Subway "Deserts" (Filling in the Southeast Brooklyn Deserts)

The fact that there is not a single subway line into Southeast Brooklyn always sort of bothered me. I know there were various Second System plans to cover this area, but the fact that money went in to the 63rd St Tunnel over providing rapid transit to one of the least-served dense sections of the city seemed odd.

The ideal solution would be to build two lines: an extension of the Nostrand Line to the Belt Parkway as well as a new Utica Avenue line branching off of the Eastern Parkway Line down to Flatbush Avenue in Marine Park.

Given our inability to get political or financial mandates for projects these days, it seems more realistic to pursue a one-line project. The compromise I propose is an extension of the Nostrand Avenue line down Flatbush Avenue to Avenue U in Marine Park. While not serving East Flatbush, it would serve the Flatlands and Marine Park adequately. Funding aside (which is pretty much impossible right now) would this idea be feasible?

All of these lines would be underground by the way.

SInce at least the mid 1920s, it was proposed to extend the IRT Nostrand subway as far south as Mill Basin/Kings Plaza along Flatbush Aenue, but such ideas kept stalled on the table into the 1950s.

The importance of the 63rd Street tunnel is in having a convenient connection between the second avenue subway and the rest of the system, and in more flexible service options for Queens. However, there's still the matter that vast areas of Queens and Brooklyn don't have any subway service and it's always an uphill battle to even get a proposition on the table.

Perhaps a grass roots movement could be started for getting some political support for subway expansion to Eastern Queens and Eastern Brooklyn.

Utica is getting interest from deBlasio: Capital NY

A bit older piece of news, but relevant. Here's a brief fair-use quote:

Mayor to ask M.T.A. to study Brooklyn subway expansion

When Mayor Bill de Blasio releases his sustainability plan for New York City on Wednesday, he will ask the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to consider running a subway south along Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, according to a portion of recent draft acquired by Capital.

Utica Avenue “is one of the densest areas in the city not directly served by the subway," according to the plan, which notes the corridor is served "by the second busiest bus route in the City, the B46."

It's one of several M.T.A.-related proposals contained in de Blasio's OneNYC, a plan whose pages are marked with the motto, "The Plan for One New York: A Strong and Just Future."

Honestly a lot of people bought houses out in that part of Brooklyn to avoid being near the subway and the good and bad that it brings.
Since its a single fare zone now and not two dips of your card, other than the time effort of transferring, most people don't mind and enjoy the separation of their houses from the subway

I grew up in Eastern Queens near Springfield Boulevard and Union Turnpike. Although my parents rarely used the subway in the last several decades of their lives, I started using it in 1979. My point is that I was one of many who found it bothersome to have to take a lengthy bus ride just to get to the subway, and sometimes deal with massive crowding on the F train from early on the route. It would have been welcome to have the Hillside Avenue Branch extend to Springfield Boulevard or to Little Neck Parkway, or even have service out along Union Turnpike.

The idea of a Flatbush Avenue extension (Brooklyn College to Kings Plaza) was in the MTA planning mix during the 1960s. Eventually they went back to the earlier concept of extensions on both Nostrand and Utica, but of course nothing was ever built.

The Nostrand line was supposed to go to either Avenue U or W. I never heard of continuing the line to the Sheepshead Bay area, but I ideally that might be desirable. The line could turn west on Voorhies Avenue, have a transfer to the D train, and terminate at Coney Island Hospital. From there a track connection could be built into the Coney Island yards.

But I agree that a shorter Flatbush Avenue extension is more realistic and should be considered.

Admin note: going to expand this thread based on an article in CURBED

Here's the map: https://cwhong.carto.com/viz/6dfca01c-4 ... public_map" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

‘Subway Deserts’ Are More of a Problem For NYC Than You Think

An interactive new map designed by Department of City Planning employee Chris Whong illustrates just how grossly disproportioned subway accessibility is across New York City neighborhoods, reports Gothamist.
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The new and improved map now shows neighborhoods more than a ten minute walk away from subway stops instead of 500 meters since New Yorkers understand minutes better (we’re always in a rush so of course). The map depicts what shouldn’t strike any New Yorker as a surprise: Manhattan is well-serviced aside from the far east and west sides while the majority of Queens, the Bronx, and some parts of Brooklyn (especially Williamsburg) is largely underserved by subway.

According to Whong, the visual might make you a bit more appreciative if you live within close range of the subway. It may also pique your interest in exploring the areas far removed from train stations, as it did for him.
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I always thought the most glaring desert was south of the Queens Bvld Lines and north of the L.