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

Special Subway & Bus Notice for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 16

These weekend service changes are part of the MTA Subway Action Plan, station improvements in 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.   

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.

Special Subway & Bus Notice for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 16

With New York City’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade scheduled for Saturday, March 16, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reminds customers that alcohol will be banned from the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.  The LIRR and Metro-North will offer extra trains to help customers get to the parade and subway and bus service changes will be in place for the day.  Customers are urged to buy round-trip tickets in advance at their home stations or via MTA eTix®, the mobile ticketing app that lets you purchase and display train tickets directly on your smartphone or mobile device.  For more information, refer to this prior press release. 

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 16, the following subway and bus changes will be in effect:
To prevent crowding on stairways and platforms, some subway entrances at the 5 Av-59 St  station will be closed.  In addition, select exits and entrances at the 77 St  line station may be designated as entry/exit only, on both the uptown and downtown platforms.

Due to ongoing critical maintenance and reliability improvements this weekend,  trains will not run between Brooklyn & Manhattan.  As an alternative, special weekend  trains will provide additional service into Manhattan and will operate between Metropolitan Av and 47-50 Sts, then via the  line between 47-50 Sts and Lexington Av/63 St, and via the  line between Lexington Av/63 St and 96 St. 

As a reminder some subway lines do not run on weekends: there will be no  or  express service.   trains will not run, and customers are reminded to use the  instead of the . Details about these changes are available on the Weekender app and website.  Customers are advised to use Subway Time for live wait times, or TripPlanner+ to plan their trips.

The following NYC Transit and MTA Bus routes operating in and around the parade route will be affected by reroutes, detours, and frozen zones: M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M31, M50, M55, M57, M66, M72, M79 SBS, M86, SIM1c, SIM3c, SIM4c, SIM33c, X27, X28, BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4, BM5, BxM2, BxM3, BxM4, BxM6, BxM7, BxM8, BxM9, BxM10, BxM11, Q32, QM2, QM4, QM5, QM6, and QM15. Customers using bus routes in the five boroughs can also use MTA Bus Time to track real-time bus positions and gauge arrival times.

At all times until early 2020, trains skip 168 St in both directions due to elevator replacement work.  For alternate service take the AC 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 9:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, downtown trains will run express from 34 St-Penn Station to Chambers St due to track maintenance at 23 St.  As an alternative, use an uptown  or  local train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Chambers St, 14 St, or 34 St-Penn Station. 

From 9:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, uptown trains will run express from Times Sq-42 St to 96 St due to track maintenance at 59 St.  As an alternative, use a downtown  or  local train to complete your trip.  Transfer at 96 St, 72 St, or Times Sq-42 St. 

From 9:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, Manhattan-bound trains will run express from Franklin Av to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr due to track maintenance.  As an alternative, use a Flatbush Av-bound  or New Lots Av-bound  or  local to complete your trip.  Transfer at Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr or Franklin Av.

From 9:45 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15, and from 6 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 16 and Mar. 17, Manhattan-bound trains will run express from Franklin Av to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr due to track maintenance.  As an alternative, use a Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College bound  or New Lots Av-bound  or  local to complete your trip.  Transfer at Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr or Franklin Av.

From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 16 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 16, Woodlawn-bound trains will skip 183 St, Fordham Rd, Kingsbridge Rd, and Bedford Pk Blvd due to track replacement.  As an alternative, use a downtown  to complete your trip.  Transfer at Mosholu Pkwy or Burnside Av.    

From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 16, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, trains will run every 16 minutes between Burnside Av and Woodlawn due to track replacement.  The last stop for some uptown trains will be Burnside Av; these trains will skip 170 St, Mt Eden Av, and 176 St.  Transfer at Burnside Av or 167 St to continue your trip. 

From 11:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, uptown trains will run express from 14 St-Union Sq to Grand Central-42 St due to track maintenance.  As an alternative, use a downtown  local or  to complete your trip.  Transfer at Grand Central-42 St or 14 St-Union Sq. 

From 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 16, and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, trains will run every 20 minutes due to track maintenance. 

From 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, trains will not run between E 180 St and 149 St-Grand Concourse due to track maintenance between 3 Av-149 St and Jackson Av.  Take the  instead.   service will run in two sections: between Eastchester-Dyre Av and E 180 St, and between 149 St-Grand Concourse and Bowling Green, every 20 minutes.  Transfer between  and  trains at E 180 St and/or 149 St-Grand Concourse. 

From 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, Bronx-bound trains will skip 138 St-Grand Concourse due to track maintenance between 3 Av-149 St and Jackson Av. Transfer to the  at 125 St. 

At all times until September 2019, Eastchester-Dyre Av bound trains will 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 make repairs and reconstruct the platforms safely, 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 . 

From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 16 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, 34 St-Hudson Yards bound trains will run express from Mets-Willets Point to Queensboro Plaza due to ongoing signal modernization work on the Flushing Line.  Use a Flushing-bound  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Queensboro Plaza, 61 St-Woodside, Junction Blvd, or Mets-Willets Point.    

