The station opened on August 23, 1920, as part of an extension of the IRT Eastern Parkway Line by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company.

Contract 2 extended the original line from City Hall in Manhattan to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.

[17][18] The New York City Board of Transportation announced plans in November 1949 to extend platforms at several IRT stations, including Utica 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.

[24] In April 1993, the New York State Legislature agreed to give the MTA $9.6 billion for capital improvements.

Some of the funds would be used to renovate nearly one hundred New York City Subway stations,[26][27] including Utica Avenue.

The next stop for all service to the east (railroad south), with the exception of the aforementioned most daytime 4 and limited rush hour 5 trains that originate and terminate here, is Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road.

[31] This is the easternmost underground and four-track subway station on the Eastern Parkway Line; to the east (railroad south) of here, the local tracks rises to an elevated structure and become the IRT New Lots Line, while the express tracks end at bumper blocks just under Ralph Avenue.

Another diamond crossover, east of here, connects the southbound express track to a ramp down to the lower level.

The one on the west (railroad north) is staffed weekdays only and accessed via a wide staircase in place of the end wall of the New Lots Avenue-bound platform.

Two narrow staircases and one elevator connect both platforms to a small upper level mezzanine that has two public restrooms (one for men and the other for women) and leads to a bank of turnstiles.

The Manhattan-bound platform has its metalwork painted in golden yellow and the tiles beneath the trim line in dark blue.

[39] In 2015, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his proposal for an extension of the 3 and 4 trains down Utica Avenue.