The Bay Ridge Avenue train station that was once a dark and dreary stop along the R line has completed its six-month renovations, the MTA announced Friday.
The 102-year-old station was closed in April so the agency could bring it into the modern age with countdown clocks at all three entrances, Wi-Fi, digital displays, USB ports and an enhanced security system.
Additionally, new lighting, handrails and stair treads have been installed, as have wayfinding floor tiles for the visually impaired.
New tile artwork by Katy Fischer has also been added to the station and pays homage to the area’s Native American, Dutch and Colonial roots.
The Bay Ridge station unveiling is the second of 33 stations across the city that will undergo accelerated renovations and comes just weeks after the 53rd Street R train station reopened.
The 77th Street and Bay Ridge-95th Street R stations are next on the list for renovations to make them ADA-accessible via the MTA’s Capital Plan. In total, the plan includes more than $125 million to make the R line accessible between 2015 and 2019.
“This station opening is a huge benefit for Bay Ridge,” MTA Chairman Joe Lhota said. “We are also proud to announce that our newly amended Capital Plan now includes new funding for four fully accessible, ADA-compliant stations in Bay Ridge, which will deliver a level of accessibility to this neighborhood that has never existed before.”
The Bay Ridge Avenue work was done as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative, a design-build contract that enables a single team to take on both the design and construction work to ensure work is completed as quick as possible. All 33 stations will be done under this initiative.
“Greater investment in our mass transit infrastructure is critically needed across our borough to advance the safety and reliability of service, and this design enhancement campaign is a step toward that larger imperative,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
