Third Avenue–138th Street station

The Third Avenue–138th Street station is an express station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway located at the intersection of Third Avenue and East 138th Street in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx. It is served by the 6 train at all times and the <6> train during weekdays in the peak direction.

3 Avenue–138 Street  ​
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Station statistics
Address	Third Avenue & East 138th Street Bronx, New York
Borough	The Bronx
Locale	Mott Haven
Coordinates	40.810963°N 73.927217°W / 40.810963; -73.927217
Division	A (IRT)[1]
Line	IRT Pelham Line
Services	6  (all times) <6>  (weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction)​
Transit	NYCT Bus: Bx1, Bx2, Bx21, Bx32, Bx33, M125
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 island platforms cross-platform interchange
Tracks	3
Other information
Opened	August 1, 1918; 106 years ago (1918-08-01)[2]
Accessible	not ADA-accessible; accessibility planned
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2023	1,750,592[3]  16.4%
Rank	181 out of 423[3]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Hunts Point Avenue <6> toward Pelham Bay Park Express 125th Street 6  <6> ​ toward Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall Brook Avenue 6  toward Pelham Bay Park Local
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to Hunts Point Avenue to Brook Avenue to 125th Street
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops rush hours in the peak direction only

History

Background

In 1913, New York City, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) reached an agreement, known as the Dual Contracts, to expand subway service across the City dramatically. The portion of the agreement between New York City and the IRT was known as Contract 3. As part of this contract, the IRT agreed to construct a branch of the original subway, which opened in 1904,^[4] north along Lexington Avenue with branches along Jerome Avenue and a three-track branch running northeast via 138th Street, Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue to Pelham Bay Park.^[5]

The construction of the Lexington Avenue Line, in conjunction with the construction of the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line would change the operations of the IRT system. Instead of having trains go via Broadway, turning onto 42nd Street, before finally turning onto Park Avenue, there would be two trunk lines connected by the 42nd Street Shuttle. The system would be changed from looking like a "Z" system on a map to an "H" system. One trunk would run via the new Lexington Avenue Line down Park Avenue, and the other trunk would run via the new Seventh Avenue Line up Broadway.^[6]

Opening

The Third Avenue–138th Street station was opened on August 1, 1918, and was the first station of the IRT Pelham Line to open. Service was provided by Lexington Avenue Line local service.^[7][8][9][2] The construction of the Pelham Line was part of the Dual Contracts, signed on March 19, 1913 and also known as the Dual Subway System.^[10] 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.^[11] This was the terminal of the line until January 7, 1919, when the Pelham Line was extended to Hunts Point Avenue.^[8][9]

Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Plan, the station, along with thirty other New York City Subway stations, will undergo a complete overhaul and would be entirely closed for up to 6 months. Updates would include cellular service, Wi-Fi, charging stations, improved signage, and improved station lighting.^[12][13] However, these renovations are being deferred until the 2020–2024 Capital Program due to a lack of funding.^[14] In 2019, the MTA announced that this station would become ADA-accessible as part of the agency's 2020–2024 Capital Program.^[15] In early 2024, to discourage fare evasion, the MTA reconfigured emergency exits at the station so the exits opened only after a 15-second delay.^[16][17] The renovation of the station was to be funded by congestion pricing in New York City, but the renovation was postponed in June 2024 after the implementation of congestion pricing was delayed.^[18][19]

Station layout

Ground	Street level	Exit/entrance
Mezzanine		Fare control, station agent
Platform level	Southbound local	← toward Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall (125th Street)
	Island platform
	Peak-direction express	← AM rush toward Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall (125th Street) → PM rush toward Pelham Bay Park (Hunts Point Avenue) →
	Island platform
	Northbound local	→ toward Pelham Bay Park (Parkchester PM rush) (Brook Avenue) →

Mosaic "3" frieze on trim

The station has two island platforms and three tracks, with the center track used for weekday peak direction express service.^[20] The 6 stops at the station at all times, while the <6> stops there during weekdays in the peak direction.^[21] The next stop to the south is 125th Street. The next stop to the north is Brook Avenue for local trains and Hunts Point Avenue for express trains.^[22] During weekday morning rush hour, two southbound 6 trains originate here.^[21]

The mosaic trim on the station's track walls are predominantly tan and buff, with the numeral "3" shown in slightly cruciform-shaped friezes with a slate blue background appearing at regular intervals. Clusters of small blue diamonds set in dark blue sit on either side of these plaques. A crossover exists via the mezzanine, and a closed crossunder is located at the center of the platforms. A high ceiling is found in the station and the northbound platform has an old tower at the south end.

