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MTA Announces Exact Date Of L Train Shutdown

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The L-pocalypse is nigh.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority and New York City Department of transportation say the long awaited - and dreaded - shut down of the subway tunnel between Manhattan and Brooklyn will begin on Apr. 27, 2019.

Repairs on the tunnel are expected to take 15 months. L train service will still be operational between Bedford Avenue and Canarsie Parkway stations in Brooklyn during that time, but won't run between the boroughs.

The repairs on what is called the Canarsie Tunnel have been needed for years due to damage from Superstorm Sandy. The tunnel flooded during the storm, requiring extensive short-term repairs just to bring service back. Long-term repairs are now need to make sure the tunnel can continue to operate "without major failures."

On April 21, the MTA plans to start service on five additional bus routes and offer new select bus service on 14th Street. Ferry service between the boroughs will also be added to help commuters. As part of its plan, the MTA says additional service will also be added on seven subway lines. You can read full details about that here. For the complete list of temporary service options, click here.

The MTA says it will be hosting a series of informational events to help customers plan how they'll get around during the shutdown.

"We're continuing unprecedented efforts at public outreach, responding to local communities and giving as much notice as possible on key dates in this project," said NYC Transit President Andy Byford.  "With the L running as a Brooklyn-only service for 15 months starting after the weekend of April 27, we've been hard at work with our partners at NYCDOT and other City agencies to make sure that the alternate train, bus, ferry and bicycle networks work together to get people around successfully."

"With DOT crews now putting down new street markings for bus lanes and bike lanes, we are deeply committed to having our streets ready for the  tunnel closure next April," said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. "From a 'bus bridge' over the Williamsburg Bridge to the 14th Street Busway, from more CitiBikes to expanded pedestrian space for displaced  train commuters, we and our MTA partners are up for this enormous challenge."

More information on the project can be found by clicking here.

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