Kings Highway station (IND Culver Line)

{{Short description|New York City Subway station in Brooklyn}} {{other uses|Kings Highway (disambiguation){{!}}Kings Highway}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}} {{Infobox NYCS | name = Kings Highway | image = Kings Hwy Culver td (2019-01-16) 12.jpg | caption = Northbound platform with an R160 F train arriving in the distance | address = Kings Highway & McDonald Avenue Brooklyn, New York | borough = Brooklyn | locale = Gravesend | coordinates = {{coord|40|36|11.47|N|73|58|20.44|W|display=inline,title}} | division = IND Culver | line = IND Culver Line BMT Culver Line (formerly) | service = Culver IND south | other = {{bus icon}} NYCT Bus: {{NYC bus link|B82|B82 SBS}} | platforms = 2 island platforms cross-platform interchange | tracks = 3 | structure = Elevated | opened = {{start date and age|1919|Mar|16|p=yes}}<ref name=":1"/> | accessible = construction | services = {{Adjacent stations|system=New York City Subway |line=Culver local|left=Avenue P|right=Avenue U|note-left={{NYCS Culver IND south|time=1}}|note-right={{NYCS Culver IND south|time=1}}}} | other_services = {{Adjacent stations|system=New York City Subway |line=none|left=18th Avenue|right=Neptune Avenue|note-left=''express''|note-right=''express''}} | footnotes = {{NYCS infobox legend|alltimes}}{{NYCS infobox legend|rushonly}}{{NYCS infobox legend|limitedrushpeak}}{{NYCS infobox legend|weekdaysnights}} | route_map = {{NYCS 3-tracked express station |1 = Avenue P |2 = Avenue U |3 = 18th Avenue |4 = Avenue X |code2 = IND Culver Line |code3 = IND Culver Line |code4 = |inline = y |unused = y |deg = 345 |extra1 = udSTR\uvÜSTl uvÜST\udSTR udSTR\uvÜSTr |extra2 = uvÜST\udSTR udSTR\uvÜSTr }} }}

The '''Kings Highway station''' is an express station on the IND Culver Line of the New York City Subway, located at Kings Highway and McDonald Avenue in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn. The station is served by the F train at all times and the <F> train during rush hours in the peak direction. Select trains originate and terminate here during peak hours.

== History == This station opened at 3:00 a.m. on March 16, 1919, as part of the opening of the first section of the BMT Culver Line. The initial section began at the Ninth Avenue station and ended at the Kings Highway station.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AINOAQAAMAAJ&q=18th+avenue+culver+line&pg=PA130|title=Legislative Documents|date=January 1, 1920|publisher=J.B. Lyon Company|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tmHEm5ohoCUC&q=18th+avenue+ind+culver+line&pg=PA1083|title=The Encyclopedia of New York State|last1=Eisenstadt|first1=Peter R.|last2=Moss|first2=Laura-Eve|date=January 1, 2005|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=9780815608080|language=en}}</ref> The line was operated as a branch of the Fifth Avenue Elevated line, with a free transfer at Ninth Avenue to the West End Line into the Fourth Avenue Subway. The opening of the line resulted in reduced travel times between Manhattan and Kings Highway. Construction on the line began in 1915, and cost a total of $3.3 million.<ref>{{Cite news|date=March 9, 1919|title=B.R.T. Will Open Culver Line Elevated Road as Far as Kings Highway on Sunday Next|page=23|work=The New York Times|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1919/03/09/97082229.pdf|access-date=October 9, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=March 16, 1919|title=Culver Line Open Today|page=8|work=The New York Times|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1919/03/16/97086345.pdf|access-date=October 9, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kracke|first=Frederick J.H.|date=March 16, 1919|title=New Rapid Transit Link in Operation|page=106|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/16/archives/new-rapid-transit-link-in-operation.html|access-date=July 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=March 17, 1919|title=Culver Elevated Opens|page=21|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/17/archives/culver-elevated-opens-service-between-park-row-and-kings-highway.html|access-date=July 30, 2020}}</ref>

