53rd Street (Manhattan)

Coordinates: 40°45′46″N 73°58′54″W / 40.76278°N 73.98167°W / 40.76278; -73.98167 (53rd Street (Manhattan))

53rd Street is a midtown cross street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, that runs adjacent to buildings such as the Citigroup building. It is 1.83 miles (2.94 km) long. The street runs westbound from Sutton Place across most of the island's width, ending at DeWitt Clinton Park at Eleventh Avenue.

The Lexington Avenue – 53rd Street/ 51st Street station complex, one of the busiest in the New York City Subway system, is accessible from this street, and is served by 4 6 <6> E M trains. The Seventh Avenue station, serviced by the (B D E trains), is a similarly busy transfer station. The 53rd Street Tunnel carries the IND Queens Boulevard Line (E M trains) of the New York City Subway under the East River between Manhattan and Queens.

Notable locations, east to west

53rd Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)

53rd Street is a local station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 53rd Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, it is served by the R train at all times except late nights northbound and the N train during late nights only.

Station layout

This underground station, opened on June 22, 1915, has four tracks and two side platforms. The two center tracks are used by N trains during daytime hours, and the northbound express track is also used by northbound R trains during late nights.

This station was overhauled in the late 1970s. The Transit Authority repaired the station's structure and appearance, particularly the staircases and platform edges. The overhaul also replaced the original wall tiles, signs, and incandescent lighting with cinderblock tiles (colored gray with yellow indentation), black and white signs, and fluorescent lights.

On the platforms, street signs and arrows leading to the station's exits are painted black on the wall tiles. Columns run along the entire length of both platforms and are painted yellow. Every other column has a "53 Street" sign on it in black with white text. All are rounded except for the ones near the two staircases to the station's main entrance, which was where the platforms were extended.

53rd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line)

53rd Street was a local station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. This station closed on May 12, 1955, with the ending of all service on the Third Avenue El south of 149th Street.

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