UPDATED: Bay Ridge Avenue R Train Station To Close Temporarily For Renovations
State Senator and Senate representative to the MTA Capital Review Board Marty Golden announced on Monday that the MTA’s Enhanced Station Initiative, to include significant renovations and improvements on the Bay Ridge Avenue R train station, have been approved and are set to move forward.
UPDATE: According to Golden’s office, “there will definitely be some periods of closure” to accompany the renovations, and “At the start of the projects, minor construction activities will be performed while the stations remain operational. However, in order to fast track the renovations, the stations will be temporarily closed, enabling the contractor to get in, get the work done, and get out in the shortest possible time frame.”
According to the press release, improvements will include:
– New canopies at the station entrance
– New totems at the station entrance
– New furniture
– Technology integration
– Improved finished
– Improved wayfinding
– New lighting scheme
– Decluttering
These improvements are intended to make the Bay Ridge Avenue station more aesthetically pleasing, better streamlined, and more informative, according to the release.
Golden heralded the renovation as a “major victory” for the station, stating that, “I am sure many would agree that this station needs an overhaul and has for some time. I am proud to have worked to secure this station project to make the entry and exit point to the NYC Transit system more attractive.”
In addition to the Bay Ridge station, Golden is confident the 77th Street and 95th Street R line stations are soon to follow in receiving improvements in the near future.
In the spring, elevator construction will begin at the 86th Street station.
The improvements to the Bay Ridge Avenue station are separate from improvements planned by Governor Cuomo in an announcement made earlier this year. Those improvements will include WiFi access and new trains and will involve shutting down tens of stations for extended periods.