Get Ready for Summer Weekend Subway Disruptions on the N

We’ve heard the news of the impending tech upgrades on the N/W line (and a bunch of other lines in NYC)—Brooklyn is getting the treatment currently, and Astoria’s Broadway, 30th Ave, 36th Ave, and 39th Ave stations are next). But in the past couple days the MTA put out a release regarding some other work they’re going to be doing on the N line—during eight weekends throughout the summer.

So what’s the MTA going to do? They will be “performing major upgrades to the Astoria’s N Subway Line equipment, including the replacement of switches and other track work that will increase reliability and reduce delays. The new switches will also reduce noise along the 31st Street corridor.” The “other track work” means they will replace track panels and steel girders that support the elevated structure. The MTA points out, “trains will not be able to operate during this work because cranes and other heavy equipment must lift large sections of track panels from the street onto the elevated structure.”

The noise reduction aspect is especially good for the folks at P.S. 85, who have found the sound of the subway rattling outside their building to be very disruptive to the teaching and learning going on inside.

The cost for this project will be $12.4 million. Here are the dates of weekend service disruption:

• May 20-22
• Memorial Day weekend, May 27-30
• June 3-5
• August 12-14
• August 19-21
• August 26-28
• Labor Day weekend, September 2-5
• September 9-11

The timing of the disruption is 12:01am Saturday to 5am Monday. Work on Memorial Day and Labor Day holiday weekends is scheduled from 12:01am on Saturdays to 5am on Tuesdays. Trains will be replaced by shuttle buses stopping at all affected subway stations along the route in both directions between Ditmars and Queensboro Plaza. R stations will not be affected.

Councilman Costa Constantinides was quoted in the press release, with a serious nod toward the issues that plague P.S. 85:

“This critical infrastructure improvement has been long-anticipated. The MTA’s commitment to replace switches, track panels, and steel girders will increase service reliability and will significantly mitigate noise from the overhead structure. For the entire school community at P.S. 85, this is a sigh of relief. Elementary school children should not have to bear the burden of repeated interruptions while engaging in the learning process. Their focus should be directed exclusively towards their work, teachers, and peers, not the constant bustle of a rumbling train. I am proud to announce the start of this work that my colleagues and I have so diligently advocated for. I also thank NYCT’s Acting President Darryl Irick for his support in spearheading the efforts towards getting this off the ground.”

So make a note in your calendar for these dates, Astorians. Sucks to be surprised with only shuttle buses on the weekend, so plan ahead for these disruptions.