Grand Street Line (Brooklyn)
Encyclopedia
The Grand Street Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn
and Queens
, New York City
, United States
, running mostly along Grand Street
/Grand Avenue between Williamsburg, Brooklyn
and Maspeth, Queens
. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the Q59 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority
; the Q59 now continues east from Maspeth along Grand Avenue (with the Q58 Flushing–Ridgewood Line) and southeast on Queens Boulevard
to Rego Park
.
began building the line in September 1860, and opened the first section, from the Grand Street Ferry
on the Williamsburg waterfront to Bushwick Avenue, on October 15, 1860, with a formal opening on October 30. In addition to the Grand Street Ferry, cars soon also served the Broadway Ferry
via the track of the Brooklyn City Rail Road's Greenpoint Line
on Kent Avenue. By 1865, the line had been extended from Grand Street north along Bushwick Avenue, Humboldt Street, and Meeker Avenue to Penny Bridge. The tracks in Bushwick Avenue were removed after trains started using Humboldt Street instead between Grand Street and Maspeth Avenue on July 19, 1870.
The main line was extended east from Grand and Humboldt Streets over the new extension of Grand Street, opening to the city line (Newtown Creek
) on June 9, 1875 and to Newtown on August 1, 1876. The old line to Penny Bridge became the Meeker Avenue Line.
When the Maspeth Depot opened in 1885, the service was truncated to Maspeth
; service from Maspeth to Elmhurst
became a shuttle. (Later it became part of the Flushing–Ridgewood Line.) The Brooklyn City Rail Road leased the Grand Street and Newtown on May 1, 1890. Buses were substituted for streetcars on December 11, 1949. At some point, the bus route was extended back east to Elmhurst and southeast on Queens Boulevard
to Rego Park
.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, running mostly along Grand Street
Grand Street (Brooklyn)
Grand Street and Grand Avenue are the respective names of a street which runs through the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States...
/Grand Avenue between Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
and Maspeth, Queens
Maspeth, Queens
Maspeth is a small community in the borough of Queens in New York City. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside and Sunnyside to the north, Long Island City to the northwest, Greenpoint to the west, East Williamsburg to the southwest, Fresh Pond and Ridgewood to the south, and...
. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the Q59 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
; the Q59 now continues east from Maspeth along Grand Avenue (with the Q58 Flushing–Ridgewood Line) and southeast on Queens Boulevard
Queens Boulevard
Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Queens connecting communities from Midtown Manhattan to Jamaica...
to Rego Park
Rego Park, Queens
Rego Park is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens.-Geography:Rego Park is bordered to the north by Elmhurst and Corona, the east and south by Forest Hills and the west by Middle Village.-History:...
.
History
The Grand Street and Newtown Rail RoadGrand Street and Newtown Rail Road
The Grand Street and Newtown Railroad was a street railway company in the U.S. state of New York. The company operated two lines - the Grand Street Line from Williamsburg to Elmhurst and the Meeker Avenue Line from Williamsburg to West Maspeth....
began building the line in September 1860, and opened the first section, from the Grand Street Ferry
Grand Street Ferry
The Grand Street Ferry was a ferry route connecting Manhattan and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, United States, joining Grand Street and Grand Street across the East River.-History:...
on the Williamsburg waterfront to Bushwick Avenue, on October 15, 1860, with a formal opening on October 30. In addition to the Grand Street Ferry, cars soon also served the Broadway Ferry
Broadway Ferry
Broadway Ferry was a ferry landing in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, United States at the foot of Broadway. Boats connected it to the Grand Street Ferry, East 23rd Street Ferry, and James Slip landings in Manhattan. In Brooklyn, the Broadway El ended at the ferry....
via the track of the Brooklyn City Rail Road's Greenpoint Line
Greenpoint Line
The Greenpoint Line was a streetcar line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. When it stopped operating, it was not replaced by a bus route.-History:The line was opened by the Brooklyn City Railroad in October 1854 to Bushwick Creek....
on Kent Avenue. By 1865, the line had been extended from Grand Street north along Bushwick Avenue, Humboldt Street, and Meeker Avenue to Penny Bridge. The tracks in Bushwick Avenue were removed after trains started using Humboldt Street instead between Grand Street and Maspeth Avenue on July 19, 1870.
The main line was extended east from Grand and Humboldt Streets over the new extension of Grand Street, opening to the city line (Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek is a estuary that forms part of the border between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, in New York City, New York, United States. It derives its name from New Town , which was the name for the Dutch and British settlement in what is now Elmhurst, Queens...
) on June 9, 1875 and to Newtown on August 1, 1876. The old line to Penny Bridge became the Meeker Avenue Line.
When the Maspeth Depot opened in 1885, the service was truncated to Maspeth
Maspeth, Queens
Maspeth is a small community in the borough of Queens in New York City. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside and Sunnyside to the north, Long Island City to the northwest, Greenpoint to the west, East Williamsburg to the southwest, Fresh Pond and Ridgewood to the south, and...
; service from Maspeth to Elmhurst
Elmhurst, Queens
Elmhurst is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue on the north; Corona to the northeast; Junction Boulevard on the east; Rego Park to the southeast; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Middle Village to the south and southwest; and Maspeth...
became a shuttle. (Later it became part of the Flushing–Ridgewood Line.) The Brooklyn City Rail Road leased the Grand Street and Newtown on May 1, 1890. Buses were substituted for streetcars on December 11, 1949. At some point, the bus route was extended back east to Elmhurst and southeast on Queens Boulevard
Queens Boulevard
Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Queens connecting communities from Midtown Manhattan to Jamaica...
to Rego Park
Rego Park, Queens
Rego Park is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens.-Geography:Rego Park is bordered to the north by Elmhurst and Corona, the east and south by Forest Hills and the west by Middle Village.-History:...
.