Trains from this station began using the Fourth Avenue Subway to the Nassau Street Loop in Lower Manhattan when that line opened on May 30, 1931.<ref>{{cite news|date=May 21, 1931|title=Nassau St. Service Outlined by B. M. T.|page=29|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1931/05/21/archives/nassau-st-service-outlined-by-bmt-loop-to-be-used-for-direct.html|access-date=July 30, 2020}}</ref> The Fifth Avenue Elevated was closed on May 31, 1940, and elevated service ceased stopping here.<ref name="NYERA-Culver2-May20102">{{cite journal|last=Chiasson|first=George|date=May 2010|title=A History of the F (and V) Train Service|url=https://issuu.com/erausa/docs/the_era_bulletin_2010-05/3|journal=New York Division Bulletin|publisher=Electric Railroaders' Association|volume=53|issue=5|pages=1, 4|archive-date=September 20, 2016|access-date=January 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920190018/https://issuu.com/erausa/docs/the_era_bulletin_2010-05/3|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=June 1, 1940|title=Last Train is Run on Fulton St. 'El'|page=11|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/06/01/archives/last-train-is-run-on-fulton-stel-mayor-cashmore-officials-and-civic.html|access-date=July 30, 2020}}</ref> On October 30, 1954,<ref name="NYERA-Culver2-May20102" /><ref>{{Citation|title=NYCTA - Pass for Culver Line Ceremonies - 1954|date=April 14, 2015|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/127872292@N06/16964213100/|access-date=July 30, 2020}}</ref> the connection between the IND South Brooklyn Line at Church Avenue and the BMT Culver Line at Ditmas Avenue opened. With the connection completed, all service at the stations on the former BMT Culver Line south of Ditmas Avenue, including this one, were from then on served by IND trains.<ref name="NYTImes-AdequateTransit-1954">{{cite news|date=October 29, 1954|title=Adequate Transit Promised for City|page=25|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1954/10/29/archives/adequate-transit-promised-for-city-authority-head-writes-mayor-and.html|access-date=July 30, 2020}}</ref>

From June 1969<ref name="Express1968">{{cite news|date=June 8, 1969|title='F' Line Rush-Hour Service Will Be Added in Brooklyn|work=The New York Times|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1969/06/08/284714212.pdf|access-date=August 26, 2016}}</ref> to 1987, express service on the elevated portion of the line from Church Avenue to Kings Highway operated in the peak direction (to Manhattan AM; to Brooklyn PM), with some F trains running local and some running express. During this time period, this station was used as an express station.<ref name="MTA-FLineReview-20092">{{cite report|url=http://www.nysenate.gov/files/pdfs/flinereport_0.pdf|title=Review of F Line Operations, Ridership, and Infrastructure|date=October 7, 2009|publisher=MTA New York City Transit Authority|access-date=July 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531101000/http://www.nysenate.gov/files/pdfs/flinereport_0.pdf|website=nysenate.gov|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 31, 2010}}</ref><ref name="MTA-FExpStudy-May2016">{{cite report|url=http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/pdf/F_express.pdf|title=Feasibility and Analysis of F Express Service in Brooklyn|date=May 2016|access-date=June 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527062554/http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/pdf/F_express.pdf|archive-date=May 27, 2016|work=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|url-status=live}}</ref> Express service ended in 1987, largely due to budget constraints and complaints from passengers at local stations. Express service on the elevated Culver Line was ended due to necessary structural work, but never restored.<ref name="MTA-FLineReview-20092" /><ref name="MTA-FExpStudy-May2016" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Geberer|first=Raanan|date=March 6, 2013|title=Light at End of Tunnel: F Train Express may return|work=Brooklyn Daily Eagle|url=https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2013/03/06/light-at-end-of-tunnel-f-train-express-may-return/|url-status=live|access-date=July 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327221627/https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2013/03/06/light-at-end-of-tunnel-f-train-express-may-return/|archive-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref>

