Broadway Junction’s overhaul to include $500M in safety, public space, and accessibility upgrades
Image courtesy of Caroline Willis/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
New York City is investing nearly $500 million to revitalize the area around one of Brooklyn’s busiest transit hubs. The overhaul of East New York’s Broadway Junction subway station includes accessibility upgrades, two new public plazas, and safety improvements as part of the city’s effort to make the hub a regional transit center, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday. Work is expected to begin in 2027 and finish by 2030.
Illustrative rendering of new Broadway Junction Plaza; view from west Van Sinderen Avenue and Fulton. Image courtesy of the New York City Economic Development Corporation
“I fought to bring investments to this community when I was Brooklyn borough president, and as mayor, I am proud to say that we are getting it done. This $500 million public investment will create more than 2,300 construction jobs, two new public plazas, and safer streets in this community, along with more than $11 billion in economic impact for the city,” Adams said.
“This process has been led by the people who live here, and our administration is completely committed to keeping the community front and center and delivering the quality of life the residents deserve.”
Broadway Junction is Brooklyn’s third busiest transit station, serving roughly 100,000 commuters every weekday and connecting them to major employment hubs throughout the five boroughs.
According to the mayor, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will contribute $400 million for accessibility upgrades at Broadway Junction, including escalator replacements, and a new entrance with easy access to the L train on the east side of Van Sinderen Avenue.
The remaining $95 million will go towards enhancing the underutilized spaces that surround the station and improving street safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. These new public realm improvements are expected to create over 2,300 construction jobs across the city.
As part of the project, the city’s Economic Development Corporation will create two new public plazas on both sides of Van Sinderen Avenue and Fulton Street, providing a new entrance to Broadway Junction with lighting, art, retail space, seating, and plantings.
The area’s transformation is part of the East New York Neighborhood Plan, a rezoning approved by the city in 2016 to spur the development of affordable housing, boost economic growth, create pedestrian-friendly streets, and invest in the community to ensure long-term prosperity. More than 433 homes have been finished or are currently under construction, with upwards of 1,700 additional homes planned.
Nearly all of the 433 homes are affordable to families earning less than 80 percent of the area median income, and roughly 60 percent of the planned homes will be affordable to families earning less than 50 percent of the area median income.
In August 2019, the city released its preliminary vision of the station’s transformation. The initial plan envisioned an attractive transit hub surrounded by vibrant streetscapes with new community-run retail space and an anchor institution, such as an educational campus.
“These investments are decades overdue. East New York has suffered from public disinvestment and neglect, and today’s $95 million city investment in the public realm finally addresses longstanding issues such as pedestrian safety, accessible sidewalks, traffic calming, lighting, and the lack of open public space for our community to enjoy,” Council Member Sandy Nurse, who represents the neighborhood, said in a statement.
“These city dollars, coupled with the MTA’s $400 million accessibility upgrades, will transform Broadway Junction into a safe, accessible public transit and community hub.”
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