Pei Sze Cheng reporting on service changes to impact F,M subway lines for months
Some New York City subway riders are about to see their commutes get a lot easier — or at least improved from what they have been over the past six-plus months.
Straphangers along the F and M lines between Manhattan and Queens rejoice: The major track replacement project that caused some serious headaches since August will be completed by the end of March, the MTA said in a release Tuesday. The project will wrap up on time and on budget.
The MTA said track replacement along the F line between 47-50 Streets-Rockefeller Center in Manhattan and 36 St in Queens will end March 31, with service along the F and M lines once again making regular stops in the two boroughs starting at 5 a.m. on April 1.
The shuttle that had been running between Lexington Avenue-63rd Street and 21 Street-Queensbridge will end at 5 a.m. on Saturday, March 30, as part of the project's final stage.
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There will still be some travel alternatives in effect during that final weekend of service changes, which the MTA noted:
- Starting at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, March 29, a free shuttle bus will connect Roosevelt Island, 21 St-Queensbridge, and Queens Plaza, following the current Q94 overnight shuttle route.
- This shuttle bus will run during daytime and overnight hours for the duration of the weekend and is scheduled to operate approximately every 5 to 10 minutes.
- The F train will continue to operate via the E in both directions.
- From 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29, M train service will operate between Metropolitan Av and Delancey St-Essex St, and via the J to/from Chambers Street which will be the last stop.
- M trains will resume normal overnight/weekend service at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29.
According to the MTA, some 149,000 people on average use this part of the subway system every day.
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The agency noted that the project was intended to improve reliability, mitigate leaks, prevent future corrosion and deterioration, and extend the life of existing infrastructure.
Crews removed existing direct-attach tracks and construct new concrete tracks and new direct-attach tracks, installed new contact rails, kickboards, brackets and insulators, removed and replaced cables, supplied and installed new signaling equipment, repaired flaking concrete and cracks and sealed leaks. Crews also installed 25,643 feet of new third rail with kicker boards and cables.
