The IND and BMT Archer Avenue lines are two superposed rapid transit lines of the New York City Subway, mostly running under Archer Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. The two lines are built on separate levels: trains from the IND Queens Boulevard Line () serve the upper level, and trains from the BMT Jamaica Line () serve the lower.
Despite being built decades after the unification of the New York City Subway system, and despite the fact that the BMT and IND Trackage (and platforms) are directly subjacent/superjacent to the other, the two lines are entirely separate, and do not share track connections of any kind. They have different chainings and radio frequencies. The B2 (IND Division) Archer Avenue line uses the upper level, and the B1 (BMT Division) Archer Avenue line uses the lower level. Passengers must utilize the stairwells, escalators or elevators for transfer.
These lines were conceived as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s 1968 expansion plans, and along with the 63rd Street lines and a small section of the Second Avenue Subway, they were the only portions of the plan to be completed before it was scaled back due to fiscal issues. These lines were originally planned to be extended further east into Queens. Construction on the line started in 1973, and the project was expected to be completed in 1980. However, due to financial issues and concern about the quality of the construction, the lines did not open until December 11, 1988. On that date, several bus routes serving the 169th Street station were diverted to the new bus terminal at Jamaica Center. This line is also used by passengers transferring to or from the Long Island Rail Road and the AirTrain JFK.
Extent and service The following services use the Archer Avenue lines:
Serviceinformation Lines served Section of line Formercompany IND Eighth Avenue Local and Queens Boulevard Express upper level, north of junction with the IND Queens Boulevard Line BMT Nassau Street and Jamaica Local/Express lower level, north of 121st Street (at 129th Street) on the BMT Jamaica Line The two Archer Avenue lines begin at a northern (geographic eastern) terminal, Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer (), as a bi-level subway, each level having two tracks. The upper level is used by the B2 (IND Division) Archer Avenue line, and uses IND radio frequencies, while the lower level is used by the B1 (BMT Division) Archer Avenue line, and uses BMT radio frequencies. The two lines run compass west along Archer Avenue to another station at Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport, where connections can be made to the Long Island Rail Road and AirTrain JFK. West of this station, the two levels diverge. The lower level tracks () continue roughly compass northwest, emerging from a portal near 89th Road and 130th Street and paralleling the Main Line of the LIRR before turning west onto the elevated structure of the BMT Jamaica Line at about 127th Street. The upper level tracks () turn compass north under the Van Wyck Expressway, with another station at Jamaica Avenue. Just north of Hillside Avenue, they meet the four tracks of the IND Queens Boulevard Line at a flying junction, with connections to both the local and express tracks.
Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer was not intended to be the lines' northern terminal, as there are spurs on both levels for possible future extensions. On the lower level, they continue one train length and end at bumper blocks. This was a planned extension toward Hollis. Where the lower level tracks end, there is a provision for a diamond crossover switch at the end of the tunnel (under 160th Street). On the upper level, the tracks curve south to run under 160th Street and stop at about Tuskegee Airmen Way (formerly South Road), also ending at bumper blocks.*
The plan was for this line to use the LIRR Atlantic Branch right-of-way and run to Springfield Boulevard or Rosedale. Where the upper level tracks stub end, there is a provision for a portal to go outside if the line going to Southeastern Queens is ever built. The tail tracks on both levels are currently used for storage.
History
Planning
What is now the Archer Avenue subway was originally conceived as an extension of the IND Queens Boulevard Line under the IND Second System in the 1920s and 1930s. The original plans had a line diverging south of Van Wyck Boulevard station (now called Briarwood), running down what is now the Van Wyck Expressway to Rockaway Boulevard near modern John F. Kennedy International Airport. A bellmouth with two additional trackways was built to the east of the station to facilitate this extension, which was never constructed due to lack of funding.
The current Archer Avenue plans emerged in the 1960s under the city and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s Program for Action. It was conceived as an expansion of Queens Boulevard service to a Southeast Queens Line along the right-of-way of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Atlantic Branch towards Locust Manor, and as a replacement for the dilapidated eastern portions of the Jamaica Avenue elevated within the Jamaica business district which business owners and residents sought removal of; both would meet at the double-decked line under Archer Avenue. The two-track spur from the Queens Boulevard Line would use the original Van Wyck Boulevard bellmouths. Design work on the line began in 1969. The lines and the Jamaica El removal were part of urban renewal efforts in the Downtown Jamaica area. This included the construction of the York College campus, which was planned to be built in conjunction with the LIRR Atlantic Branch connection. The connection to the Jamaica Line, Route 133, was to begin at Jamaica Avenue and 127th Street and continue as an elevated to the LIRR embankment and then go underground at 91st Avenue before connecting with the Archer Avenue line at 132nd Street. Route 133 was to be over long.
