The Rockaway Avenue station is a station on the IRT New Lots Line of the New York City Subway, located at Rockaway Avenue and Livonia Avenue in Brownsville, Brooklyn. It is served by the 3 train at all times except late nights, when the 4 train takes over service. During rush hours, occasional 2, 4 and 5 trains also stop here.^[3]

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Rockaway Avenue
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Northbound 3 train leaving station
Station statistics
Address	Rockaway Avenue & Livonia Avenue Brooklyn, NY
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Brownsville
Coordinates	40.662541°N 73.908892°W / 40.662541; -73.908892
Division	A (IRT)[1]
Line	IRT New Lots Line
Services	2  (limited rush hour service in the reverse-peak direction) ​   3  (all except late nights) ​   4  (late nights, and limited rush hour service in the peak direction) ​   5  (limited a.m. rush hour service in the northbound direction only)
Transit	NYCT Bus: B60
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	November 22, 1920; 103 years ago (November 22, 1920)
Rebuilt	April 20, 2015; 9 years ago (April 20, 2015) to March 28, 2016; 8 years ago (March 28, 2016)
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2023	838,719[2]  3.2%
Rank	323 out of 423[2]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Saratoga Avenue 2  ​3  ​4  ​5  toward Harlem–148th Street Junius Street 2  ​3  ​4  toward New Lots Avenue
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to Saratoga Avenue to Junius Street
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops late nights only Stops late nights and weekends Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Stops weekdays during the day

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The New Lots Line was built as a part of Contract 3 of the Dual Contracts between New York City and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, including this station.^[4] It was built as an elevated line because the ground in this area is right above the water table, and as a result the construction of a subway would have been prohibitively expensive.^[5] The first portion of the line between Utica Avenue and Junius Street, including this station, opened on November 22, 1920, with shuttle trains operating over this route.^[6][7] The line was completed to New Lots Avenue on October 16, 1922,^[7] with a two-car train running on the northbound track.^[8] On October 31, 1924, through service to New Lots Avenue was begun.^[8]

The New York City Board of Transportation announced plans in November 1949 to extend platforms at several IRT stations, including Rockaway Avenue, to accommodate all doors on ten-car trains. Although ten-car trains already operated on the line, the rear car could not open its doors at the station because the platforms were so short.^[9][10] Funding for the platform extensions was included in the city's 1950 capital budget.^[11]

From April 20, 2015 to March 28, 2016, Rockaway Avenue and Van Siclen Avenue were closed for renovations.^[12][13]

Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound	← toward Harlem–148th Street (Saratoga Avenue) ← toward Woodlawn late nights (Saratoga Avenue) ← toward Wakefield–241st Street (select rush hour trips) (Saratoga Avenue) ← toward Eastchester–Dyre Avenue (select rush hour trips) (Saratoga Avenue)
	Center trackway	→ No track or roadbed
	Southbound	→ ( late nights) toward New Lots Avenue (Junius Street) → → toward New Lots Avenue (select rush hour trips) (Junius Street) →
	Side platform
Mezzanine		Fare control, station agent, MetroCard machines
Ground	Street level	Exit/entrance

This station has two side platforms and two tracks. Between the two tracks, there is space for an additional third track that was never installed.^[14]