Resume Regular Service in Manhattan and Queens 

Work Completed to Install New Track to Improve Reliability and Extend Life of Infrastructure 

Project Completed On Time and On Budget 

View Photos of MTA Leaders Greeting Customers 

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) leadership today greeted customers at 21 St-Queensbridge station and Roosevelt Island  station as  and  trains returned to regular service following an eight-month track replacement project and other repairs on the 63 St line that will result in improved reliability for the 149,000 riders who travel through this area every day. MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer and New York City Transit President Richard Davey greeted customers at both stations and welcomed them back to the return of regular service, which included repairs between 47–50 Sts–Rockefeller Center in Manhattan and 36 St in Queens.  and  trains resumed regular service in Queens and Manhattan at 5:00 a.m. on Monday, April 1. 

“This project is a great example of the MTA building better, faster and cheaper with a major track replacement project completed on time and on budget,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “The work undertaken to reconstruct new track, third rail, signals, and to seal active leaks will result in a more reliable and comfortable ride.” 

“It’s great to meet with Queens and Manhattan customers as we restore full service on the  line following the on-time completion of critical track replacement work,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey. “I appreciate riders’ patience during the project, and now they can look forward to modern, reliable tracks that will deliver faster, cleaner, and safer service for decades to come.” 

“We applaud the MTA’s investment in the subway infrastructure connecting Roosevelt Island and Cornell Tech to Manhattan and Queens,” said Greg Morrisett, Dean and Vice Provost of Cornell Tech. “We are thankful for the agency’s diligent communication with us throughout construction and we are delighted by the on-time completion of the project.” 

Crews removed existing tracks and constructed new concrete roadbed and track; installed 25,643 feet of new third rail with protection board, brackets and insulators; removed and replaced cables; installed new signals; repaired spalled concrete and cracks, and sealed active leaks.  

This project is the final of three in the 2020 – 2024 Capital Plan that together have replaced all direct fixation track in the subway system which dated back to the 1980s. The new track improves reliability, mitigates leaks preventing future corrosion and deterioration, and extends the life of existing infrastructure for another 50 years. 

“I am thrilled to see that the  train will be resuming service between Manhattan and Queens via Roosevelt Island,” said State Senator Liz Krueger. “I want to thank the MTA for their thorough and on-time work in providing a brand new, durable, replacement track for this subway line, and look forward to the improvements that my constituents and I will now see as a result.” 

“Today, we are seeing the fruits of capital investments in the MTA that will improve service reliability on the  and  trains for 149,000 riders daily,” said Assembly Member Zohran K. Mamdani. “I look forward to continuing to work with the MTA to ensure that Queens commuters get the money towards the excellent transit system they deserve.” 

"Roosevelt Islanders who rely on the  Train are relieved for the successful completion of the 63 Street Direct Track Fixation project," said Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright. "I commend MTA leadership and crews for keeping this project on schedule and making these critical repairs for the reliability of service and the safety of straphangers."   

“It’s not an April Fools’ joke: fully restored  and  service is back,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “Over the past 7 months, the MTA has made critical improvements to the infrastructure that will allow for faster, more reliable commutes for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. The subway is our city’s lifeblood and we must continue to invest in the system.”