Service Changes are Part of Subway Action Plan, Station Repairs and Other Ongoing Maintenance, and Upgrade Work for Improvements on Multiple Lines

These weekend service changes are part of the MTA Subway Action Plan, station improvements in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, and ongoing maintenance, repair and upgrade work throughout the MTA New York City Transit subway system to maintain and upgrade track, signal, station and other infrastructure in order to provide customers with safe and reliable service.  More information on the 2015-2019 MTA Capital Program is available here.

This weekend, work crews will be dispersed throughout the entire subway system to perform a variety of critical tasks in the areas of track replacement and maintenance, signal modernization, station enhancements, electrical upgrades and communication improvements.  All this work is aligned with the MTA Subway Action Plan, a comprehensive plan to stabilize and modernize the subway system by attacking the key drivers of 79 percent of delay-causing major incidents and strategically targeting additional personnel and equipment to focus on critical parts of the system. 
 
As part of a multi-phased switch replacement project to maintain the reliability and safety of the track switches north of the 96 St station, local and express service on  lines will be suspended on Seventh Avenue. A video explaining this essential work and the service changes this weekend is available here. Additional service on the  and 42 St  Shuttle will be added to accommodate customers to/from the Upper West Side of Manhattan. See the  entries for more details on alternate service.

Through summer 2020, the MTA is rehabilitating the  tunnel using an improved construction plan that maintains regular weekday and peak hour service for 90 percent of  customers, as weekday and peak hour service are unchanged.  The project minimizes construction-related disruption to riders and communities near the work sites while yielding cost savings due to the revised work plan. Click here for more information. 

For a simple, graphical guide that makes it easy to visualize how this weekend maintenance, upgrade and repair work will affect subway service – and what alternative travel options are recommended – consult The Weekender at web.mta.info/weekender.html.  The Weekender is accessible through the MTA website by clicking the “Weekender” tab within the Service Status Menu, and is also available as a free app for iPhone and Android devices.

TripPlanner+ is an online tool that provides customized travel guidance based on available service and takes weekend service diversions into account.  In addition, customers can receive customized subway status emails or texts by signing up at www.MyMTAalerts.com.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, trains will not run between South Ferry and 137 St due to essential work to replace switches and tracks at 96 St.   trains will run between 137 St and Van Cortlandt Park-242 St.  Free shuttle buses will run between 137 St and 110 St , and connect with  trains at Cathedral Pkwy (110 St)  station.  Use  or  to/from nearby  line stations.  For more information about this critically important switch replacement work, refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.

Through early 2020, trains skip 168 St in both directions due to elevator replacement work.  For alternate service take the  at/to this station.  Transfer between  and  trains at 59 St-Columbus Circle.  A free out-of-system transfer with a MetroCard is available between the 207 St or 215 St  and 207 St .  Take the M5 to/from 157 St .  Late nights, the M5 will run between 168 St and 157 St.  This work is part of a major elevator replacement project at five separate “deep” stations in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan.  The  line part of the 168 St station is 112 years old.  Some of the oldest components in these elevators and the accompanying machine rooms are more than 90 years old.  When completed, the elevator doors at 168 St  will open at both the front and rear sides at the lower mezzanine level.  The rear passageway behind the elevators at the lower mezzanine level will be reopened in order to improve customer flow.  For a graphical guide to these alternate travel directions click here. 

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, trains will be rerouted via the  line between Nevins St and 149 St-Grand Concourse due to essential work to replace switches and tracks at 96 St.   service will not run on Seventh Avenue.  Free shuttle buses will run between 137 St and 110 St , and connect with  trains at Cathedral Pkwy (110 St)  station.  Use   or  to/from nearby  line stations.  For more information about this critically important switch replacement work, refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.

Through September 2019, Manhattan-bound trains skip Sterling St due to station rehabilitation work.  For service to Sterling St, take a  train to President St and transfer to a Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College-bound .  Or, use nearby Winthrop St or President St stations instead.  From this station, take a  train to Winthrop St and transfer to a Manhattan-bound .   

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26,  service is suspended due to essential work to replace switches and tracks at 96 St.   service will not run on Seventh Avenue.  Free shuttle buses will run between Harlem-148 St and Central Park N. (110 St), and connect with  trains at Cathedral Pkwy.   trains will run to/from New Lots Av all weekend.  Use   or  to/from nearby  line stations in Manhattan.  For more information about this critically important switch replacement work, refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26,  service will run to/from New Lots Av to provide alternate service due to essential work to replace switches and tracks at 96 St.   trains will make all  line station stops between Nevins St and New Lots Av.  For more information about this critically important switch replacement work, refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.