The original plan for the upper level (now the ) was for it to continue as a two-track line along the LIRR Atlantic Branch. It would have run through Locust Manor and Laurelton stations, with stops at Sutphin Boulevard, Parsons Boulevard (which was called Standard Place in planning documents), Linden Boulevard, Baisley Boulevard, and Springfield Boulevard. The line would have served a large-scale housing development at Rochdale Village; such a line would have required conversion involving modifying existing platforms at Locust Manor and Laurelton to accommodate the IND loading gauge, as well as constructing new stations to serve Southeast Queens. It would have also run parallel to the eastern Montauk Branch, which already provided parallel service through St. Albans to Jamaica. The lower level (now the ) would have been extended eastward toward Hollis (near the Hollis LIRR station). Due to a lack of funding as well as some political opposition, these plans were never implemented.
The line's opening was intended to end the need for residents of Southeast Queens to pay a double fare to get to Manhattan.
As part of the project, several new engineering designs were employed, such as the use of graffiti resistant tiles, the use of welded steel rails on rubber pads to cut down on noise, and the use of blowers within the trackbed to disperse the heat generated by the trains' air conditioning systems. In addition, noise-dampening acoustical tiles were installed on station walls and ceilings to reduce noise levels. In the three stations, 21 escalators were installed in addition to electronic train arrival signs, backlighted station signage, and platform-edge strips. The stations were built to be nearly free of columns and have 213,000 square feet of high suspended ceiling. The mezzanine area of the Jamaica-Van Wyck station was designed to allow natural light to enter the station to the platform area, and has 5,000 square feet of windows.
Construction 1970s
The Archer Avenue subway's groundbreaking took place on August 15, 1972, at Archer Avenue and 151st Street. The first section of the line to be built was between 147th Place and 151st Street under Archer Avenue. $162 million of the $242 million project was paid for by the city, with the state footing the remainder of the bill. Construction on the Archer Avenue subway began on October 23, 1973, at 159th Street and Beaver Road, just south of Archer Avenue. It was then expected that the subway would be complete by 1980 or 1981.
On March 27, 1974, a fire broke out in the tunnel under 150th Street, temporarily severing telephone service in the area. The fire started when waterproofing tar being sprayed on the tunnel walls was ignited.
In July 1974, the federal government announced its approval of a $51.1 million grant for the project. The Jamaica–Van Wyck station was estimated to have 1,200 passengers during rush hours, while the Sutphin Boulevard and Parsons Boulevard stations were expected to be used by 5,300 and 8,700 passengers during that period, respectively. Mayor Abraham Beame, on December 13 of that year, announced that he had decided to prioritize the construction of the Southeast Queens Line while postponing construction of the Second Avenue Subway for six years, and as a result, he faced opposition among some members of the New York City Board of Estimate. Prior to making this decision, in October, Beame had considered deferring the construction of all new lines, including this line, due to the lack of federal aid. On October 31, the MTA Chairman David Yunich had announced this decision. On January 16, 1975, a spokesman for the Mayor said that work on the line would proceed even though a report found that the Mayor's plan to save the existing fare and construct new lines was off by as much $1 billion. On June 3, 1975, Queens Borough President Donald Manes and other Jamaica leaders pressed for the formal transfer of half of the $74 million in federal funds approved for the Second Avenue Subway to the Archer Avenue project. On March 5, 1975, the MTA announced that the line should open by 1981. An August MTA letter stated that the line would not open until 1984.
Construction of two tunnels under the nine tracks of the LIRR Main Line in Jamaica began in January 1976, and were part of a line sections starting at Archer Avenue near 159th Street and ending about south of South Road near the Atlantic Branch, passing underneath the center of the York College campus. The two tunnels were built by MacLean, Grove and Company for $4.35 million, while the entire segment, Section 5, cost $24,810,955. This section was constructed using the tunneling shield method. The LIRR Main Line structure was heavily reinforced with metal beams and cables to prevent movement, which could have forced a temporary shutdown of the busy line. A continuous monitoring system was put into place and direct communication was maintained with LIRR personnel at track level. This section is below street level and below the LIRR tracks, and was deemed by the MTA's chief engineer to be the most costly and difficult portion of this section of the line. The average width of the two tunnels was . The driving of the two tunnels was expected to begin in September 1975. The first tunnel, the eastern one, was expected to be completed by late February early March 1976. On May 23, 1976, MTA Chairman David Yunich announced that the construction of the two tunnels under the Long Island Rail Road in Jamaica were completed. Work on the entire section was expected to be completed by September 1976. South of these tunnel segments, the line would have been extended south several hundred yards, going up a ramp, and onto the Atlantic Branch's right-of-way at an embankment at Liberty Avenue. Work on this section was expected to begin in the late 1980s, and would have used the Atlantic Branch to Springfield Boulevard, diverting trains to the Montauk Branch. In the interim, the agency planned to use the tracks for train storage.