To the south, the line goes under the Harlem River into Manhattan and merges with the IRT Jerome Avenue Line to form the IRT Lexington Avenue Line. Just before the slight jog going towards Manhattan, a provision was provided in anticipation of its connection with the then newly planned Second Avenue Subway, which was originally planned to take over the service south of this point, and relieve congestion on the IRT Lexington Avenue Subway.

A paid transfer was available to the IRT Third Avenue Line at the 138th Street station. This is the southernmost station in the Bronx on the IRT Pelham Line.

Exits

Street level

Exit location[23]	Number of exits	Platform served
NE corner of 138 Street and Third Avenue	1	Both (HEET turnstile entrance only.)
SE corner of 138 Street and Third Avenue	2	Both (HEET turnstile entrance only.)
NW corner of 138 Street and Alexander Avenue	2	Both
SW corner of 138 Street and Alexander Avenue	2	Both

References

1. "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
2. "New Subway Lines Will Open Tonight: Ceremonies to Mark Through Service on 7th and Lexington Links of System" (PDF). The New York Times. August 1, 1918. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
3. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
4. "Exercises In City Hall.; Mayor Declares Subway Open -- Ovations for Parsons and McDonald". The New York Times. October 28, 1904. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
5. The Dual System of Rapid Transit. New York State Public Service Commission. September 1912. Archived from the original on September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019 – via nycsubway.org.
6. Sealey, D. A. (May 4, 1916). "Rapid Transit Work in 1915, New York City". Engineering News-record. 75 (18). McGraw-Hill Publishing Company: 812–814.
7. "Opening New Subway H Shortens Distance to A. & S." Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 1, 1918. p. 8. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
8. Cunningham, Joseph; DeHart, Leonard O. (1993). A History of the New York City Subway System. J. Schmidt, R. Giglio, and K. Lang. p. 48.
9. Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1922. p. 372.
10. nycsubway.org—The Dual Contracts
11. "The Dual System of Rapid Transit (1912)". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
12. Whitford, Emma (January 8, 2016). "MTA Will Completely Close 30 Subway Stations For Months-Long "Revamp"". Gothamist. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
13. "MTAStations" (PDF). governor.ny.gov. Government of the State of New York. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
14. Berger, Paul (April 3, 2018). "New York Subway Cuts Back Plans to Renovate Stations". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
15. "Press Release - MTA Headquarters - MTA Announces 20 Additional Subway Stations to Receive Accessibility Improvements Under Proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan". MTA. December 19, 2019. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
16. Nessen, Stephen (January 29, 2024). "Emergency gates will soon take 15 seconds to open at 3 NYC subway stations". Gothamist. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
17. "Subway emergency gates at some stations to test 15-second delay to help deter fare evasion in New York City". ABC7 New York. January 30, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
18. Nessen, Stephen (June 27, 2024). "Dreary Chambers Street subway station will remain decrepit due to congestion pricing pause". Gothamist. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
19. Collins, Keith (July 11, 2024). "See How Your Subway Service May Suffer Without Congestion Pricing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
20. Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
21. "6 Subway Timetable, Effective December 17, 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
22. "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
23. "Third Avenue–138th Street Neighborhood Map" (PDF). new.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2019.

External links

• nycsubway.org – IRT Pelham Line: 3rd Avenue/138th Street
• Station Reporter – 6 train
• The Subway Nut – 3rd Avenue–138th Street Pictures Archived June 15, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
• Third Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Alexander Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View