MTA To Repair 'Deteriorating' Sections Of M Train Line; 2017 Closures Expected
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Metropolitan Transit Authority is planning to rebuild parts of the M subway line in Brooklyn and Queens in order to save "deteriorating" sections of the track and ensure commuter safety.
The MTA plans to begin repairs in two phases starting in the summer of 2017. The organization is calling for partial closures of the M train like during those periods of time.
Under phase one of the plan, a metal bridge between Fresh Pond Road and Middle Village Stations will be replaced. The MTA is calling for a two-month shutdown of the M train between Myrtle Avenue and Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue during this time. The MTA says shuttle buses will be provided from Middle Village-Metropolitan to Flushing Avenue as an alternative for commuters.
The second phase of construction will repair a viaduct between the Myrtle Avenue and Central Avenue stations. The repair will require a 10-moth shutdown of the stations, beginning in summer 2017 and ending in Spring 2018 according to the MTA. During this period of time, shuttle buses will run between Myrtle Avenue and Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenue. M trains will also be rerouted along the J and Z tracks from Marcy Avenue to Broadway Junction.
"The 103-year-old Bushwick viaduct was not built to last forever," NYC Transit President Veronique Hakim said. "It remains safe for subway riders today, but severe deterioration of the concrete deck and other components require that it be replaced."
In January, the MTA started a $395 million renovation at 9 different subway stations along the N line in Brooklyn. Manhattan-bound service at seven of the nine stations being worked on will be stopped for the next 14 month.
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