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.
The new alternative service map (via MTA)
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
Between Livonia St on the L and Junius St on the 3
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.
There will be no L train service between Lorimer Street in Brooklyn and 8th Avenue in Manhattan 10:30 p.m. – 5 a.m., from April 15th to April 26th, according to the MTA.
April 15 – April 26 10:30 PM to 5 AM, Mon to Fri
No L overnight
What’s the work? As part of the revised L project, we’re still moving forward with the long-term reliability improvement work we had originally planned. This includes installing signal equipment. For you this means that we’ll have the right signals ready to run the one-track operation in April. We’ll also take this time to prepare the tunnel for the rehabilitation work, delivering materials, pulling fiber optic cable and installing tunnel lights so we can work efficiently during the one track operation.
What should customers do? If you’re traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan, you can take the A , F, or J. For Manhattan L stations, you can take the M14 bus. In Brooklyn, the L will still operate between Lorimer St and Canarsie-Rockaway Pkway. Free shuttle buses will loop between Lorimer St G/L, Bedford Av, Marcy Av J, and Hewes St J.
Here are the key transfer points to remember during this service change:
Broadway Junction for the A, J or L Lorimer St/Metropolitan Av for the L, G or shuttle bus Marcy Av for the J or shuttle bus 14 St-8 Av for the A, E or the M14 14 St -6 Av for the F or M14 Delancey-Essex Sts for the F, J or M14A The G operates in two sections:
Between Court Square and Bedford/Nostrand Avs Between Bedford/Nostrand Avs and Hoyt/Schermerhorn, every 20 minutes.
The next MTA L train open house is Monday, Apr 8th, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the 14th Street Y, (344 E 14th St.).
Two additional L train open house sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, March 19: Grand Street Campus High School, (850 Grand St.), and on Monday, April 8: (14th St. Y), 344 E 14 St.
The current L train reconstruction plan is thin on finalized details, but a night and weekend repair schedule beginning April 26th where the L train runs in 20-minute increments between Manhattan and Brooklyn is expected. To help mitigate the problem, the MTA would like L train commuters to reconsider their station: Continue reading →
The MTA is hosting the first of four open houses focused on the L train tonight (3/7) at Our Lady of Guadalupe St. Bernard at 328 W 14 St. in Manhattan from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The other three open houses are also scheduled from 6-8 p.m.:
Wednesday, March 13: Williamsburg Northside School, 299 N 7th St.
Tuesday, March 19: Grand Street Campus High School, 850 Grand St.
Monday, April 8: 14th St Y, 344 E 14 St.
The L train is currently undergoing service disruptions on nights and weekends through March 18, and while a night and weekend repair schedule is expected to be implemented for approximately 15 to 18 months during repairs scheduled to start this spring, a final plan has yet to be approved. Continue reading →
The L Train Coalition, “a group of engaged stakeholders, community organizations, businesses, and concerned citizens” will meet to call on the MTA and Department of Transportation for “better, safer L train alternatives” tomorrow (3/1) at Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave.) at 10 a.m.
Council Member Antonio Reynoso, Senator Brian Kavanagh, Council Member Stephen Levin, Assemblyman Joseph Lentol and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney will meet with the public and give their feedback on recent developments regarding the L train.
The MTA announced its “Alternative Service Plan” earlier this month for construction on the Canarsie Tunnel to take place during nights and weekends, when L trains will run every 20 minutes from Bedford Ave to Manhattan.
The work will start on April 26, and is estimated to last 15 – 20 months. The previous plans to lengthen the G train and provide shuttle buses across the Williamsburg Bridge are not included in the new plan, but service will increase on the G, M and 7 subway lines.
L service changes are currently scheduled through March 18th according to the MTA:
Weeknights Jan 28 – March 18, approx. 10:45 PM to 5 AM, Monday to Friday L trains will not run between Broadway Junction and 8 Av.