From June 7, 2016, to May 1, 2017, the southbound platform at this station was closed for renovations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/culver2016/index.html |title=Coney Island-bound F subway trains will not stop at Avenue I, Bay Pkwy, Avenue N, Avenue P, Avenue U, and Avenue X until early 2017 |date=2016 |website=web.mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527225348/http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/culver2016/index.html |archive-date=May 27, 2016 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 9, 2016 }}</ref> The Manhattan-bound platform was closed for a longer period of time, from May 22, 2017, until July 30, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://web.mta.info/nyct/maps/subway_map.pdf|title=New York City Subway Map|date=May 1, 2017|website=mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510180253/http://web.mta.info/nyct/maps/subway_map.pdf|archive-date=May 10, 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=May 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/culver2016/index.html|title=$140 Million Culver F subway Line Station Renewal Project Begins Next Phase|date=May 18, 2017|website=web.mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=May 18, 2017|archive-date=May 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527225348/http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/culver2016/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2019, as part of an initiative to increase the accessibility of the New York City Subway system, the MTA announced that it would install elevators at the Kings Highway station as part of the MTA's 2020–2024 Capital Program.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/mta-announces-20-additional-subway-stations-receive-accessibility|title=MTA Announces 20 Additional Subway Stations to Receive Accessibility Improvements Under Proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan|date=December 19, 2019|website=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=December 24, 2019|location=New York City|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421204344/http://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/mta-announces-20-additional-subway-stations-receive-accessibility|archive-date=April 21, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2022, the MTA announced that it would award a $965 million contract for the installation of 21 elevators across eight stations,<ref name="Nessen 2022">{{cite web | last=Nessen | first=Stephen | title=MTA to spend more than $1B on accessibility upgrades | website=Gothamist | date=November 28, 2022 | url=https://gothamist.com/news/mta-to-spend-more-than-1b-on-accessibility-upgrades | access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref> including Kings Highway.<ref name="Brachfeld 2022">{{cite web | last=Brachfeld | first=Ben | title=MTA to spend $1 billion on subway, commuter rail accessibility upgrades | website=amNewYork | date=November 29, 2022 | url=https://www.amny.com/transit/mta-billion-subway-commuter-rail-accessibility/ | access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref><ref name=mta100281/>{{Rp|page=81}} A joint venture of ASTM and Halmar International would construct the elevators under a public-private partnership.<ref name="Brachfeld 2022"/><ref name=mta100281>{{Cite web |date=November 29, 2022 |title=Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting November 2022 |url=https://new.mta.info/document/100281 |access-date=July 14, 2022 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority }}</ref>{{Rp|page=80}} The northern mezzanine to Kings Highway and McDonald Avenue was demolished and reconstructed to allow for the installation of platform elevators. The elevator towers were erected in mid-2025.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 29, 2025 |title=Major Progress at Kings Highway Station: Final Elevator Tower Installations |url=https://www.fortecc.com/post/major-progress-at-kings-highway-station-final-elevator-tower-installations |access-date=October 7, 2025 |website=Forte Construction}}</ref>

== Station layout == {|table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;" rowspan=5 valign=top|'''P''' Platform level |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;"|'''Northbound local''' |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;"|← {{rint|newyork|F}}{{rint|newyork|Fd}} toward {{stl|NYCS|Jamaica–179th Street}} ({{stl|NYCS|Avenue P}}) |- |style="border-top:solid 2px black;border-right:solid 2px black;border-left:solid 2px black;border-bottom:solid 2px black;text-align:center;" colspan=2|{{small|Island platform}} |- |'''Peak-direction express''' |← {{rint|newyork|F}} toward Jamaica–179th Street (select rush-hour trips) (Avenue P) {{0|→}} {{rint|newyork|F}} termination track (select rush hour trips) → {{0|→}} (No express service: {{stl|NYCS|18th Avenue|Culver}} or {{stl|NYCS|Neptune Avenue}}) |- |style="border-top:solid 2px black;border-right:solid 2px black;border-left:solid 2px black;border-bottom:solid 2px black;text-align:center;" colspan=2|{{small|Island platform}} |- |'''Southbound local''' |{{0|→}} {{rint|newyork|F}}{{rint|newyork|Fd}} toward {{stl|NYCS|Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue}} ({{stl|NYCS|Avenue U|Culver}}) → |- |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;"|'''M''' |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;"|Mezzanine |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;"|Fare control, station agent, OMNY machines |- |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width=50|'''G''' |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width=150|Street level |style="border-top:solid 1px gray;border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width=400|Entrances/exits |} thumb|left|Southwest stair at Avenue S|alt= The station has three tracks and two island platforms.<ref name="MTA-FExpStudy-May2016"/> Each platform contains a green canopy with black roofs that run for the entire length except near the north ends, where a control tower is present on the Coney Island-bound platform.

