106th Street is a station on the IND Second Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Second Avenue and 106th Street on the Upper East Side, it serves the Q train at all times except late nights, the U at all times, and T during late nights only.
Station layout[]
Station layout[]
| G | Street level | Exits/Entrances |
| M | Mezzanine | Fare control, station agent, MetroCard vending machines (Elevator in plaza on west side of Second Avenue at NW corner of 106th Street) |
| P Platform level |
Northbound Local |
← Q toward Lexington Avenue-125th Street (116th Street) ← U toward Throgs Neck (116th Street) ← T toward Broadway-125th Street (116th Street) (late nights only) |
| Southbound Local |
→ Q toward Coney Island via Brighton (96th Street) → U toward Broad Street (96th Street) → T toward Rockaway Park (96th Street) (late nights only) | |
| Express tracks |
Northbound Express |
← T does not stop here |
| Southbound Express |
→ T does not stop here | |
This station has been built more wide open than most other underground stations in the system; its architecture, along with other Second Avenue Subway stations, was compared to a Washington Metro station by Dr. Michael Horodniceanu, President of MTA Capital Construction. The station is approximately 52 feet (16 m) deep. The platform for the 106th Street station, like many other Second Avenue Subway stations, is 27.8 feet (8.5 m) wide.
Entrances, exits, and ancillary buildings[]
There are 2 entrances and exits and one elevator.
| Exit location | Exit Type | Number of exits |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance 1 (2 entry points) Within building at NE corner of Second Avenue and 106th Street |
Escalator | 2 escalators |
| Entrance 1 NW corner of Second Avenue and 106th Street |
Elevator | 1 |
| Entrance 2 SE corner of Second Avenue and 108th Street |
Staircase Escalator |
Each entry point has: 1 staircase 1 escalator |
There are also two ancillary buildings that store station equipment:
- Ancillary 1, NE corner of Second Avenue and 105th Street
- Ancillary 2, SE corner of Second Avenue and 110th Street
History[]
Background[]
The Second Avenue Line was originally proposed in 1919 as part of a massive expansion of what would become the Independent Subway System (IND). Work on the line never commenced, as the Great Depression crushed the economy. Numerous plans for the Second Avenue Subway appeared throughout the 20th century, but these were usually deferred due to lack of funds. In anticipation of the never-built new subway line, the Second and Third Avenue elevated lines were demolished in 1940 and 1955, respectively. The Second Avenue Elevated had one station at 105th Street and Second Avenue—nearly above the same intersection where the subway station is located—while the Third Avenue Elevated had two stops on nearby Third Avenue at 106th Street.
Unrealized proposals[]
As part of the New York City Transit Authority's 1968 Program for Action, the construction of the full-length Second Avenue Subway was proposed. It was to be built in three phases—the first phase from Court Street to Grand Street was already opened by 1968; the second phrase from 126th to 34th Streets and the third phase from 34th to Grand Street were in the works.
In 1983, the Regional Plan Association considered a full-length Second Avenue Subway, which included 106th Street as one of its planned 13 stations. The main station entrance would be at 106th Street to the north, with a secondary exit at 108th Street.
Construction[]
In June 1979, the Second Avenue Subway was revived. The line's first phase, the "first major expansion" to the New York City Subway in more than a half-century, included 13 new stations on the east side. The line's construction commenced on July 15, 1979, In April 1983, the second round of planning for the stations were finalized.
The station was scheduled to be completed by May 16, 1989, but the estimated completion date was pushed back to October 1989.