More Subway Chaos Expected as MTA Makes Weekend Repairs on E, F, N, Q,W & 7 Lines
Repairs will be underway most weekends in January. And if heading to Brooklyn or Queens, part of the weekend will have to be made on the dreaded free shuttle bus.
| 08 Jan 2024 | 06:41
Subway track work in Queens will force schedule changes for Manhattan riders on upcoming weekends in January, Photo: MTA
People taking the Q train from Manhattan to Brooklyn may have to rely on the dreaded shuttle bus for part of the trip on weekends in January. Photo: Ralph Spielman
While the MTA said the 1, 2 and 3 lines were back running normally two days after the Jan, 4 crash at the W. 96th St. station, there are plenty of other fixes planned in the weekends ahead that are sure to create headaches for all subway users across all corners of Manhattan.
Weekend changes on certain subway lines will be occurring during the weekends of Jan. 13 to 15; 20 to 22, and 27 to 29. They will start at 12:01 A.M Saturday and end at 5:00 A.M Monday mornings. If you’re headed to Queens and Brookly, the dreaded alternative shuttle buses will provide service.
Good news? The Long Island Rail Road will cross honor fares at specific stations between Manhattan and Queens while the subway work is ongoing. Accessibility upgrades at Queensboro Plaza will affect the 7, E, F, N and W trains in both Queens and Manhattan.
Additionally, New York City Transit Maintenance of Way personnel will also begin a multi-week project to replace track north of Prospect Park; this will affect Q train service in Brooklyn.
E and R trains will operate every eight minutes instead of every 12 minutes between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., a 50 percent increase to normal weekend service.
Overnight E trains will be rerouted via the R from Queens Plaza to 34 St-Herald Sq.
F trains will be rerouted via the E line in both directions between 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center and Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av as per the ongoing direct fixation work.
42nd St shuttle trains will operate all night between Times Square-42 St and Grand Central-42 St.
N trains will be rerouted to operate between 96 St-2 Av and Stillwell Av, every 12 minutes during the day. An N shuttle will operate between Astoria-Ditmars Blvd and 39 Av every 12 minutes during the day.
A Q shuttle will operate between 96 St and 34 St between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.Monday morning while the N train transitions back to its normal route
The 7 train will see an overnight bus shuttle 34 St-Hudson Yards to Times Sq-42 St shuttle train. Additionally, bus shuttles will operate on the affected weekends in Queens between Vernon-Jackson and 74th Street-Broadway; allow extra time if you are thinking of using the Q70 bus to LaGuardia.
And subway users will have to rely on the dreaded free shuttle buses to replace the F shuttle between Lexington Av-63 St and 21 St-Queensbridge, and between Roosevelt Island and Queens Plaza.
The Long Island Rail Road will accept MetroCards as payment for trips between Flushing, Mets-Willets Pt, Woodside and Penn Station or Grand Central, to augment truncated 7 train service.
Also, Metro-North Railroad announced an upcoming schedule update, taking effect Tuesday, Jan. 16. The updated schedule reflects adjustments to accommodate track work near Grand Central Terminal. Metro-North crews will be replacing several key sections of track and switches, which will limit track usage during certain periods of the day. This will be ongoing for the near future.