Trains going to Coney Island (southbound) or Manhattan and Queens (northbound) use the local tracks. The center express track is normally used only during rush hours to short turn trains not going to Stillwell Avenue. There are platform signs informing riders that some rush hour 179th Street-bound trains are available from the center track.<ref name="MTA-FExpStudy-May2016"/>

There are no express stations south of this station. Instead, the center track offers the option of switching to either local tracks. Diamond crossover switches exist between the center and southbound tracks at both ends of the station. Switches exist at both ends of the station allowing northbound trains to switch from the express track to the northbound local track. Additional switches exist between Avenue U and Avenue X (one each from the center track to the northbound and southbound tracks), and south of Avenue X merging into the southbound local track and the yard leads towards the Coney Island Yard.<ref name="MTA-FExpStudy-May2016"/>

The current track configurations allow trains to terminate and reverse at Kings Highway; however, from 1990 to September 2020, the previous configuration did not allow northbound local trains from Coney Island to run express north of Kings Highway without skipping Avenue U. Switches originally existed,<ref name="MTA-FExpStudy-May2016" /><ref name="NYERA-CulverPlans-Sep2000-Pg3">{{cite journal|last1=Linder|first1=Bernard|last2=Erlitz|first2=Jeffrey|title=Culver Line Track Plans|journal=New York Division Bulletin|date=September 2000|volume=43|issue=9|page=3|url=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nqzB6mlUfOo/UWQJ_gD6LrI/AAAAAAAACK0/eUlNaInMZvo/s640/culversouth.jpg|access-date=July 26, 2016|publisher=Electric Railroader's Association}}</ref> but were removed during track rehabilitation projects in the 1990s<ref name="MTA-FExpStudy-May2016" /> before being replaced in September 2020 as part of CBTC installation on the Culver Line.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dougherty |first=Peter |title=Tracks of the NYC Subway 2021 Edition |year=2020}}</ref>{{rp|page=41}}

===Exits=== This station has two entrances with the primary one at the northern end. From each platform, a single staircase goes down to an elevated station-house beneath the tracks. Inside is a token booth and regular turnstile bank. Outside fare control, two staircases go down to either southern corner of McDonald Avenue and Kings Highway.<ref name="map">{{cite web|title=MTA Neighborhood Maps: Midwood|url=http://web.mta.info/maps/neighborhoods/bkn/B15-Midwood_2015.pdf|website=mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=August 2, 2015|date=2015}}</ref>

An un-staffed entrance is at the south end of the station. From each platform, a single staircase goes down to an elevated station-house beneath the tracks. Inside are two HEET turnstiles. Outside of fare control, two staircases go down to either northern corner of McDonald Avenue and Avenue S.<ref name=map/>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category|Kings Highway (IND Culver Line)}} * {{NYCS ref|http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?212:212108|BMT Culver Line|Kings Highway}} * Station Reporter — [https://web.archive.org/web/20120204051254/http://www.stationreporter.net/ftrain.htm F Train] * The Subway Nut — [http://www.subwaynut.com/ind/kings_highwayf/index.php Kings Highway Pictures] * [https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.604036,-73.972262&spn=0,0.006657&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.604189,-73.972235&panoid=fdBIVo4bhSOSU-1VhQUBCg&cbp=12,159.41,,0,0.43 Kings Highway entrance from Google Maps Street View] * [https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.602252,-73.972498&spn=0,0.006657&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.602161,-73.97251&panoid=X2YLDHCDwbSA28X7r38bDg&cbp=12,327.17,,0,5.94 Avenue S entrance from Google Maps Street View] * [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kings+Hwy,+Brooklyn,+NY+11223/@40.6024083,-73.9724027,3a,75y,61.22h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s-BRpp2_up74c%2FWb7um-snNOI%2FAAAAAAAAyvg%2FmgAI0tZeu7kH3APmVfMzR3yLKsrPQbEsQCLIBGAYYCw!2e4!4m2!3m1!1s0x89c244fa8dd7ab5d:0xed366f0eda5a3361!5m1!1e2 Platforms from Google Maps Street View (During 2016-2018 Renovation)]

Category:IND Culver Line stations Category:BMT Culver Line stations Category:New York City Subway stations in Brooklyn Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1919 Category:Midwood, Brooklyn