Broadway–Lafayette Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

Infobox NYCS
name = Broadway–Lafayette Street

---

bg_color = #FF6E1A
line = IND Sixth Avenue Line
service = Sixth
platforms = 2 island platforms
tracks = 4
passengers = 10.292 million
pass_year=2007
pass_percent=7
borough = Manhattan
transfer_custom = NYCS Lexington local|time=1 (southbound only) at Bleecker Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
open_date = January 1, 1936
north_station = West Fourth Street–Washington Square
north_station_acc = yes
north_line = New York City Subway
north_service = Sixth
south_line=IND Sixth Avenue Line
south_local_station = Lower East Side–Second Avenue
south_local_service=Sixth south
south_express_station = Grand Street
south_express_service=Chrystie Manhattan
south_custom_station = NYCS next|type=Nassau Street|station=Essex Street|line=BMT Nassau Street Line|service=Chrystie Williamsburg

Broadway–Lafayette Street is a station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located on East Houston Street between Broadway and Lafayette Street in Manhattan.

History

Broadway-Lafayette Street station was opened on 1 January 1936 when former mayor Fiorello LaGuardia opened the first portion of the IND Sixth Avenue Line between West Fourth Street-Washington Square and East Broadway in the Lower East Side. [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60B10FF3F5B1B7B93C0A9178AD85F428385F9&scp=1&sq=LaGuardia%20opens%20new%20subway%20link&st=cse LaGuardia opens new subway link] "New York Times" Retrieved 2008-08-28] As part of this extension, the E was re-routed from its previous southern terminus, Chambers Street-Hudson Terminal, to East Broadway. Upon the opening of the Rutgers Street Tunnel, this service was extended all the way to Church Avenue. [http://images.nycsubway.org/maps/ind_1937.pdf 1937 IND map] "NYCSubway" Retrieved 2008-08-29] The F replaced the E on 15 December 1940 when the main line underneath Sixth Avenue opened. [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F2061EF7355A167A93C7A81789D95F448485F9 New subway line on 6th Ave opens at midnight fete] "New York Times" Retrieved 2008-08-29]

tation layout

The station is an important transfer point, as it is the southernmost station in Manhattan served by all four of the Sixth Avenue Line services. To coincide with this importance, there are two island platforms each serving a different direction. [http://nycsubway.org/perl/stations?221:775 Broadway-Lafayette Street] "NYCSubway" Retrieved 2008-08-28] During normal service times, the NYCS-bull-small|B and NYCS-bull-small|D use the inner tracks as they run express under Sixth Avenue and the NYCS-bull-small|F and NYCS-bull-small|V use the outer tracks because they are local trains. As with most stations built by the IND, there is a station-long concourse over the platforms but below street level which allows for directional transfers and an easier time exiting the system. It also is a much less confusing system for passengers entering the system as there is no concern for entering on the wrong platform as is the case with most of the original IRT and BMT stations.

It is also the only transfer point in Lower Manhattan between the Sixth Avenue Line and the IRT Lexington Avenue Line at the Bleecker Street station. The transfer is free to all riders only in the southbound direction. Access to northbound Lexington Avenue trains entails a one-block walk at street level outside of fare control, and thus requires payment of an additional fare (except to Unlimited-Ride MetroCard holders). This "one-way" transfer is the only one of its kind in the entire system. [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/07/nyregion/07station.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=with%20a%20connection%20to%20the%20no%206%20line&st=cse&oref=slogin With connection to No 6 line, a Manhattan transfer is coming] "New York Times" Retrieved 2006-08-02]

Entrances and exits

As Broadway-Lafayette Street is a very busy station, it unsurprisingly has a numerous amount of exits. The main station itself is located beneath Houston Street whilst Bleecker Street station is built below Lafayette Street. For the purposes of this article, only the IND Sixth Avenue station's exits will be discussed and for all intents and purposes, the terms entrance and exit are interchangeable unless explicitly stated.

*Broadway exits: There is one set of exits on Broadway. These two exits are on the north and southeastern corners of the intersection of Broadway and Houston Street. There is one set of turnstiles on the western end of the station and passengers may exit out of either stairwell upon leaving the paid area. [http://www.onnyturf.com/subway/?system=subway&station_id=218 Downtown Bleecker Street/Broadway-Lafayette Street] "On NY Turf" Retrieved 2008-08-28]

*Lafayette Street exits: Along with the location of the connection to Bleecker Street station, there are three exits. Two of these are on the southwestern corner of Houston and Lafayette Streets whilst the third is located on the northwestern corner of the same intersection.

Future expansion

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 2005–2009 capital program allocates $50 million to renovate the Broadway–Lafayette and Bleecker Street stations, install ADA-compliant elevators, and create a free transfer in the northbound direction.

Ridership

Broadway-Lafayette Street is one of the busiest stations in the subway system. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, in 2007 there were 10.292 million boardings at the station, making it the twenty-sixth busiest stop in the entire network. [http://mta.info/nyct/facts/ridership/ridership_sub.htm 2007 ridership by subway station] "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" Retrieved 2008-08-28] The MTA equates this to approximately 31,923 weekday boardings and ridership as a whole has increased by seven per cent from 9.600 million boardings in 2006. [http://transit.frumin.net/subway/growth/nyc-station-ridership.xls.zip 1904-2006 ridership figures] "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" Retrieved 2008-08-28]

Bus connections

*M1 to South Ferry and Harlem via Fifth and Madison Avenues. [http://mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/manh/m001cur.pdf M1 bus timetable] "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" Retrieved 2008-08-28]
*M5 to Greenwich Village and Washington Heights via Broadway, Riverside Drive, Fifth, and Sixth Avenues. [http://mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/manh/m005cur.pdf M5 bus timetable] "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" Retrieved 2008-08-28]
*M6 to South Ferry and Midtown Manhattan via Sixth Avenue and Broadway [http://mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/manh/m006cur.pdf M6 bus timetable] "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" Retrieved 2008-08-28]
*M21 to SoHo and the East Village via Houston Street and Avenue C [http://mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/manh/m021cur.pdf M21 bus timetable] "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" Retrieved 2008-08-28]

References

External links

*NYCS ref|http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?221:775|IND 6th Avenue|Broadway/Lafayette