NEW YORK—The Smith-Ninth streets subway station in Brooklyn, the world’s highest subways station, is set to reopen Friday following a nearly two-year reconstruction.
Rehabilitation began on the 79-year old facility in May of 2011 with the F and G train stops in Gowanus closing in June 2011. The project was in conjunction with rebuilding of the Culver Viaduct.
The remodeled station will include a new and expanded street-level control house, new architectural metal panel escalator enclosure and rehabilitated stairs and platforms. New safety measures include new lighting, a state-of-the-art public address system and CCTV systems.
Customers will be greeted with a 14-foot tall mosaic, part of the MTA’s Arts-For-Transit program.
“This has been a long and complicated project but we are grateful for the community’s patience while we performed this necessary work,“ said Thomas F. Prendergast,Executive Director of the MTA in a statement. ”This station will be 80 years old this summer and this rehabilitation will see it reach that milestone with a much improved appearance and functionality.”
More than 4,000 riders a day used the station before it was closed.
The MTA says some work will continue after the station reopens but it will not affect service.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
