Franklin Avenue–Botanic Garden (New York City Subway)

Infobox NYCS
name = Franklin Avenue–Botanic Garden
service = Franklin-Botanic
bg_color = black

Franklin Avenue–Botanic Garden is a New York City Subway station complex shared by the IRT Eastern Parkway Line and the BMT Franklin Avenue Line. Located at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, it is served by:
*, NYCS|4 and Franklin Avenue Shuttle trains at all times
* train at all times except late nights
* during rush hours

The station complex is named for its proximity to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The free transfer between the Eastern Parkway and Franklin Avenue shuttle platforms was added in 1999 using a passageway that had existed since October 1928, when the BMT Botanic Garden station opened.__TOC__

IRT Eastern Parkway Line platforms

Infobox NYCS
bg_color = #E20F00
bg_color_2 = #007527
line = IRT Eastern Parkway Line
service = Eastern west
platforms = 2 island platforms
tracks = 4
open_date = August 23, 1920
north_line = IRT Eastern Parkway Line
north_local_station = Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum
north_local_service = Eastern west local
north_express_station = Atlantic Avenue
north_express_station_acc = yes
north_express_service = Eastern west express
south_custom_station = NYCS next|type=Eastern Parkway local|station=Nostrand Avenue|line=IRT Eastern Parkway Line|service=Eastern center
south_custom_station_2 = NYCS next|type=Eastern Parkway express|station=Crown Heights–Utica Avenue|line=IRT Eastern Parkway Line|service=Eastern center express|acc=yes
south_custom_station_3 = NYCS next|type=Nostrand|station=President Street|line=IRT Nostrand Avenue Line|service=Nostrand

Franklin Avenue on the IRT Eastern Parkway Line has four tracks and two island platforms. East of this station is Rogers Junction, where the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line diverges from the Eastern Parkway Line and turns compass south under Nostrand Avenue. Between the station and the junction, the southbound express track crosses to the east side, running above the northbound express track, and the northbound local track crosses to the west side, below the southbound local track. Crossover tracks allow express trains to access Rogers Junction and the Nostrand Avenue Line, which is only connected to the local tracks; this is a point of congestion during rush hours. There is a closed tower at the south end of the southbound platform.

The station has been adopted by Clara Barton High School as part of New York City Transit's "Adopt-A-Station" program.

BMT Franklin Avenue Line platforms

Infobox NYCS
bg_color = #3D4040
line = BMT Franklin Avenue Line
service = Franklin
platforms = 2 side platforms
tracks = 2
open_year = 1928
north_line = BMT Franklin Avenue Line
north_station = Park Place
north_station_acc = yes
north_service = Franklin
south_line = BMT Brighton Line
south_station = Prospect Park
south_station_acc = yes
south_service = Franklin

Botanic Garden on the BMT Franklin Avenue Line has two tracks and two side platforms. The station is named for the nearby Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

There was no station at this location until 1928, when a new station was constructed to replace the "Consumers Park" station several blocks to the south, which was considered too close to the Prospect Park station to be useful. The "Consumers Park" station had been renamed "Botanic Garden" by 1924. The new station assumed the Botanic Garden name upon opening, and the old Botanic Garden/Consumers Park station closed at the same time.

The current station was built in the open cut right-of-way to the south of Eastern Parkway, and the half of the station closest to that street was roofed over in the appearance of a subway structure.

The station deteriorated over the years as the New York City Transit Authority considered whether to abandon or rehabiliate the station and the line. Support in the Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights communities persuaded the city to rebuild the line. After rehabilitation, it reopened in 1999. At this time, a transfer to the Franklin Avenue (IRT Eastern Parkway Line) station on the IRT Eastern Parkway Line was added.

The rebuilt 1999 station is located entirely inside the subway structure that was built in 1928. At the street level, it features floral wrought iron fencing in recognition of its location near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. At track level it includes 1920s-era mosaic tiling. To the immediate north of the station, the 1878 railroad tunnel that carries the line under Eastern Parkway has been dramatically lighted.

Bus connections

* B48
* B49 via Bedford Avenue and Ocean Avenue; south to Midwood, Sheepshead Bay and Manhattan Beach
* B71 east to Crown Heights; west to Park Slope via Union Street

External links

* [http://www.nycsubway.org/ nycsubway.org]
** [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?215:3117 Brooklyn IRT: Franklin Avenue]
** [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?213:704 BMT Franklin: Botanic Garden]
** [http://www.nycsubway.org/lines/irt-brooklyn-map2.html Brooklyn IRT: Map 2, Brooklyn IRT Dual Contracts] (includes current and former track configurations, and provisions for future connections)
* [http://www.stationreporter.net/ Station Reporter]
** [http://www.stationreporter.net/2train.htm 2 Train]
** [http://www.stationreporter.net/3train.htm 3 Train]
** [http://www.stationreporter.net/4train.htm 4 Train]
** [http://www.stationreporter.net/5train.htm 5 Train]
** [http://www.stationreporter.net/fstrain.htm Franklin Shuttle]