Weekends Mar 15-18, Appx. 10:45 PM Friday to 5 AM Monday There will be no L trains between 8 Av and Broadway Junction
Why can’t trains run overnight and on weekends during the track and signal work in February and March, like they will during the revised version of the L Project? As you know, there are multiple pieces of the L Project. The part of the project that was revised was the tunnel rehabilitation work—which is great news for many customers since we’ll have L service 24/7, even with reduced service while we run a single-track operation during overnights and weekends.
For this overnight and weekend times in February and March, we’re focused on long-term reliability improvement work. Here are a few highlights of what we’ll be doing:
Removing and replacing all existing 16,000 feet of rails, plates and the ties supporting the track Relocating and replacing cables Rebuilding Bedford Av switches to be ready to support the one-track operation starting in April Installing continuous welded rail at Bushwick-Aberdeen, between Jefferson and DeKalb, at Montrose and from Lorimer to Graham The work requires full service closures because:
Track work: In order to perform the rail, plate and tie replacement, we use specialized track equipment that needs the full track access. Switch work: The tracks south of Bedford Av have an “interlocking plant,” also known as a “double crossover,” which is what allows us to switch trains from one track to another. The switches and signals that form this interlocking are located on both tracks.
MTA employees using a pump train to pump water out of the Canarsie Tunnel under the East River in Nov 2012. The tunnel was flooded during the unprecedented 13-foot storm surge of Hurricane Sandy. (Courtesy of MTA / Patrick Cashin)
Tonight, a public forum on the partial shutdown of the L train entitled ReversaL will take place at A/D/O (29 Norman Ave.) from 6:30 p.m. to 8: 30 p.m. Admission is free and you can RSVP here. The URBAN-X YouTube Channel will host footage of the event shortly after the talk.
Work on the Canarsie Tunnel is set to begin on April 26, with night and weekend service disruptions lasting 15 – 20 months. The previous plans to lengthen the G train and provide shuttle buses across the Williamsburg Bridge are not included in the new plan, but service will increase on the G, M and 7 subway lines and an MTA shuttle will run from Bedford Avenue to the J/M Marcy Avenue station and to the G/L Lorimer Street station on a loop.
Speakers at the ReversaL public forum include:
Greg Lindsay – Moderator – Urbanist in Residence at URBAN-X
Rodrigo Bautista – Principal Change Designer at Forum for the Future
Phil Jones – East Coast Senior Director at Lime
Benjamin Solotaire – Community Organizer, North Brooklyn & Director of Participatory Budgeting for Council Member Stephen Levin
Toby Moskovits – CEO at Heritage Equity Partners
Kate Slevin – Senior Vice President, State Programs and Advocacy, Regional Plan Association
Five weeks after releasing a statement announcing that the L train shutdown is averted, the MTA announced its “Alternative Service Plan” for construction on the Canarsie Tunnel during nights and weekends, when L trains will run every 20 minutes from Bedford Ave to Manhattan.
The work would begin on April 26, and is estimated to last 15 – 20 months. The previous plans to lengthen the G train and provide shuttle buses across the Williamsburg Bridge are not included in the new plan, but service will increase on the G, M and 7 subway lines. An MTA shuttle will run from Bedford Avenue to the J/M Marcy Avenue station and to the G/L Lorimer Street station and back, according to amNew York.
According to NBC New York, the plan includes (and excludes):
Work on overnights/weekends begins the weekend of April 26;
The MTA does not anticipate closing 14th Street to vehicles, which would have happened under the previous plan;
The MTA is not planning shuttle buses or HOV lanes on the Williamsburg Bridge;
The MTA is not planning shuttle buses or HOV lanes on the Williamsburg Bridge;
Beginning at 10 p.m. every night, L trains will run every 20 minutes;
The MTA recommends customers use other subway lines – the G/J/M especially;
The MTA will not be lengthening G trains as previously planned;
The MTA will run a “loop bus” from Bedford Avenue to those other subways;
concerned about crowding at First Avenue and Third Avenue in Manhattan. They are considering making those stations EXIT ONLY;
Work should last 15-20 months but an end date is unknown
The Shell gas station at 2 Bushwick Ave. in September 2017 (via Google Maps)
A shuttered Shell gas station at 2 Bushwick Ave. where five spills were reported from 1989 – 2006 is being identified as the potential source of the L train petroleum stench that has resulted in multiple sick passengers and workers since last week, NY Daily News reports.
