MTA New York City Transit announced that three stations in Manhattan will undergo intensive repair and improvement work beginning on three dates in July. The repairs will fix structural defects and deterioration, and include functional station improvements that will benefit more than 70,000 customers who use the 57 St , 28 St  and 23 St  stations.

All three stations are in various states of disrepair that include crumbling concrete and deteriorated structural steel columns and beams, cracked or missing tiles, water leaks, and deficient lighting. Due to the extent of the repairs, demolitions and removal of construction waste, and to facilitate a faster construction schedule, the three stations will be closed to service, however the full closures mean that workers can complete the work more quickly; the stations will be closed for less than six months.

“We have had great success with these projects in terms of how much work can be done a short span of time when construction crews have total round-the-clock access,” said NYC Transit President Andy Byford. “We thank customers for their patience as we make these repairs and improvements, which will bring practical benefits to our customers for many decades on.”

The 57 St  station will close for the repairs on July 9, and 28 St  will close for the repairs on July 16. The 23 St   station will suspend subway service on July 23, but the entrance to the connecting PATH station will remain open and PATH service to the 23 Street PATH station is not affected. All three stations are expected to reopen in December. NYC Transit staff have conducted extensive community outreach, including contacting or meeting with community boards, local elected officials and nearby stakeholders such as businesses and building owners. Signage will be posted and announcements will be made ahead of these closures alerting customers of the changes and providing information on alternate routes.

More than 15,700 customers use the 57 St  station, more than 24,000 customers use the 28 St  station, and approximately 31,000 customers use the 23 St  station. The stations are between 50 and 114 years old, with the 28 St  station among the oldest in the subway system since it opened for service on the day that subway service began in October 1904. The 23 St  station opened around the time of World War II, in December 1940. The 57 St  station opened in July 1968, prior to the construction of the 63^rd Street East River subway tunnel to Queens.

Beyond repairing deterioration at the three stations, all station entrances will be enhanced with digital signage providing real-time information, countdown clocks, new railings or canopies, and brighter, more energy-efficient lighting. Turnstile areas will be upgraded with glass barriers, security cameras, new information centers and digital dashboards. Platforms will get new platform edge warning strips, accessible boarding areas, new seating furniture, digital dashboards with wayfinding information and new countdown clocks.

For alternate service to and from 57 St  during the closure beginning July 9, customers can use nearby stations at 57 St-7 Av , 5 Av , 7 Av , 5 Av-53 St  or 47-50 Sts/Rockefeller Center .

For alternate service to and from 28 St  during the closure beginning July 16, customers can use nearby stations at 33 St , 23 St  or 28 St .

For alternate service to and from 23 St  during the closure beginning July 23, customers can use nearby 34 St-Herald Sq , 23 St , 23 St , or 14 St .

On May 23, NYC Transit President Byford unveiled “Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize New York City Transit,” which among other initiatives, proposes modernizing the subway’s signal system on a significantly accelerated timeline, redesigning the entire city’s bus network, and improving customer service and communications. The plan also proposes the addition of 180 elevators across the subway network over a period of 10 years.