On New Years Day in 2017, a new MTA subway line opened, with service to three new stations underneath 2nd Ave. in Manhattan’s East Side: 72nd, 86th, and 96th St.’s. However, there’s plans for extensions both north to 125th/Lexington & Park, and down to Hanover Square and Manhattan’s Seaport. This happens to be the northernmost of the 3 stations, and the current-day (as of writing this) terminus of the Q line. Welcome to 96th St./2nd Ave.
For some weird reason, despite it being defunct for many years now, these stations are all classed as ex-IND stations. Not sure why given only the MTA exists, and as far as I could find the IND was killed off in the ’50s when the system was unified into the present-day MTA (& as such also the ex-BMT and ex-IRT sections were merged in too, though only the BMT and IND are inter-operable, as the B division of the present-day system. If you need to know, numbered lines are the A division, lettered are the B division, essentially.) Anyways, with that out of the way, and the fact it took a REALLY LONG TIME just for these three stations to be built (& with phases 2, 3, and 4 in limbo presently), the station itself is really, REALLY overbuilt. Was the MTA really trying to channel the inner ex-IND energy here?! Like, gee, I get the IND in particular was overbuilt to handle the potential for crowding, but I don’t exactly think that’s an issue that needs apply here. This isn’t a major transfer station in lower Manhattan, for crying out loud! Nevertheless, while it feels a little sterile, it’s not to an extreme to where it’s overbearing. The stone accents are pretty cool, and the platforms all have standard amenities. There’s even countdown clocks and signs pointing to the next platform departing. Neat! The escalators down have a cool light installation (it was nighttime when I was here and was able to see it!). However, though, while the restrooms are closed overnights and between 12 and 1, Rome informed me the women’s restroom was essentially unusable. I didn’t even want to look in the men’s room for fear of being traumatized. On the upside, for buses, you primarily have the M15 which runs down 2nd Ave. between 125th St. and South Ferry, and the M96 crosstown route (that is, east-west). I do have one question though: WHY WASN’T THIS SECTION OF THE SYSTEM BUILT WITH CBTC FROM THE OUTSET?! I digress. Overall, not a bad station! And, I’m sure 72nd and 86th St.’s will hold up pretty well (given they’re largely carbon copies).
The good: The lights outside look cool, as does the headhouse! The station itself is relatively pretty damn clean vs. the rest of the system (can be attributed to it still being a very new station), restrooms at least exist, and overall it’s a pretty decent station. Elevators also exist, with it still being new.
The bad: The women’s restroom is unusable (per Rome) and I am presuming the men’s room is outright traumatizing. This station is kinda overbuilt, too.
Nearby points of interest: There’s some section 8 housing nearby, along with some playgrounds and other green spaces. The Harlem River is also a stone’s toss away, if you can cross FDR Drive somehow.
Transit connections:
Broadway Line (Line Q)
MTA bus (M15, M15-SBS, M96)
Overall, this station isn’t that bad. A bit overbuilt, yeah, and admittedly not the best place to turn trains or to terminate them, but it really isn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things. And, given phase 2 of the 2nd Ave. tunnel has funding (that’s to build the tunnel to Park/Lexington Ave.’s, and to build stations at 106th, 116th, and 125th & Park/Lexington for a transfer to the #s 4-6 lines, which I think is a better place to terminate than in the middle of relatively nowhere), there’s actually a decent future for this station. Not bad! But, I do have a question though: Why IS this station classed as an IND station, if the IND is long dead?!
Rating: 8.5/10