From 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25,  trains will replace  trains between Bowling Green and E 180 St due to essential work to replace switches and tracks at 96 St.   trains will run between Eastchester-Dyre Av and E 180 St all weekend.   trains will run between Wakefield-241 St and 149 St-Grand Concourse, and will be rerouted via the  line to Brooklyn.  Transfer between  and  trains at E 180 St.  For more information about this critically important switch replacement work, refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.

Through September 2019, Eastchester-Dyre Av bound trains skip Gun Hill Rd due to station rehabilitation work.  When finished, this will yield a better travel experience for customers, including the installation of a mezzanine to platform elevator, providing mobility impaired customers with better accessibility.  Rehabilitation work will consist of the expansion and reconfiguration of the control house, a new booth, a larger unpaid area, new ADA signage and cameras throughout the station, new station entrance and retail configuration, reconstructed platforms, new ADA boarding areas and tactile platform warning strips, new ADA hand railings along the platform staircases and modifications to the platform canopies to accommodate the new elevator shafts.

In order to accomplish the repair and reconstruction of the platforms within a safe environment, the northbound side of this station will be closed for approximately six months.  For service to this station, take the  to Baychester Av and transfer to a Manhattan-bound .  For service from this station, take the  to Pelham Pkwy and transfer to an Eastchester-Dyre Av bound . 

Through September 2019, Manhattan-bound trains skip Sterling St due to station rehabilitation work.  For service to Sterling St, take a  train to President St and transfer to a Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College-bound .  Or, use nearby Winthrop St or President St stations instead.  From this station, take a  train to Winthrop St and transfer to a Manhattan-bound .   

From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer, the Rockaway Park/Beach 116 St S shuttle service will be extended to Rockaway Blvd to facilitate beach traffic to the peninsula.  Customers can take any  train to connect with the shuttle at Rockaway Blvd.  This seasonal service will also be available on Labor Day.  For more information on how to take MTA services to the beach, refer to this prior press release.

From 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, Queens-bound trains will skip Liberty Av, Van Siclen Av, and Shepherd Av due to track maintenance, including drain cleaning between Liberty Av and Shepherd Av.  As an alternative, us a Manhattan-bound  local or  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Euclid Av or Broadway Junction.  As a reminder,  trains do not run during late nights. 

Beginning 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, service will end early due to track maintenance near 57 St.  Take  and/or  trains instead.  As a reminder,  trains do not run on weekends.

From 9:45 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, and from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 24 and Aug. 25, Euclid Av-bound trains will skip Liberty Av, Van Siclen Av, and Shepherd Av due to track maintenance including drain cleaning between Liberty Av and Shepherd Av.  As an alternative, us a Manhattan-bound  local or  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Euclid Av or Broadway Junction.   

From 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., Friday to Monday, Aug. 23 to Aug. 26, trains will run local in both directions between 59 St-Columbus Circle and 145 St to provide additional service on the Upper West Side of Manhattan during essential switch replacement near 96 St.  For more information about this critically important switch replacement work, refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.

From 9:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, Manhattan-bound trains will skip 65 St, Northern Blvd, 46 St, Steinway St, and 36 St due to track and switch maintenance near 36 St.  As an alternative, use a Jamaica Canter-bound  local or Forest Hills-71 Av  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Queens Plaza, or Roosevelt Av.  As a reminder,  trains do not run in Queens during the late night.

From 9:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound trains will be rerouted via the  line after 36 St to 47-50 Sts due to track maintenance including switch work near 36 St.  As an alternative, use a Jamaica-bound  train to complete your trip via transfer at 47-50 Sts or Roosevelt Av.  To Lexington Av/63 St, transfer to the Jamaica-179 St bound  at 47-50 Sts.  From Lexington Av/63 St, take the  via transfer at 34 St-Herald Sq.

From 10:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, Manhattan-bound trains will skip 169 St due to track and switch maintenance.  As an alternative, use a Jamaica-179 St bound  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Parsons Blvd or Jamaica-179 St. 

From 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, to 10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, free shuttle buses and  trains will replace  trains between Broadway Junction and Jamaica Center due to track replacement and panel installation near Crescent St.   service will run between Broad St and Broadway Junction.  Free shuttle buses will make all  line station stops between Broadway Junction and 121 St, and connect with the  at Jamaica-Van Wyck.  Transfer between trains and free shuttle buses at Jamaica-Van Wyck  and/or Broadway Junction .  For JFK AirTrain, use Howard Beach-JFK  station via transfer at Broadway Junction. 

