An Open Letter to the MTA: Greenpoint Deserves Better Communication

I’m privileged enough to live and work in Greenpoint. That means I’m here 24/7 for most of the week.

And on the weekends, I like to take that opportunity to explore that collection of five boroughs that we call New York City. This was the fourth weekend in a row where my plans took me further south in Brooklyn. Coincidentally, for the fourth weekend in a row, the MTA suspended service G train service from Court Square to Bedford-Nostrand, once again forcing me into a series of long walks from the L, expensive Ubers, and plans preemptively scrapped by me not wanting to endure the whims of the shuttle bus. 

When the MTA announced that they would completely suspend G train service for the better part of summer 2024, the neighborhood’s collective groan could be heard all the way to New Jersey. 

“It’ll be worth it, though!” the MTA kept reminding us.

“Just this summer and some extra weekend work here and there, and by 2027, the G train can finally enter the 21st century!”

To the MTA’s credit, those summer 2024 shuttle buses generally arrived on time and ran frequently. The headache seemed worth it for the upgraded signal system. But in spring 2026, I can no longer see the light at the end of the proverbial (maybe even literal?) tunnel. The weekend work continues without cease, and frankly, without much warning either. It turns out the trains aren’t the only one who need to improve their communication capabilities.

I understand that the project merits continued weekend work. My issue lies with the lack of communication from the MTA about how much longer G train riders can expect such work to continue, and the lack of advance notice for more prolonged shutdowns. Considering some reports indicate that the work won’t actually be finished until 2029, I think our neighborhood deserves more than getting the short end of the stick (not to mention, the short end of the train cars!)

Last summer, the MTA suspended select weekend and night service on the G train from July 14 to August 18. They announced the decision via a website notice in late June, giving customers ample time to come up with a game plan. Yet the MTA continues to suspend weekend service for similar lengths of time without the same advanced messaging. Or meaningful advanced messaging, I should say—the posters are just white noise at this point. March will wrap up without complete weekend service for the entire month (and as of some last minute Monday morning edits to this piece, the G train was out of service again today).  

Using past MTA Weekender newsletters, I have calculated that the G train has had some form of suspended service nearly every weekend since December 12. Certainly, an errant weekend shutdown here and there might not necessitate an all-hands-on-deck approach. But that’s more than three months of incomplete service. More than three months of rearranging lives and giving up on exploring New York to the fullest because the MTA can’t be bothered to sit down, come up with a game plan, and tell straphangers to strap in, because it’s going to be a while. Do I sound bitter? I am! And I’m a journalist with direct press contacts. The MTA has rebuffed my email attempts to get the bottom of this. If I can’t stay well-informed about this topic, then who can?

The MTA might tout its app and newsletter as their response to getting more advance notice about the shutdown. And those resources are helpful—if you know they exist. Plus, they offer a piecemeal approach at best, often limited to updates a week or two at a time.

When it comes to CBTC-related outages, the MTA should apply the same consistent standard to convey the inconvenience, especially considering the unique burden for Greenpoint residents with only one train line. The strategy of simply “Put posters up and hope for the best!” has reached the end of its usefulness.