The Dept. of Environmental Conservation received the spill reports from the former gas station owners whose business operated directly above the L train between Grand Street and Graham Avenue as recent as 2017.
The Shell gas station at 2 Bushwick Ave. in 2018 (via Google Maps)
The DEC is not officially placing the blame on the former gas station for the L train oil smell, the NY Daily News explains:
Transit officials said the tank was abandoned for more than 20 years after DEC officials opted not to remove it, citing its proximity to the subway tunnels. But their timeline may be off — fuel was sold at the gas station as recently as 2017.
DEC spokesman Sean Mahar said Monday that the agency had not yet identified a single source of last week’s disturbing odor, and that a comprehensive investigation into the issue was ongoing.
City Councilman Antonio Reynoso, whose district includes the vacant station, said his office received very little communication from the MTA on the source of the L train stink.
“To make matters worse, the information we have received is conflicting and leaves many unanswered questions about the gravity of the situation and its impact on the health of the riders and residents,” said Reynoso. “This is especially angering and adds insult to injury when considering that north Brooklyn has a history of experiencing environmental injustices, specifically oil spills.”
Seems like the @NYCTSubway has brought in some extra fans to place on top of the L train tunnel in order to vent out the diesel fumes.
Not really helping much as I’m standing on the platform.
Following reports of a mysterious gas odor today, the L train is experiencing service disruptions between Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn and 1st Avenue in Manhattan, the MTA says.
Update: There are significant disruptions in L train service while we investigate the source of fuel smells on the tracks near Graham Av. Our safety checks have found that the air is currently safe, but we need to correct and resolve the condition before restoring service. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/VLtYSTKwGF
Service has been partially suspended on the L train since early afternoon due to the fumes, which are attributed by the MTA to street-level waterproofing and diesel trains in the Canarsie tunnel last night.
Good morning. We apologize for the smell. Street-level waterproofing work was done at Bedford Av yesterday and several diesel trains were in the tunnel last night working on tracks and switches. Fans are running to clear the air, and our crews are continuing to investigate. ^BD
How can we use the L train shutdown to inspire change around sustainable mobility in New York and the greater world? That’s the question that will be explored at ReversaL: A Public Forum on The Partial Shutdown of The L-Train, that’s scheduled at A/D/O (29 Norman Ave.) on Tue, Feb. 19, from 6:30 p.m. to 8: 30 p.m. Admission to the public forum is free and you can RSVP here.
Many unknowns remain since Gov. Cuomo intervened last month with the plan to shut down the L train for 15 – 18 months between Manhattan and Brooklyn to make way for construction on the Canarsie Tunnel, which was severely damaged during Superstorm Sandy. As the MTA board awaits approval of the new L train remedy, service will be suspended for nighttime and weekend commuters.
Representatives from the public and private sector will speak at the forum exploring alternative transportation methods and remedies and the list of guests includes Greg Lindsay, urbanist in residence at URBAN-X; Rodrigo Bautista, principal change designer at Forum for the Future; Scott Kubly, chief programs officer at LimeBike; Benjamin Solotaire, community organizer in North Brooklyn and director of participatory budgeting for Council Member Stephen Levin; Toby Moskovits, CEO at Heritage Equity Partners and mop
More guests may be announced ahead of the event, which will also be available to watch on the URBAN-X YouTube Channel shortly after the talk.
