46th Street was named after early ferry operator and industrialist Neziah Bliss, whose other namesakes include the nearby neighborhood of Blissville.

Local residents opposed the renaming and unsuccessfully attempted to persuade the MTA to restore the old names.

[20] A request for proposals was put out on May 18, 2023 for the contract for a project bundle to make 13 stations accessible, including 46th Street.

This is the easternmost (railroad north) station on the IRT Flushing Line's concrete viaduct above Queens Boulevard.

The windscreens contain stained glass windows as part of an artwork called "Q is For Queens" by Yumi Heo installed in 1999.

The main one is at the west (geographic south) end of the station and has two staircases and one turnstile bank to each platform, token booth, and four street stairs built within the viaduct's support pillars.

These stairs lead to all four corners of 46th Street and the parking lot underneath the viaduct and between the two sides of Queens Boulevard.

This entrance does not allow a free transfer between directions (even though it has the layout that could allow one as both turnstile banks lead to the center of the station house).