By Forum Staff
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday announced the replacement of track along the line between 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center in Manhattan and 36 St station in Queens. The project will improve reliability, mitigate leaks to prevent future corrosion and deterioration and extend the life of existing infrastructure, the agency also indicated.
Crews will remove existing direct fixation track and construct new concrete track and new direct fixation track, install new contact rail, protection boards, brackets and insulators, remove and replace cables, furnish and install new signal equipment, repair spalled concrete and cracks and seal active leaks.
The following service changes will be in effect through the first quarter of 2024:
- Beginning Monday, Aug. 28, F train service will be rerouted via the E line in both directions between 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center and Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av.
- Weekday M train service will be suspended between 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr and Forest Hills-71 Av. Service will operate between Middle Village-Metropolitan Av and 57 St/6 Av in Manhattan only between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
- Nights between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and weekends, the M will operate its normal service between Metropolitan Av and Essex St or Myrtle Av, and the 57 St/6 Av station will be closed. Due to operational constraints, E, F, and M train service will operate at reduced frequencies.
- Weekdays and weekends between 5 a.m. and 11:59 p.m., F shuttle trains will operate between Lexington Av/63 St and 21 St-Queensbridge, and free Q95 shuttle buses will operate between the 21 St-Queensbridge and Queens Plaza stations.
- Overnights between midnight and 5 a.m., F shuttle train service is suspended and free Q94 shuttle buses will connect the Roosevelt Island, 21 St-Queensbridge, and Queens Plaza stations.
In preparation for this work, there will be service changes in effect for the following weekends:
- Between 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11 and 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 14 there will be no Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound F train service at 21 St-Queensbridge, 57 St/6 Av, Roosevelt Island, and Lexington Av/63 St. Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound F service will be rerouted via the E line between Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av and 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center.
- Between 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18 and 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 21 there will be no Jamaica-179 St bound F service at 57 St/6 Av, Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island, and 21 St-Queensbridge. Jamaica-179 St bound F service will be rerouted via the E line in between 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center and Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av.
- Between 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25 and 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 28, there will be no F train service in both directions at 57 St/6 Av, Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island, and 21 St-Queensbridge. F train service will be rerouted via the E line in both directions between 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center and Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av, and free shuttle buses will operate between Roosevelt Island, 21 St-Queensbridge, and Queens Plaza. The Q train will continue to stop at Lexington Av/63 St.
MTA crews will make announcements in stations and post signage in stations. Outreach to community members and stakeholders will continue throughout the project.
