statistics
Division	B(BMT)
Line	BMT Brighton Line
Services	B(weekday rush hours, middays and early evenings) ​Q(all times)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	1island platform
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	August 1, 1920(1920-08-01)
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Former/other names	Atlantic Avenue
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station DeKalb Avenue B​Q services split Seventh Avenue B​Q viaProspect Park
Track layout toDeKalb Avenue toSeventh Avenue
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops weekdays during the day

TheAtlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station(originallyAtlantic Avenue station) on the BMT Brighton Line has two tracks and anisland platform.TheQtrain stops at the station at all times,while theBtrain stops here on weekdays during the day.On both routes, the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station is between theDeKalb Avenue stationto the north and theSeventh Avenue stationto the south.

The platform contains tiled columns which support the ceiling. The walls next to the tracks are covered with white ceramic tiles and contain mosaic tablets with the station's name. At the top of the wall is acornicecomposed of 5-foot-wide (1.5 m) blue-and-buff panels, above which is a border with geometric motifs. There are mosaic plaques every 15 feet (4.6 m), which have the letter "A". There is also an enamel sign pointing to theBrooklyn Academy of Musicnear the southern end of the platform.The platform was extended to the south in 1964–1965 to fit ten-car trains.

The platform has seven stairs: two to the Hanson Place exit at the north end (which does not link to any other platform), three to the main mezzanine, and two at the south end (which leads to both an exit immediately adjacent to Barclays Center and another mezzanine that connects to the IRT platforms).All of these stairs have white ceramic-tile walls.

North of this station, there is abellmouthwhere the northbound track curves northwest onto Fulton Street. The bellmouth marks the location where the westbound track of the proposed Ashland Place Connection, which would have connected to the now-demolishedBMT Fulton Street El,would have merged with the Brighton Line.The bellmouth was added to the plans for the Brighton Line tunnel in 1916; at the time the city could not afford to build the connection.South of the station, the Brighton Line tracks cross underneath the Eastern Parkway Line's northbound tracks and curve under Flatbush Avenue.

BMT Fourth Avenue Line platforms

Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center ​​​​
New York City Subwaystation (rapid transit)
Manhattan-bound platform
Station statistics
Division	B(BMT)
Line	BMT Fourth Avenue Line
Services	D(all times) ​N(all times) ​R(all times) ​W(limited rush hour service only)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2island platforms cross-platform interchange
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	June 22, 1915(1915-06-22)
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Former/other names	Pacific Street Atlantic Avenue–Pacific Street
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Grand Street D towardNorwood–205th Street Express 36th Street D​N towardConey Island–Stillwell Avenue Canal Street N​Q towardAstoria–Ditmars Boulevard Express DeKalb Avenue D​N​R​W towardForest Hills–71st Avenue Local Union Street D​N​R​W towardBay Ridge–95th Street
Track layout toCanal StreetorGrand Street toDeKalb Avenue toUnion Street to36th Street
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops all times Stops late nights only Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only

TheAtlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station(originallyPacific Street stationthenAtlantic Avenue–Pacific Street station) is an express station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line that has four tracks and twoisland platforms.The local tracks are used byRtrains at all times;DandNtrains during late nights;and limited W trains.The express tracks are used by the D and N trains at all times except late nights.The next station to the north isDeKalb Avenuefor local trains,Canal StreetforNtrains, andGrand Streetfor theDtrain. The next station to the south isUnion Streetfor local trains and36th Streetfor express trains.To the north of the station, three switches connect the tracks.

The walls of the Pacific Street station were originally decorated with white tile and green marble. The color of the marble was intended to distinguish it from other stations on the Fourth Avenue Line.Within the tunnels north and south of the station, each of the BMT Fourth Avenue Line's four tracks is separated by a concrete wall, rather than by columns, as in older IRT tunnels. These walls were intended to improve ventilation, as passing trains would push air forward, rather than to the sides of the tunnel. At the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station, there is a wall between the two express tracks. Waterproofing was placed under the floor, on the side walls, and above the roof of the tunnel when the station was built.

At the north end of the BMT Fourth Avenue platforms, three stairs and one elevator from each platform go up to the main fare control area. This leads both to the passageway connecting to the rest of the complex, as well as to the exits on Pacific Street.

BMT Fifth Avenue Line station

Atlantic Avenue
FormerNew York City Subwaystation
The Fifth Avenue Line station was located right above the headhouse for this station complex
Station statistics
Address	Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, New York
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Downtown Brooklyn
Division	B(BMT)
Services	BMT Fifth Avenue Line BMT Culver Line BMT West End Line(−1916)
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	1island platform
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	November 5, 1888(November 5, 1888)
Closed	June 1, 1940(June 1, 1940)
Station succession
Next north	Fulton Street
Next south	St. Mark's Avenue
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops in station at all times Stops all times except late nights Stops late nights only Stops late nights and weekends only Stops weekdays during the day Stops weekends during the day Stops all times except rush hours in the peak direction Stops all times except weekdays in the peak direction Stops all times except nights and rush hours in the peak direction Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Station is closed (Details about time periods)

A separate, elevated station on theBMT Fifth Avenue Line,called theAtlantic Avenue station,was also located at Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. The elevated station opened on November 5, 1888, as part of what was then called the Hudson and Flatbush Avenue route.The station had two tracks and oneisland platformand was also served by trains of theBMT Culver LineandBMT Fifth Avenue Line.

Originally, only one stair descended from the platform, which split into two flights midway between the platform and the street.On June 25, 1923, eight passengers died and many others were injured when two cars of a train coming from65th Street Terminalderailed and fell toward Flatbush Avenue.With increased use of the subways compared to the elevated lines, and the completion of the unification of the city's subway systems, the Fifth Avenue Line was closed on June 1, 1940,and was demolished in 1941.

Ridership

By 1913, the Atlantic Avenue station was the busiest on the IRT system, with 23 million riders entering it every year.The station complex, including the BMT elevated station, recorded 26.8 million annual riders by 1923, of which over half used the IRT station.By the mid-1980s, six million people on average entered the subway complex every year.

The Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street station recorded 27,559 entries on an average weekday in 2005, making it the 33rd-busiest station in the system by weekday ridership.By 2010, there were about 35,000 riders entering the station every weekday, which increased to about 41,000 in 2014.As of 2019, the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center system is the busiest subway station in Brooklyn, with 13,939,794 passengers, and is ranked 20th overall. This amounted to an average of 43,498 passengers per weekday.Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in New York City,ridership dropped drastically in 2020, with only 5,474,265 passengers entering the station that year.The station had 6,420,924 passengers in 2021.

Further reading

• Stookey, Lee (1994).Subway ceramics: a history and iconography of mosaic and bas relief signs and plaques in the New York City subway system.Brattleboro, Vt: L. Stookey.ISBN978-0-9635486-1-0.OCLC31901471.

External links

• nycsubway.org –Brooklyn IRT: Atlantic Avenue
• nycsubway.org –BMT Brighton Line: Atlantic Avenue
• nycsubway.org –BMT 4th Avenue: Pacific Street
• nycsubway.org –Brooklyn IRT Contract 2 map:(includes current and former track configurations, and provisions for future connections)
• MTA's Arts For Transit —Atlantic Avenue–Pacific Street