103rd Street–Corona Plaza station

History

Early history

The 1913 Dual Contracts called for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT; later Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation, or BMT) to build new lines in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Queens did not receive many new IRT and BRT lines compared to Brooklyn and the Bronx, since the city's Public Service Commission (PSC) wanted to alleviate subway crowding in the other two boroughs first before building in Queens, which was relatively undeveloped. The IRT Flushing Line was to be one of two Dual Contracts lines in the borough, along with the Astoria Line; it would connect Flushing and Long Island City, two of Queens's oldest settlements, to Manhattan via the Steinway Tunnel. When the majority of the line was built in the early 1910s, most of the route went through undeveloped land, and Roosevelt Avenue had not been constructed. Community leaders advocated for more Dual Contracts lines to be built in Queens to allow development there.

This station opened on April 21, 1917, as Alburtis Avenue, as the easternmost station of an extension of the Flushing line past Queensboro Plaza. It was later renamed 104th Street, giving the possibility of a sealed exit at the north end, before taking its current name of 103rd Street–Corona Plaza. This station still contains signs showing Alburtis Avenue, but which now have been covered up. This station was the eastern terminal for the joint BMT and IRT services on the line until the extension to 111th Street opened on October 13, 1925.

Later years

The city government took over the IRT's operations on June 12, 1940. The IRT routes were given numbered designations in 1948 with the introduction of "R-type" rolling stock, which contained rollsigns with numbered designations for each service. The route from Times Square to Flushing became known as the 7. On October 17, 1949, the joint BMT/IRT operation of the Flushing Line ended, and the line became the responsibility of the IRT. After the end of BMT/IRT dual service, the New York City Board of Transportation announced that the Flushing Line platforms would be lengthened to 11 IRT car lengths; the platforms were only able to fit nine 51-foot-long IRT cars beforehand. The platforms at the station were extended in 1955–1956 to accommodate 11-car trains. However, nine-car trains continued to run on the 7 route until 1962, when they were extended to ten cars. With the opening of the 1964 New York World's Fair, trains were lengthened to eleven cars.

As part of the 2015–2019 Capital Program, the MTA announced plans to renovate the 52nd, 61st, 69th, 82nd, 103rd and 111th Streets stations, a project that had been delayed for several years. Conditions at these stations were reported to be among the worst of all stations in the subway system. The Flushing-bound platform at the 103rd Street station closed for a five-month renovation starting in May 2025; once this work is complete, the Manhattan-bound platform will in turn be similarly closed for rehabilitation.

As part of its 2025–2029 Capital Program, the MTA has proposed making the station wheelchair-accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Station layout

This elevated station has three tracks and two side platforms. The center track is used by the rush hour peak direction express service. Both platforms have beige windscreens and brown canopies supported by green frames and support columns in the center and green waist-high steel fences at both ends. The station names are in the standard black plates with white lettering, though some lampposts at both ends have their original white signs in black lettering.

Exits

This station's only entrance/exit is an elevated station house beneath the tracks. A pair of staircases from either side of Roosevelt Avenue between 103rd and 104th Streets go up to the station house, where there is a token booth in the center and a turnstile bank on either side. Both turnstile banks lead to a wooden waiting area/crossunder and have a single staircase going up to either platform.

References

References

1. (2015). "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Corona". [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]].
2. {{NYCS const. timetable. 7
3. {{Cite Routes Not Taken
4. (December 2, 1909). "Move for Rapid Transit". Newtown Register.
5. (June 12, 1921). "New Rapid Transit Commission Preparing Plans for Extension of Corona Line to Flushing; Board of Estimate Has Authorized Extension of Line From Corona to New Storage Yards Near Flushing River--Queensboro Subway to Have Connection With Proposed Eighth Avenue Line Near Times Square".
6. (October 5, 1925). "First Trains to be Run on Flushing Tube Line Oct. 13: Shuttle Operation Ordered to 111th Street Station on New Extension". [[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]].
7. "www.nycsubway.org: IRT Flushing Line".
8. (August 11, 2014). "7 Train".
9. (1940-06-13). "City Transit Unity Is Now a Reality; Title to I.R.T. Lines Passes to Municipality, Ending 19-Year Campaign". The New York Times.
10. (June 13, 1940). "Transit Unification Completed As City Takes Over I. R. T. Lines: Systems Come Under Single Control After Efforts Begun in 1921; Mayor Is Jubilant at City Hall Ceremony Recalling 1904 Celebration". New York Herald Tribune.
11. Brown, Nicole. (May 17, 2019). "How did the MTA subway lines get their letter or number? NYCurious".
12. (April 1960). "A Summary of Services on the IRT Division, NYCTA". Electric Railroaders' Association.
13. (October 15, 1949). "Direct Subway Runs To Flushing, Astoria". The New York Times.
14. Bennett, Charles G.. (November 20, 1949). "Transit Platforms On Lines In Queens To Be Lengthened; $3,850,000 Program Outlined for Next Year to Care for Borough's Rapid Growth New Links Are To Be Built 400 More Buses to Roll Also — Bulk of Work to Be on Corona-Flushing Route Transit Program In Queens Outlined". The New York Times.
15. (November 20, 1949). "37 Platforms On Subways To Be Lengthened: All Stations of B. M. T. and I.R.T.in Queens Included in $5,000,000 Program". New York Herald Tribune.
16. (1955). "Minutes and Proceedings of the New York City Transit Authority". New York City Transit Authority.
17. (December 1962). "R17s to the Flushing Line". Electric Railroaders' Association.
18. (August 31, 1963). "TA to Show Fair Train". Long Island Star – Journal.
19. (June 1, 1964). "A First-class Rapid Ride".
20. Murray, Christian. (November 19, 2019). "MTA To Overhaul Six Stations on the 7 Line, Currently in Design Phase".
21. (April 21, 2023). "MTA Announces Service Changes on 7 Line Beginning May 12".
22. (March 9, 2023). "Improving the 7 Line".
23. (May 5, 2025). "Corona Plaza 103rd St Bypass Notice". Queens Community Board 3.
24. "MTA Board - Capital Program Committee Meeting - 3/24/2025".
25. {{NYCS const. trackref. trackbook3
26. Cox, Jeremiah. "103 Street-Corona Plaza (7) - The SubwayNut".
27. (2015). "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Corona". [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]].