Construction and opening The
Dual Contracts, which were signed on March 19, 1913, were contracts for the construction and/or rehabilitation and operation of rapid transit lines in the
City of New York. The contracts were "dual" in that they were signed between the City and two separate private companies (the
Interborough Rapid Transit Company and the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company), all working together to make the construction of the Dual Contracts possible. The Dual Contracts promised the construction of several lines in the Bronx. As part of Contract 3, the IRT agreed to build an elevated line along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. Kingsbridge Road station opened as the northern terminal of the initial section of the line on June 2, 1917. Service was initially operated as a shuttle between Kingsbridge Road and 149th Street, and only the southbound platform was in use at this station. Through service to the
IRT Lexington Avenue Line began on July 17, 1918. This station ceased to be the terminal of the line with the opening of the final extension to
Woodlawn on April 15, 1918. This section was initially served by shuttle service, with passengers transferring at 167th Street. The construction of the line encouraged development along Jerome Avenue, and led to the growth of the surrounding communities.
Later years In May 2018,
New York City Transit Authority President
Andy Byford announced his plan subway and bus modernization plan, known as Fast Forward, which included making an additional 50 stations compliant with the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 during the 2020–2024
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Capital Program to allow most riders to have an accessible station every two or three stops. The draft 2020–2024 Capital Program released in September 2019 included 66 stations that would receive ADA improvements. In December, the MTA announced that an additional twenty stations, including Kingsbridge Road, would be made ADA-accessible as part of the Capital Program. In May 2024, the
Federal Transit Administration awarded the MTA $157 million for accessibility renovations at five stations, including Kingsbridge Road. The funds would be used to add elevators, signs, and public-announcement systems, as well as repair platforms and stairs, at each station. ==Station layout==