Woodhaven Boulevard station (BMT Jamaica Line)

This article is about the station at Jamaica Avenue. For the station at Queens Boulevard, see Woodhaven Boulevard (IND Queens Boulevard Line).

Woodhaven Blvd   ​
R179 J train entering the station
Station statistics
Address	Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue Queens, New York
Borough	Queens
Locale	Woodhaven
Coordinates	40°41′37″N73°51′08″W / 40.693622°N 73.852158°W / 40.693622; -73.852158
Division	B (BMT) [1]
Line	BMT Jamaica Line
Services	J   (all times) ​   Z   (rush hours, peak direction)
Transit	NYCT Bus: Q56 MTA Bus: Q11, Q52/Q53 SBS, QM15, BM5
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	May 28, 1917(108 years ago) (1917-05-28) [2]
Rebuilt	February 27, 2023–January 24, 2025
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2024	561,288 [3]   0.7%
Rank	363 out of 423 [3]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station 75th Street–Elderts Lane Z   skip-stop 104th Street J   ​ Z   toward Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer 85th Street–Forest Parkway J   toward Broad Street 111th Street J   skip-stop
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to 104th Street to 85th Street–Forest Parkway
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except rush hours in the peak direction Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Stops all times

The Woodhaven Boulevard station is an elevated station on the BMT Jamaica Line of the New York City Subway, located in Woodhaven, Queens. ^[4] It is served by the J train at all times and the Z train during rush hours in the peak direction. ^[5]

History

This station opened on May 28, 1917 ^{[2] [6] [7]} under the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad, an affiliate of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company.

As part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 2015–2019 Capital Program, the Woodhaven Boulevard station was selected to receive elevators as part of a process to expand the New York City Subway system's accessibility. ^{[8] [9]} As of February 2021 ^[update] , funding had been committed to accessibility renovations at the Woodhaven Boulevard station. ^[10] In December 2021, the MTA awarded a contract for the installation of elevators at eight stations, including the Woodhaven Boulevard station. ^{[11] [12]}

Additionally, as part of a separate project, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced in February 2023 that this station would be renovated as part of a station renewal contract at four stations on the Jamaica Line. ^[13] Starting February 27 of that year, the eastbound platforms at this station and 75th Street-Elderts Lane were closed. ^[14] The closure shifted to the Manhattan-bound platform at this station in December 2023, and work was completed on August 12, 2024. The work, performed by Gramercy PJS Joint-Venture, included platform renewals, replacement of stairs, canopies, and windscreens, installation of artwork, and minimizing the gaps between the train and the platform edge. ^{[13] [15]}

As of July 2022 ^[update] , the project to install two street-to-platform elevators at this station was scheduled to be completed in May 2024, ^[16] but the elevators did not open until late January 2025. ^{[17] [18]} This project cost $140 million. ^[17]

Station layout

Platform level	Side platform
	Westbound	← toward Broad Street (85th Street–Forest Parkway) ← AM rush toward Broad Street (75th Street–Elderts Lane)
	Center track	→ No track or roadbed
	Eastbound	→ toward Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer (111th Street PM rush, 104th Street other times) → → PM rush toward Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer (104th Street)
	Side platform
Mezzanine	Mezzanine	Fare control, station agent Elevators at: Northeast corner of Woodhaven Boulevard (service road) and Jamaica Avenue for southbound service. Southeast corner of Woodhaven Boulevard (service road) and Jamaica Avenue for northbound service.
Ground	Street level	Exit/entrance

Points of Observation face sculptures, viewed from street level.

This elevated station has two tracks and two side platforms with space for a center track. ^[19] Both platforms have beige windscreens and brown canopies with green roofs along the entire length except for a section at the west (railroad south) end. Here, there are only waist-high black steel fences.

This station has provisions built in its structure to convert it into an express station, if the center third track was to be installed. The other station on the line that had such provisions was the now demolished Sutphin Boulevard station. The 1990 artwork here is called Five Points of Observation by Kathleen McCarthy. It is a face-shaped wire mesh sculpture that affords a view of the street from the platforms. This artwork was also originally located on four other BMT Jamaica Line stations (Cypress Hills, 75th Street, 104th Street, 111th Street). ^{[20] [21]} McCarthy added onto the artwork in 2024 with laminated glassed windows. Additionally, two face sculptures (previously at Cypress Hills and 75th Street) have been relocated here. ^[22]

Exits

View of the station from Woodhaven Boulevard, looking northeast prior to renovation and elevator installation.

This station has two entrances/exits, both of which are elevated station houses beneath the tracks that allow free transfers between directions. The main one is at the extreme west end and has a single staircase from each platform, turnstile bank, token booth, and two street stairs going down to either western corners of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue. ^[4]

The other station house is un-staffed, containing just two HEET turnstiles, a staircase to each platform, and one staircase going down to the southwest corner of 95th Street and Jamaica Avenue. ^[4] The Queens-bound staircase's landing has an exit-only turnstile that allows passengers to exit the station without having to go through the station house. ^[4]

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. "TO OPEN JAMAICA AV. LINE.; Nearly Two and a Half Miles Ready for Operation Tonight". The New York Times. May 27, 1917. p. 24. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
3. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
4. "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Woodhaven" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
5. "J/ZSubway Timetable, Effective December 15, 2024". Metropolitan Transportation Authority . Retrieved May 29, 2025.
6. "Jamaica Avenue 'L' is an Old Story Already" (PDF). The Leader-Observer. Queens/Brooklyn, New York. May 31, 1917. p. 1. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
7. Report of the Public Service Commission for the First District of the State of New York, Volume 1. New York State Public Service Commission. January 15, 1918. pp. 73, 81, 312–314. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
8. "Funding For Subway Station ADA-Accessibility Approved". www.mta.info. April 26, 2018. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
9. "Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting November 2018" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 13, 2018. p. 91. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
10. "2021 Commitment & Completion Goals". MTA Construction and Development. February 18, 2021. p. 12. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
11. Duggan, Kevin (December 12, 2021). "Advocates raise oversight concerns as MTA eyes more private subway elevator maintenance". amNewYork. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
12. "MTA announces historic investment in accessibility projects". Mass Transit Magazine. December 13, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
13. "MTA Announces Upcoming Station Renovations at Cypress Hills, 75 St, and 85 St Stations on the J and Z Line". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
14. Mohamed, Carlotta (February 21, 2023). "MTA to begin renovations at 75th Street station platform in Woodhaven". QNS.com. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
15. Bardolf, Deirdre (February 16, 2023). "J train work starting in Woodhaven: MTA". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
16. "Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting July 2022". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 25, 2022. p. 32. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
17. Andres, Czarinna (January 24, 2025). "Woodhaven Blvd JZ station becomes fully accessible with $140 million upgrade". QNS. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
18. "MTA Announces Opening of Fully Accessible". Archived from the original on January 25, 2025. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
19. Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC   49777633 – via Google Books.
20. "www.nycsubway.org: Artwork: Five Points of Observation (Kathleen McCarthy)". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
21. "MTA - Arts & Design | NYCT Permanent Art". web.mta.info. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
22. New York City Transit (January 24, 2025). "MTA Announces Opening of Fully Accessible Woodhaven Blvd JZ Station". MTA. Retrieved August 13, 2025.

External links

• nycsubway.org – BMT Jamaica Line: Woodhaven Boulevard
• Station Reporter — J Train
• The Subway Nut — Woodhaven Boulevard Pictures
• MTA's Arts For Transit — Woodhaven Boulevard (BMT Jamaica Line)
• Woodhaven Boulevard entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 95th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View