Repairs to the Canarsie Tunnel on the L train subway line will be completed in spring 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last weekend in a press conference at the Bedford Avenue station.
Rendering of the renovated Bedford Avenue station (courtesy of MTA)
April 2020 is the new expected completion date, a full three months ahead of schedule. The project includes a full renovation of the Bedford Avenue station.
Cuomo took the opportunity to scorn the naysayers during the announcement, the NY Post reports: Continue reading →
The B46 Select Bus Service will see a reduction in the number of buses on the route starting January 2020, the MTA announced.
The cost-cutting measure will save the MTA $2.4 million by reducing the frequency of buses by one-to-three minutes and by adding longer buses with a capacity for 115 commuters, up from the current bus capacity of 85, the Brooklyn Paper reports. Continue reading →
The L train will not be in service between Lorimer Street and Broadway Junction in Brooklyn from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting tonight (9/23) through 10/6, the MTA announced.
Service will also be disrupted overnight on one weekend in October and during all weekends in January, according to the MTA’s L Project Weekly newsletter: Continue reading →
L train riders were spared shutdown for more than a year at the last minute in January, but other construction work pushed back by the change of plans is looming — and costs are booming.
The projected price tag for structural repairs at the L’s five Manhattan stations along 14th Street could nearly double — from $43.8 million to $77.8 million — MTA documents project.
An MTA spokesperson said some of that work would have begun during the now-canceled full-time shutdown of the L’s Canarsie tunnel in the East River, as part of a “piggybacking” onto repairs in the tunnel.
But reports that provide updates on MTA capital projects now show that a bid opening previously scheduled for May 2019 has been postponed until January 2020 to “re-examine the scope of the work in light of the changed service plan of the Canarsie Tube.”
There is no timetable for when the bulk of repairs will begin to fix steel defects in station columns, beams and braces, as well as work to repair leaks and concrete defects in walls and ceilings.
The work could potentially have impacts on riders, the MTA acknowledges, as crews come in to shore up nearly century-old stations. Continue reading →
The heavy rain that poured down on NYC yesterday sparked a flash flood warning and caused flooding in Greenpoint and Long Island city affecting commuters.
The portion of India Street leading up to the pier and NYC ferry entrance was covered in water and flooded the vehicles parked on the street.
A large patch of the poison ivy plant has been the source of 311 complaints on an MTA-owned lot near the Pulaski Bridge, Gothamist reports.
The poison ivy plant has reportedly been spotted throughout our urban jungle this season, which may be a result of mild winters.
The specific patch of poison ivy causing a stir near the much-traveled Pulaski Bridge is “right off Jackson Avenue and is now encroaching onto the sidewalk,” in Long Island City.” More from Gothamist: Continue reading →
As part of the MTA’s ongoing Canarsie Tunnel repair project, there will be no L train service from 12 a.m. – 5 a.m. between Lorimer Street and Broadway Junction in Brooklyn starting July 16th for “nine weekends and the preceding weeknights,” the MTA announced in the latest L train newsletter.
During the upcoming closures (listed below) the L train will also run every 20 minutes between 8th Avenue in Manhattan and Lorimer Street in Brooklyn, and every 20 minutes between Broadway Junction and Rockaway Parkway. A shuttle bus will run in Brooklyn between Lorimer Street and Broadway junction on weeknights and on affected subway stations on weekends. Here’s the full schedule of closures via the MTA: Continue reading →
To help remedy the disrupted commute for L train riders during the partial shutdown between Manhattan and Brooklyn for Canarsie Tunnel repairs, the MTA introduced two bus routes, the B91 and B92, which have turned out to be a flop.
Beginning this Saturday, the MTA will introduce the B91A bus to replace the B91 and B92 buses in response to low ridership where “two or three riders per trip,” are the norm, NY1 reports.
L customers: Starting this Saturday, a new Williamsburg Link bus route will replace the current B91 and B92 routes. 1/5 pic.twitter.com/IJq1ObY4MD
The soon-to-be former Williamsburg Link buses shuttle subway riders between the Bedford Avenue and Lorimer Street L subway stations en route to the Marcy Avenue J and M station.
The new route will be shorter and focused on connecting the Marcy Av Station with the Bedford Ave area.
It will have two new stops—one on Driggs Ave at Grand St and another on Roebling St at Grand St—for a total of four stops.
The new route will run every 8 minutes during busiest times, and will keep the current late night and early morning frequencies as is (every 10 minutes).
The bus will still be free.
The new route also helps you connect to other buses: Customers going between Metropolitan Av/Lorimer St and Marcy Av Stations can take the B24 bus for a direct connection between the two stations. Customers going between Metropolitan Av/Lorimer St and Bedford Av can take the Q59 to the B91A at Grand St.
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.).
