Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer station

Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer  ​​​
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Upper level platform
Station statistics
Address	Parsons Boulevard & Archer Avenue Queens, NY 11432
Borough	Queens
Locale	Jamaica
Coordinates	40°42′09″N 73°48′00″W / 40.702407°N 73.799973°W / 40.702407; -73.799973Coordinates: 40°42′09″N 73°48′00″W / 40.702407°N 73.799973°W / 40.702407; -73.799973
Division	B (BMT/IND)[1]
Line	BMT Archer Avenue Line (lower level) IND Archer Avenue Line (upper level)
Services	E  (all times)​ ​   J  (all times) ​   Z  (rush hours, peak direction)
Transit	NYCT Bus: Q4, Q5, Q20A, Q20B, Q24, Q30, Q31, Q42, Q44 SBS, Q54, Q56, Q83, Q84, Q85 MTA Bus: Q6, Q8, Q9, Q25, Q34, Q41, Q65, Q110, Q111, Q112, Q113, Q114 NICE Bus: n4 (all at Jamaica Center Bus Terminal)
Structure	Underground
Levels	2
Platforms	2 island platforms (1 on each level)
Tracks	4 (2 on each level)
Other information
Opened	December 11, 1988; 33 years ago (1988-12-11)
Station code	278[2]
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	N/A
Former/other names	Jamaica Center–Parsons Boulevard (1988-circa 2004)
Traffic
2019	10,010,419[3]  6.3%
Rank	29 out of 424[3]
Station succession
Next north	(Terminal): E ​ ​J  ​Z
Next south	Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport: E ​ ​J  ​Z
Location Show map of New York City SubwayShow map of New York CityShow map of New YorkShow all
Track layout Legend Upper level to Sutphin Blvd Lower level to Sutphin Blvd
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops rush hours in the peak direction only

The Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer station (formerly Jamaica Center–Parsons Boulevard station and sometimes shortened as Jamaica Center station) is the northern terminal station of the IND and BMT Archer Avenue Lines of the New York City Subway, located at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue in Jamaica, Queens. It is served by the E and J trains at all times, as well as the Z train during rush hours in the peak direction.

This station opened on December 11, 1988, as Jamaica Center–Parsons Boulevard until being renamed in 2004.

The station is a major transfer point for buses from eastern Queens, and replaces the old 160th Street and 168th Street stations of the BMT Jamaica Line; the Jamaica Center station is located near the site of the former. It is also located close to the site of the Long Island Rail Road's now-demolished Union Hall Street station.

History[]

Planning and construction[]

The plans for the Archer Avenue Lines emerged in the 1960s under the city and MTA's Program for Action.^[4] The station's design started on December 7, 1973 and was completed on June 17, 1981 in-house. Bids on the station construction were received on September 21, 1981, and was awarded to A. J. Pegno Construction Corporation for $22,425,415. Work on the station commenced on October 12, 1981.^[5]: 13

Opening[]

The station opened along with the rest of the Archer Avenue Line on December 11, 1988.^[6][7]

Artwork controversy[]

On December 14, 1991, a display titled "Astoria–Dreams of New York," a 32 feet (9.8 m)-long mural, consisting of seven portraits of first-generation Greek immigrants was removed from the station for not including any pictures of African Americans, seven days after going up.^[8] The artist, Eugenia Marketou, called the decision "censorship of the worst kind." The piece was removed at the request of the directors of the Arts for Transit program after a negative public reaction, which included their defacement with graffiti and protest stickers. A dozen African American riders had complained to the agency. On the same date, a $70,000 sculpture called "Jamaica Center Stations Riders, Blue," which was created by well-known African American artist Sam Gilliam, was unveiled at the station. The sculpture was funded through the MTA Arts for Transit program, which allocates 1 percent of capital construction costs for art projects.^[9][10] After negotiations between Marketou and his agency took place, it was reinstalled on February 6, 1992 with a banner stating "Portraits of the Greek Immigrant Community" added in addition to the tile. In addition, Marketou agreed to appear in front of it during three rush hours to explain it. One of the photographs was removed in the following two weeks. The exhibit was only scheduled to stay until May 6, 1992.^[11]

Station layout[]

G	Street level	Exit/entrance
B1	Mezzanine	Fare control, station agents, MetroCard machines Elevator on south side of Archer Avenue at Parsons Boulevard
B2 IND platform	Westbound	← toward World Trade Center (Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport)
	Island platform
	Westbound	← toward World Trade Center (Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport)
B3 BMT platform	Westbound	← toward Broad Street (Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport) ← AM rush toward Broad Street (Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport)
	Island platform
	Westbound	← toward Broad Street (Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport) ← AM rush toward Broad Street (Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport)

A view of the upper level

A view of the lower level

The Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer station contains two levels, each with two tracks and an island platform.^[12] The E train serves the upper level (IND) at all times.^[13] The J and Z trains serve the lower level (BMT); the former operates all times and the latter operates during rush hours in the peak direction.^[14] Like the other stations on the Archer Avenue Line, Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer is fully ADA-accessible.^[15] Both platforms are 600 feet (183 m) in length, standard for a full-length B Division train; however, since BMT Eastern Division trains are only 480 feet (146 m) long, there are fences at both of the unused ends of the lower-level platforms to prevent passengers from falling onto the tracks.

