MTA to shut down M train to fix crumbling structures
NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - M train riders in Queens and Brooklyn: get ready for some commuting headaches. The MTA plans to shut down M service between the Myrtle Avenue stop in Bushwick and at the end of the line at Middle Village's Metropolitan Avenue. This all begins in the summer of 2017 for about 13 months.
The MTA says the M train shutdown is necessary to ensure the safety of the line. Deteriorating structures, as seen in MTA photos, will be replaced.
Work on the M line is being prioritized because of the looming repair work on the nearby L train, according to the MTA. Work on the L train's Canarsie tube, damaged during Hurricane Sandy, is projected to take about three years and begin after the M line is repaired.
Shuttle bus service will be available for the estimated 60,000 riders of the M line.
The MTA says its shutting down the M rather than doing intermittently like what was done with the 7 train because it will be significantly faster.
"These temporary closures are vital to the long term viability of the M line in Brooklyn and Queens," said NYC Transit President Veronique Hakim. "Both of these structures have deteriorated to the point that there is simply no other option than complete replacement, and undergoing this step will ensure a safe, more reliable experience for customers for decades to come. We will work closely with the affected communities, their elected officials and other representatives to minimize the disruption and address their concerns, and we will do our utmost to complete this work as quickly as possible."
From MTA.info:
The vital construction will occur at two sections: a metal bridge between the Fresh Pond Rd and Middle Village-Metropolitan Av stations will require a two-month shutdown. The work will begin in summer 2017 in order to cause the least possible disruption for students at nearby Christ the King Regional High School.
The second section of construction will occur at the century-old concrete viaduct that carries the M line between the Myrtle Av and Central Av stations. That section will be shut down for 10 months beginning in summer 2017.