Westchester Square Station (Dual System IRT)

About this property

The Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue station (formerly Westchester Square station) is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of East Tremont and Westchester Avenues in the Westchester Square, and on the border of the Pelham Bay neighborhoods of the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction, when the <6> train takes over. This station was built as part of the Pelham Line, which was part of the Dual Contracts, signed on March 19, 1913, and also known as the Dual Subway System. The Pelham Line was proposed to be a branch of the Lexington Avenue Line running northeast via 138th Street, Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue to Pelham Bay Park. This station opened on October 24, 1920 as the line's new terminal with the line's extension from East 177th Street. Service was initially served by a mix of through and shuttle trains during the 1920s. In 1981, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) listed the station among the 69 most deteriorated stations in the subway system. Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Program, the station, along with thirty other New York City Subway stations, was to undergo a complete overhaul and would have been entirely closed for up to six months. Updates would have included cellular service, Wi-Fi, charging stations, improved signage, and improved station lighting. However, these renovations were deferred due to a lack of funding. Regardless, the station was closed in one direction for approximately two months (one month per direction) to facilitate ADA accessibility renovations. As part of a revision to the Capital Program in April 2018, the MTA announced that the station would have elevators installed, making the station ADA-accessible. By February 2021, funding had been committed to accessibility renovations at the station. In December 2021, the MTA awarded a contract for the installation of elevators at eight stations, including the Westchester Square station. The project, which also included structural repairs and restoration of historic features, cost $122.5 million, of which $98.6 million was funded by the Federal Transit Administration. In addition, four new stairways were added, eight stairways were renovated, and new fire alarm and communication systems, and CCTV cameras were installed. As of July 2022, the project was scheduled to be completed in May 2024, but the elevators did not open until January 2025. This elevated station has three tracks and two side platforms. The center track is not used in regular service. The 6 local train serves the station at all times except rush hours in the peak direction, when the <6> express train serves the station instead. The next stop to the south is Zerega Avenue, while the next stop to the north is Middletown Road.

Location

Categories

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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