A major subway improvement project is set to begin, shutting down A trains on the Rockaway line for four months to address lingering damage left behind by Superstorm Sandy and strengthen infrastructure in anticipation of future storms.
The service shutdown starts Friday evening and will last through May, according to the MTA. There will be no service along the A line between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue or Rockaway Park-Beach 116 Street.
The Rockaway Park Shuttle will also be impacted. Riders won't have shuttle service to or from Broad Channel, and the shuttle trains won't run at all during the first weekend (Jan. 17-20). Read up on full service impacts here.
“It’s time to make the A train more reliable and resilient for Rockaway riders, and this plan is the fastest and most efficient way to do it," MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement.
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"I’m confident the NYC Transit team will deliver on fast and frequent alternative service while work is underway — just as they did for train customers over the summer," Lieber said, referencing the G train summer shutdown.
The MTA is offering free shuttle bus service while the train service is down. The Q97 will run service between Howard Beach and Far Rockaway, while the Q109 will run from Howard Beach to Beach 67 Street.
The Long Island Rail Road will also be available to Rockaway residents at a discount. The fare will be reduced to $2.75 each way for people buying tickets at the LIRR Far Rockaway Station.
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While it may be a large inconvenience, rehabilitation work on the Rockaway Line is essential, the MTA says, to repair longstanding damage following Sandy. Despite the emergency repairs in the months immediately following the disaster, the agency says there are still essential repairs needed to protect transit operations during future storms.
"The viaducts and bridge that carry trains across Broad Channel need major upgrades to help protect the line from future storms and ensure reliable service for over 9,000 daily riders," the MTA said in a press release.