Jamaica-Van Wyck (E) - The SubwayNut

Home<N.Y.C. Subway Stations<Jamaica-Van Wyck

Jamaica-Van Wyck is one of the most unusual subway stations. The main reason for this is it is part of the Archer Avenue extension that was only opened on December 11, 1988. The station is definitely a bit overbuilt, for most of the station there is a large double height ceiling that originally had glass allowing daylight to pour into the station along the wall eves along the Manhattan-bound platform, these though have been sealed allowing no natural light to come in. The station has one island platform and all walls are various shades of orange. The exit is towards the Jamaica-bound end of the platform and fare control is on a balcony directly above the island platform that has a staircase, an two escalators and the ADA elevator down to the platform. There is a bank of turnstiles here that leads to the exits. One of witch is through a passageway that is in an area beyond the station platform (as the tracks continue to Jamaica Center), the other exit is particularly interesting because it is cantilevered out from the station ceiling and walls above the Jamaica bound platform before the passageway turns to provide an exit to Jamaica Av-Metropolitan Av. Each entrance/exit from the street is very unconventional and are mega-entrances in there own buildings at street level and have escalators, a narrow flight of stairs (and in the case of the 89 Street exit the street elevator).
June 2008 update: When I visited in June 2008 the station was having many of its escalators replaced, the Jamaica Av-Metropolitan Av exit was completely closed for 'escalator refurbishment' as the signs read, the escalators from the platform up to the mezzanine were also closed forcing all passengers to use a relatively narrow staircase that loops around from the platform up to the mezzanine at the first/last car of the Jamaica-bound end of the platform. Major bottlenecks were definitely occurring.

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(vanwycke1) A sign for Jamaica-Van Wyck along the top of the island platform. The white with black stripes board telling the conductor that it is okay to open the doors is incorporated directly into the sign. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 9 February, 2004	(vanwycke2) Passengers walk over the passageway that is cantilevered over the Jamaica-bound platform between the station's single fare control area and the exit to Jamaica Av-Metropolitan Av. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 9 February, 2004	(vanwycke3) Looking down the island platform at Jamaica-Van Wyck by the escalators up to the mezzanine fare control area. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 9 February, 2004	(vanwycke4) Looking down the island platform that has a very high cieling at Jamaica-Van Wyck from the top of the escalators on the mezzanine level. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 9 February, 2004

(vanwycke5) Looking up a very crowded staircase up to the mezzanine at Jamaica-Van Wyck. It is so crowded because of escalator refurbishment closing off the main bank of esclators between the mezzanine and the platform. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke6) A plastic yellow bench along the mezzanine area at Jamaica-Van Wyck within fare control. The benches are unique to this station Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke7) Looking down the relatively narrow corridor that leads from fare control to the Jamaica Hospital-89 Street exit at Jamaica-Van Wyck. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke8) A side view of the structure surrounding the stairs, escalators and elevators at Jamaica Hospital-89 Street down to the subway station at Jamaica-Van Wyck. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008

(vanwycke9) A close up of a sign at the entrance to the Jamaica-Van Wyck subway station. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke10) Another station sign at the entrance to Jamaica-Van Wyck station with the old M logo cubes that are green saying its an entrance that is always open and that also have the wheelchair logo on them saying its an accessible entrance. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke11) A very busy Queens Blvd, with an entrance to the Jamaica-Van Wyck station with a sign saying that the entrance is open for elevator use only and to use the other entrance at Jamaica Av & Metropolitan Av, that sing is wrong this exit is currently the only one open and the other one has closed. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke12) An interior view of the quite large structure at street level with escalators leading down to the mezzanine at Jamaica-Van Wyck. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008

(vanwycke13) A view the front of the escalators down to the platforms at Jamaica-Van Wyck, these are definitely new because they have little posts right before them with LEDs on them that display an arrow that is going either up or down saying the direction of the escalator. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke14) Another view down the corridor leading to the Jamiaca Hospital-89 Street exit at Jamaica-Van Wyck, it gets even narrower then it usually is do to a plywooded of construction area Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke15) Another view down the corridor leading to the E train at Jamaica-Van Wyck. Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008	(vanwycke16) The area right before fare control at Jamaica-Van Wyck as a passenger talks to the token clerk. The plywood closing off the exit to Metropolitan Avenue is visible with a sign telling people to use the 89 Street exit at other end of mezzanine Photo by Jeremiah Cox, 25 June, 2008
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