We are just a week away from the Cuomo non-shutdown of the L train, as the unreviewed Canarsie Tunnel repair plan officially starts April 26 to fix the damage incurred during Hurricane Sandy, with expected completion in the summer of 2020.
Starting Friday (4/26), commuters between Brooklyn and Manhattan can expect L service to slow to 20-minute increments beginning at 8 p.m. through 5 a.m. on weeknights; more details on the non-shutdown from the MTA:
| Weekdays | 5 AM to 10 PM | Regular L service, reducing at 8 PM |
| Weeknights | 10 PM to 1:30 AM | Reduced L service |
| Weeknights | 1:30 AM to 5 AM | Regular L service (every 20 minutes) |
| Weekends | 6 AM to 1:30 AM | Reduced L service |
| Weekend nights | 1:30 AM to 6 AM | Regular L service (every 20 minutes) |
With the revised approach, L customers will have normal service during the highest ridership times.
Weeknights: 8 PM to 5 AM L trains run every 20 minutes between Brooklyn and Manhattan and every 10 minutes within Brooklyn. Service will ramp down starting at 8 PM to make room for work trains. Overnight, between 1:30 AM and 5 AM, the service runs at its normal frequency, with L trains running every 20 minutes.
Weekends: 8 PM Friday until 5 AM Monday, L trains run 20 minutes between Brooklyn and Manhattan, and every 10 minutes within Brooklyn. Overnight, between 1:30 AM and 5 AM, service runs at its normal frequency, with L trains running every 20 minutes.
L trains will run every 10 minutes within Brooklyn thanks to extra “overlay” trains between Lorimer St and Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy. We’ll be running these trains during the busiest times L service is impacted by tunnel work (10 PM- 1:30 AM weeknights and 6 AM to 1:30 AM weekends). Service on the L will be reduced nights and weekends. We’ll be enhancing M, G, 7, and bus service to provide alternatives.
To compensate for reduced L train service, The MTA says it plans to increase the frequency of G, M and 7 trains:
M service
Weeknights, we’ll extend the hours of normal weekday service into Manhattan, between 10PM and 1:30 AM. After 10 PM on weeknights, we’ll extend M service up to 96 St-2 Av on the Q , instead of to Queens Blvd.
Weekends, we’ll extend service from Essex St to 96 St-2 Av. M trains will run every 8 minutes instead of every 10 minutes during the day.
G service
Weeknights we’ll be running 5 additional G trips between 8:30 PM and 1:30 AM. On weekends, trains will run every 8 minutes instead of every 10 minutes during the day.
7 service
Weeknights, we’ll run 5 additional trips from 8:30 PM to midnight. On weekends, 7 trains will continue to run every 4 to 7 ½ minutes.
New free transfers
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Between Livonia St on the L and Junius St on the 3
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Between Hewes St/Lorimer St on the J and M and Broadway on the G
A new “Williamsburg Link” bus will run between the Bedford L station and the Hewes Street J/M station stopping at the Metropolitan Avenue G/L station and Marcy Avenue J/M station en route.
We are introducing a new bus, the Williamsburg Link. It will operate on two routes, one clockwise (B92) and one counterclockwise (B91). This bus will provide double the bus service we normally do when there is no L service during weekend and weeknight construction work.
These buses provide connection between:
- the Bedford Av L,
- Metropolitan Av- Lorimer St G / L,
- Marcy Av J / M, and
- Hewes St J /M (B92 only).
Weekday nights
B91 B92 8 PM-9 PM Every 9 minutes Every 9 minutes 9 PM-12 AM Every 5 minutes Every 5 minutes 12 AM-5 AM Every 10 minutes Every 10 minutes Weekends
B91 B92 5 AM-8 AM Every 10 minutes Every 10 minutes 8 AM-10 PM Every 3 minutes Every 3 minutes 10 PM-12 AM Every 5 minutes Every 5 minutes 12 AM-1:30 AM Every 10 minutes Every 10 minutes
The M14A regular bus service in Manhattan will run every four to five minutes across 14th Street from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. and to the Delancey-Essex J/M station every seven to ten minutes.