The MTA announced overnight service changes for the G train this week along with the L train Canarsie tunnel repair project’s final schedule through next spring.
In a minor inconvenience, the MTA announced last week that the G train’s third rail will need emergency work causing trains to run at reduced frequency during Jan. 13 – 17, from midnight – 1:30 a.m.; also note that all trains will stop on the Court Square-bound platform at the Greenpoint Avenue station during these times.
The MTA has reportedly seen the light at the end of the L train tunnel (pun intended) with the release of the finalized L train repair schedule through March 2020, as repairs are expected to be completed in April 2020 “some three to six months ahead of schedule.”
Before we proceed with the final L train repair schedule details, let us take a moment to thank the squeaky wheel at a Brooklyn CB1 meeting who was cited in this week’s MTA L Project newsletter for inspiring the state-run agency to give updates:
Before we started the tunnel rehab in April, one Community Board 1, Brooklyn, resident spoke up at a meeting and said, “We need more detailed updates about service changes! All of it!”
That moment stuck with us. So in honor of that vocal, info-loving resident and our obsession with explaining things about subway service that you don’t really need to know but will make you a more informed customer, here you go:
Jan 17-20 weekend: No 
 service in Brooklyn between Lorimer St and Broadway Junction, work includes:
- At Bedford Av, deliver new elevator equipment, as well as progress track wall tile, signal testing and platform structural work with the extended work area
- At Bushwick Av-Aberdeen St Station, complete platform work with new tactile strips on both platforms and final fixes to the platform edges
- At Halsey St, repair steel columns and make platform and wall repairs throughout the station
- At Morgan Av, repair structural beams and make platform and wall repairs throughout the station
- At DeKalb Av, make platform and wall repairs throughout the station
Feb 14-18 weekend (Presidents’ Day included): No  service in Brooklyn between Lorimer St and Broadway Junction, work includes:
- At Bedford Av, progress track wall painting and tile installation and removing temporary power conduits and cables with the extended work area
- At Bushwick Av-Aberdeen St Station, make final repairs throughout the station and start final inspections
- At Halsey St, continue steel column repairs and start final inspections
- At Morgan Av, continue structural beam repairs and start final inspections
- At DeKalb Av, continue minor repair work to platforms and walls throughout the station and start final inspections
Mar 20-23 weekend: No  service from 8 Av to Broadway Junction, work includes:
- Connect negative and positive feeder cables from the new Avenue B substation to the circuit breaker house to both Q1 and Q2 tracks
- Connect power cables from the new Maspeth Avenue and Harrison Place substations in Brooklyn to the tracks, following the prior successful energization of low tension electric service
- Restore the contact rail section gap at Bedford Av on both Q1 and Q2 tracks
- Install negative equalizers between Q1 and Q2 tracks
- Cutover the radio antenna cables to the new system on both Q1 and Q2 tracks
- Complete the new emergency alarm and telephone system cutover from the old system for both Q1 and Q2 tracks
- Complete final inspections for Bushwick Av-Aberdeen St, Halsey St, Morgan Av and DeKalb Av Stations for accessibility and station platform renewal project
Customers will have alternative bus and subway service options these weekends and can use the MyMTA app or the dedicated L Project service change information page to plan a trip. Service options include:
Jan 17-20 and Feb 14-18:
From 10 PM to Midnight Friday:
: Operates every 20 minutes between 8 Av and Rockaway Parkway
: Additional  train operates between Lorimer St and Rockaway Parkway for service every 10 minutes within Brooklyn
From 12:01 AM Saturday to 5:00 AM Monday, Jan 20/5:00 AM Tuesday, Feb 18:
 part 1: Operates between 8 Av and Lorimer St every 20 minutes
 part 2: During the day time, the  operates between Broadway Junction (trains will discharge on the 
 platform) and Rockaway Parkway every 10 minutes. During the overnight times, the  operates every 20 minutes like a normal schedule.
Free shuttle bus 1: Operates between Broadway Jct and Myrtle Av
Free shuttle bus 2: Operates between Myrtle Av and Lorimer St
Mar 20-23:
 train: Every 10 minutes between Broadway Junction and Canarsie Rockaway-Pkwy; every 20 minutes during the late nights
 train: Will run every 8 minutes up to 96 St-2 Av, until after 1:30 a.m. when it runs every 20 minutes between Metropolitan Av to Myrtle Av
 train: Will run every 8 minutes during the peak daytimes
Three free shuttle buses: Shuttle bus #1: fare-free as a loop between Lorimer St  and Marcy Av , making stops at Lorimer St , Bedford Av , Hewes St , and Marcy Av ; shuttle bus #2 runs between Lorimer St and Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs in both directions and stops at Marcy Av ; shuttle bus #3 operates between Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs and Broadway Junction. Note: bus operation may be adjusted based on street conditions.