Through summer 2020,  trains will run every 20 minutes between Brooklyn and Manhattan, in both directions on weekends and weeknights.  Within Brooklyn,  trains run every 10 minutes in both directions on weekends from 6 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.  NYC Transit encourages customers to take advantage of extensive and robust options in its alternative service plan for quicker travel or to avoid crowds.  A dedicated website on the  Project is available with trip planning tools, information on the project and travel guides for  stations from 8 Av to Lorimer St. Customers are also encouraged to sign up for a weekly email newsletter on the  Project to get progress updates and reach Transit staff with feedback or questions.  For more information, visit https://new.mta.info/l-project.  

The alternate service options include: 

• Enhanced subway service on  and  lines on weeknights and weekends, including extended 
• Enhanced bus service on 14th Street, including additional weeknight and weekend M14A bus service to Delancey/Essex St for links to 
• The Williamsburg Link bus route, B91A, connects with the Bedford Av and Marcy Av subway stations.
• Free subway transfers to make connections easier between Livonia St  and Junius St , and from Broadway  to Hewes St  or Lorimer St .

Through summer 2020, service ends at approximately 10 p.m. between Forest Hills-71 Av and 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr due to ongoing signal modernization work along the Queens Boulevard corridor.  For Queens, take the .  For Court Sq-23 St, Lexington Av-53 St, and 5 Av/53 St, take the .  Transfer at 34 St-Herald Sq  or W 4 St .

To provide additional service on the Upper West Side of Manhattan during essential switch replacement near 96 St, from 10 p.m. Friday to 1:30 a.m. Saturday, and from 7 a.m. Saturday to 1:30 a.m. Monday, special weekend  service will run between Metropolitan Av and 47-50 Sts, via the  to/from 59 St-Columbus Circle, and via the  to/from 145 St.  For stations on the Second Avenue line, transfer to/from the  at 34 St-Herald Sq. 

Through December 2019, trains skip Astoria Blvd in both directions due to station renewal work to add four new elevators and other accessibility features, as well as demolish and rebuild the station mezzanine with more vertical clearance to over-height vehicles traveling below the station structure.  When this project is completed in late 2020, the Astoria Blvd station will have two street-to-mezzanine elevators, two mezzanine-to-platform elevators, a new station mezzanine, repaired or replaced structural columns and foundations, repaired concrete platform surfaces, new street and platform stairs, new platform stair enclosures, and new platform canopies and mezzanine overpass walkway canopies.  Lights, signs and gates will also be replaced.  The new station structure will be reinforced to support the weight of the new elevators and facilities.  For more details about this critical structural repair project, refer to this prior press release.  For information on improvement projects on the Astoria Line, refer to this prior press release.   

As an alternative, use nearby stations use nearby stations at 30 Av or Ditmars Blvd.  Take  to Queensboro Plaza, then  to 74 St-Roosevelt Av, or take the  to 74 St-Roosevelt Av.  As a reminder,  trains operate days/evenings only, and  trains do not run overnight or on the weekend.  M60 SBS customers are advised to use the LaGuardia Link Q70 SBS instead.  The LaGuardia Link Q70 SBS serves the 74 St-Roosevelt Av station.

From 9:45 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, and from 6 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., Saturday, and Sunday, Aug. 24 and Aug. 25, Manhattan-bound trains will skip 65 St, Northern Blvd, 46 St, Steinway St, and 36 St due to track and switch maintenance near 36 St. As an alternative, use a Jamaica Canter-bound  local or Forest Hills-71 Av  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Queens Plaza, or Roosevelt Av. 

 42 St Shuttle

Through 2022, shuttles will run less frequently, and some tracks will be periodically taken out of service due to rehabilitation work including a historic transformation of the entire Shuttle service, including the replacement of the Times Square Shuttle terminal with a larger and accessible station, reconfiguration of platforms at Grand Central, and modernization of shuttle train operations.  The project will result in a 42 St Shuttle that is fully accessible, has more capacity and is easier for customers to use.

As an alternative, take the  between Grand Central-42 St and Times Sq-42 St.  Customers at Times Sq-42 St who usually take the Shuttle to the  can take the  to 14 St-Union Sq or  to Lexington Av-59 St instead.  For more information regarding this project refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.  

 42 St Shuttle

From 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday to Monday, Aug. 24 to Aug. 26, the 42 St Shuttle will run overnight to provide alternate service due to essential work to replace switches and tracks at 96 St.  For more information about this critically important switch replacement work, refer to this prior press release or visit this webpage on the work.

Beginning 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, service will end early due to signal equipment installation near DeKalb Ave.  Take the  or .  As a reminder,  trains do not run on weekends.