This station has tan brick walls and red brick floor on both levels; the ceilings are suspended^[5]: 13 and have metal slats and resembles a vaulted ceiling, except there are no curves.

This station has ten escalators and two elevators.^[5]: 13

Exits[]

There are two entrances to this station.

• Exit 1: The first one is at the very east end of the platforms. It contains a mezzanine that has four escalators, two to each platform, and an ADA-accessible elevator serving both platforms. There is a large, single bank of turnstiles leading to fare control. One wide staircase and one escalator leads to a pavilion behind the streets at the northeast corner of Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue. A narrower staircase and escalator leads to the southeast corner. An elevator is present as well. This entrance contains a 1991 artwork called Jamaica Center Station Riders by Sam Gilliam made up of blue painted aluminum.^[16]
• Exit 2: The second exit is near the middle of the platforms. Each platform contains two escalators to the mezzanine. The upper level also has one staircase to the mezzanine while the lower level has two. In this mezzanine there is more overlap of walls between fare control and the portion of the mezzanine for the station exits. In addition to the part-time bank of standard turnstiles, there are HEET turnstiles to provide access during off-peak hours. This entrance has three street stairs. Two of them, one of which also has an up-only escalator, lead up to the south side of Archer Avenue outside the bus boarding area. The staircase with the escalator has a brickwork design surrounding it while the other staircase at this entrance has an ultra-wide green metal fence. There is another staircase, the narrowest in the entire station at the northeast corner of Archer Avenue and 153rd Street.^[16]

Infrastructure[]

West of the station, both levels feature diamond crossovers. The upper level's crossover is just west of the platform, while the lower level is halfway between this station and Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue.^[17]

The tracks on both levels extend past the station for possible future extensions, but are currently used for storage.^[18][19] On the lower level, they continue one train length of about 480 feet (150 m) and end at bumper blocks at 160th Street;^[19][20] they were originally planned to extend as far as Merrick Boulevard.^[20] This was a planned extension toward 190th Street–Hollis Avenue (near the Hollis LIRR station). Where the lower level tracks end, there is a provision for a diamond crossover switch at the end of the tunnel (under 160th Street).^[21][20] On the upper level, the tracks extend around 2,000 feet (610 m) or just over 3 train lengths of about 600 feet (180 m), curving south under the LIRR Atlantic Branch 60 feet (18 m) below ground. They then run under 160th Street within the York College campus and end at bumper blocks near Tuskegee Airmen Way (formerly South Road).^{[18][19][20][22][23]} This was the site of the line's original groundbreaking in 1973.^[21] The plan was for this line to use the LIRR Locust Manor Branch (Atlantic) ROW and run to Springfield Boulevard or Rosedale LIRR station.^[23][21][20] Where the upper level tracks stub end, there is a provision for a portal to go outside if the line going to Southeastern Queens is ever built.^[21][20] The tunnel was originally planned to curve west towards the Atlantic ROW just north of Liberty Avenue, running underneath the York College Athletic Field.^[20]

East of the upper-level platform, a Central Instrument Room (753CIR) is located deep in the tunnel on track D2A (upper level) bench wall.

East of the station, next to the D1A tail track on the upper level, the tunnel catwalk structure widens, and the track curves south along with the D2A track. Where the catwalk structure ends, there is a stairway to the lower level tail tracks.

Ridership[]

In 2018, the station had 10,681,269 boardings, making it the 27th most used station in the 424-station system. This amounted to an average of 922,959 passengers per weekday.^[3]

Gallery[]

• 

  The western mezzanine

• 

  Jamaica Center Stations Riders, Blue by Sam Gilliam

• 

  The main entrance, located at the northeast corner of Archer Avenue and Parsons Boulevard

Jamaica Center Bus Terminal[]

The Jamaica Center Bus Terminal can be found at some of the exits.

The subway complex includes the Jamaica Center Bus Terminal, a series of bus stops located along Archer Avenue (primarily along the south side of the street next to the LIRR right of way). The bus stop areas are lettered A through H. The western portion of the terminal (bays F through H and the bus layover area) is also known as the "Teardrop Canopy".^[24] It serves as a major transit hub within Jamaica.^[16] The former 160th Street Jamaica Elevated station on Jamaica Avenue that it replaced was also a major hub for trolley service when it was originally built.^[25][26] Several of the trolley lines were the predecessors to current bus service.^[25][26]

Jamaica Center is also a hub for dollar vans in the New York metropolitan area.

Nearby points of interest[]

• King Manor^[27]
• York College^[27]
• Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning^[27]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer (New York City Subway).

• nycsubway.org – IND Queens Boulevard Line: Jamaica Center/Parsons–Archer
• Station Reporter — E Train
• Station Reporter — J Train
• The Subway Nut — Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer Pictures
• MTA's Arts For Transit — Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer
• Parsons Boulevard entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 153rd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 158th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Upper level from Google Maps Street View
• Lower level from Google Maps Street View