Why does the Lex Ave. go down Park Ave?

[Otto Vondrak]

In Manhattan, why does the Lexington Avenue line run under Park Avenue from 42nd Street to 10th Street? Why didn't they use the Lexington Avenue alignment the entire length?

-otto-

[orangeline]

The current Lexington Ave line didn't begin life as such. The first subway line of 1904 ran north from City Hall and up Park to 42 St, turned west until Times Square and then turned back north under Broadway. The routings up Lexington Ave and down 7th Ave forming the "H" system were opened during the 1910's. The track under 42nd St was severed from the now-Lexington route creating the shuttle between Times Sq. and Grand Central Terminal.

[chuchubob]

The original subway line, whose centennial was celebrated last year,

http://community.webshots.com/photo/992 ... 4810HicGvp

was the IRT line that came up to 42nd St under Park Ave, turned west to Broadway, then went north under Broadway. The Lex was constructed later, and the original IRT 42nd St portion became the Times Square-Grand Central Shuttle.

Bob

[4 Express]

In Manhattan, why does the Lexington Avenue line run under Park Avenue from 42nd Street to 10th Street? Why didn't they use the Lexington Avenue alignment the entire length?

-otto-

You can't run the line all the way down the Lex to 10th St. because Lex ends north of 14th St.

[Allan]

The current Lexington Ave line didn't begin life as such. The first subway line of 1904 ran north from City Hall and up Park to 42 St, turned west until Times Square and then turned back north under Broadway. The routings up Lexington Ave and down 7th Ave forming the "H" system were opened during the 1910's. The track under 42nd St was severed from the now-Lexington route creating the shuttle between Times Sq. and Grand Central Terminal.

The route from Grand Central up Lexington Avenue opened in 1918.

[BMT]

Also, keep in mind that Park Avenue is the wider street, so perhaps that was taken into consideration during the planning stages. A four-track system under Park Avenue would be easier to build than under the narrower Lexington Avenue, where issues of property easements might have come into play.

[Otto Vondrak]

I know Lex doesn't go all the way to 10th, but a corridor does exist all the way to 10th- just wondered why the line jumps over the park avenue. I tend to agree that Park had the wider right of way in order to build a four track line... but just in that section? why not the length of Park Avenue from Grand Central, south?

-otto-