Church Avenue   | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 View of the southbound platform | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Address | Church Avenue & East 18th Street Brooklyn, New York | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Borough | Brooklyn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Flatbush | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°38′59″N73°57′49″W / 40.64966°N 73.963646°W /40.64966; -73.963646 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | B (BMT)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line | BMT Brighton Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | B  (weekday rush hours, middays and early evenings) Q  (all times) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transit |  NYCT Bus:B16,B35 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure | Open-cut | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2island platforms cross-platform interchange | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | original station: July 2, 1878; 147 years ago (1878-07-02) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | current station: 1907; 119 years ago (1907) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible |  ADA-accessible | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traffic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2,819,621[2]  11.7% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | 123 out of 423[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheChurch Avenue station is an expressstation on theBMT Brighton Line of theNew York City Subway, located at Church Avenue near East 18th Street in theFlatbush neighborhood ofBrooklyn. The station is served by theQ train at all times and by theB train on weekdays only.
The original station at this location was a two-track side platform station that ran south from Church Avenue, whereas the current station runs to the north. At a point about 150 feet (46 m) south of Church Avenue, a clear difference in the form of the concrete retaining wall is visible on both sides of the right-of-way. This marks the point where the original Brighton Beach Line transitioned from an open-cut line depressed below ground level to a surface railroad for the remainder of the run toConey Island. The line south of this point was converted from a two-track surface line to a four-track grade-separated line in 1907, and the portion north of this point was rebuilt from a two-track open cut to a four-track open cut in 1919.
On August 1, 1920, a tunnel underFlatbush Avenue opened, connecting the Brighton Line to theBroadway subway in Manhattan.[3][4] At the same time, the line's former track connections to theFulton Street Elevated were severed. Subway trains from Manhattan and elevated trains fromFranklin Avenue servedBrighton Line stations, sharing the line toConey Island.[4][5]
During the 1964–1965 fiscal year, the platforms at Church 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)-long cars, or a nine-car train of 67 foot (20 m)-long cars.[6]
In 1981, theMetropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) listed the station among the 69 most deteriorated stations in the subway system.[7] In 1982, the MTA began renovating the station.[8]
In 2019, as part of an initiative to increase theaccessibility of the New York City Subway system, the MTA announced that it would install elevators at the Church Avenue station as part of the MTA's 2020–2024 Capital Program.[9] In November 2022, the MTA announced that it would award a $965 million contract for the installation of 21 elevators across eight stations,[10] including Church Avenue.[11][12]: 81 A joint venture of ASTM and Halmar International would construct theelevators under a public-private partnership.[11][12]: 80 In addition to the new elevators, this project included two new staircases.[13] To accommodate the work, all B trains were rerouted to run local between Prospect Park and Kings Highway. Additionally, southbound trains bypassed the station from August 4 to November 23, 2024; northbound trains skipped the station until February 17, 2025.[14] TheMTA also announced in 2025 that a customer service center would open at the station.[15] This customer service center, along with the new staircases and elevators, opened on November 10, 2025.[16]
| Ground | Street level | Entrances/exits, station house and agent,OMNY machine |
| Platform level | Northbound local | ← toward96th Street(Parkside Avenue) |
| Island platform | ||
| Northbound express | ← weekdays towardBedford Park Boulevard or145th Street(Prospect Park) | |
| Southbound express | weekdays towardBrighton Beach(Newkirk Plaza) → | |
| Island platform | ||
| Southbound local | towardConey Island–Stillwell Avenue(Beverley Road) → | |
Church Avenue is anopen-cut express station with short tunnels at each end to carry the line between cross streets. The station has four tracks and twoisland platforms.[17] Each platform has two staircases, leading to a station-house at each end. TheQ stops here at all times and is local, while theB stops here only on weekdays during the day and is express. The next stop to the north isParkside Avenue for local trains andProspect Park for express trains, while the next stop to the south isBeverley Road for local trains andNewkirk Plaza for express trains.[18]
There are three exits and entrances to the station, all through stationhouses.[19]
The southern entrance is at the south end of the station on the north side of Church Avenue. The original station house at this entrance was demolished and replaced with the current structure. Plain white tiles dot the interior and exterior of this entrance. There arerestrooms insidefare control to the right side.[19]
The northern entrance is at the north end of the station by Caton Avenue and St. Pauls Place. The stationhouse at this entrance retains the original c.1918 exterior. This end of the station originally had a part-time booth during the morning rush; a high-exit turnstile was open at all other times.[19]
A third entrance is at the center of the station on the east side of East 18th Street, between Caton and Church Avenues.[20] This entrance contains the ADA-accessible elevators to both platforms.[21] This entrance replaces a smaller exit that led only from the southbound platform. The exit had a small structure made from brick and stucco; it was added in the early 1960s, but was closed by the early 1980s.[22]
| Exit location[19] | Number of exits | Platform served |
|---|---|---|
| NW corner of E 18th Street & Church Avenue | 1 | Both |
| SE corner of St Pauls Place & Caton Avenue | 1 | Both |
| Brighton Line |
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