Watch: Take a Ride Along The 3rd Avenue El

One of the worst things to happen to transportation in The Bronx was the removal of the 3rd Avenue El running from the North Bronx down to Chatham Square in Downtown Manhattan.

First, The Bronx’s portion of the 3rd Avenue El was severed from Manhattan on May 12, 1955 when the entire Manhattan portion of the route was shut down up to 149th Street/3rd Avenue at The Hub.

For the next 18 years, the El operated between 149th and 3rd Avenue up to the last stop at Gun Hill Road until that also eventually was discontinued on April 29th, 1973 and demolished in 1977.

This left a huge transit vacuum in Morrisania and the central Bronx leading to further urban decay but we’ll leave that for another day.

Take a look at these videos along the 3rd Ave El:

You can watch the full video below:

 

Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.