From 10:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, Manhattan-bound trains will run express from 36 St to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr due to track replacement.  Use a Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound  local or Bay Ridge-bound  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr or 36 St. 

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 16 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, trains will run local in both directions in Queens due to ongoing signal modernization work on the Queens Boulevard Line.   

From 9:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, trains will run between Jamaica-179 St and Church Av due to track maintenance near Ditmas Av. Free shuttle buses will make all  line station stops between Church Av and Coney Island-Stillwell Av.  Transfer between trains and buses at Church Av.  For direct service between Coney Island-Stillwell Av and downtown Brooklyn/Manhattan, take the  or . 

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 16 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, trains will run local in both directions in Queens due to ongoing signal modernization work on the Queens Boulevard Line. 

At all times until April 1, Church Av-bound trains will skip Flushing Av due to station improvements. Use a Court Sq-bound  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Myrtle-Willoughby Avs or Broadway.

From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 16 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, buses and E trains will replace  trains between Crescent St and Jamaica Center due to station rehabilitation work at 111 St.   trains will run between Broad St and Crescent St.  Free shuttle buses will make all  line station stops between Crescent St and 121 St, and connect with the  at Jamaica-Van Wyck.  Transfer between trains and free shuttle buses at Jamaica-Van Wyck  and/or Crescent St .  For JFK Airport AirTrain, use the Howard Beach  station via transfer at Broadway Junction. 

At all times until summer 2019, trains skip 111 St in both directions due station rehabilitation work.  The elevated 111 St station opened for service in 1917, and its structure has not been replaced since the station was built.  The platform girders at 111 St will be replaced as part of structural improvements at several Jamaica Line stations, that will benefit thousands of customers who rely on the line between Manhattan and Queens, and provide a safe station environment for many more decades to come.  For more details about this critical structural repair project, refer to this prior press release.  As an alternative, use nearby stations at 104 St or 121 St to complete your trip.  Take the Q56 bus to/from 104 St and 121 St  stations; free transfer with MetroCard.  Additional free transfers with MetroCard will be available between Q37, Q56 and the subway at 104 St, 121 St, or Woodhaven Blvd stations.  The Q56 will run with enhanced service between 111 St and 121 St.  For a graphical guide to these alternate travel directions click here.

From approximately 10:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18,  trains will not run between Broadway Junction and 8 Av due to reliability improvements and CBTC testing.   trains will run between Rockaway Pkwy and Broadway Junction.   trains will provide additional service into Manhattan, running between Metropolitan Av and 47-50 Sts via the  line between 47-50 Sts and Lexington Av/63 St, and via the  line between Lexington Av/63 St and 96 St.  Shuttle buses will operate along the following three routes:

• Loop serving Marcy Av , Hewes St , Broadway , Lorimer St, and Bedford Av;
• between Lorimer St and Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs;
• and between Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs and Broadway Junction.  

Transfer at Myrtle Wyckoff Avs , Broadway Junction , Marcy Av , Delancey-Essex Sts /M14A, or 14 St/6 Av  and M14 bus.   

From 10:30 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, special weekend  service will run between Metropolitan Av and 47-50 Sts, and via the  to/from Lexington Av/63 St, and via the  to/from 96 St due to reliability improvements on the  line. 

From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 16 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, free shuttle buses will replace trains between Ditmars Blvd and Queensboro Plaza due to station improvements.   trains will run between Coney Island-Stillwell Av and Queensboro Plaza.  Buses will make all  line station stops between Queensboro Plaza and Ditmars Blvd.  Transfer between trains and buses at Queensboro Plaza.

Beginning 10 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17 until December 2019, trains will 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 prevent strikes by trucks and other over-height vehicles traveling below the station structure.  The Astoria Blvd work began in September 2018 while trains continued service at the station.  The construction has moved forward to a phase requiring the full closure of the station for the next nine months.  

When the 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. 

As an alternative, 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, which serves the 74 St-Roosevelt Av station.

At all times until spring 2019, Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound trains skip Fort Hamilton Pkwy, New Utrecht Av, 18 Av, and 20 Av, due to station rehabilitation work on the Sea Beach Line.  When finished, this will yield a better travel experience for customers, including the installation of elevators at 8 Av and New Utrecht Av stations, providing mobility impaired customers with better accessibility, upgraded communication systems, installation of Help Point intercoms, new stairways and handrails, reconstructed platforms and overpasses, repairs to canopies and columns, and artwork.  For service to these stations, use a Manhattan-bound  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Bay Pkwy or 8 Av.  For New Utrecht Av-62 St, take the  instead.  Transfer between  and  trains at 36 St.  

At all times until July 2019, trains will run local in both directions between 59 St and 36 St in Brooklyn due to structural rehabilitation work to repair and replace steel columns, lighting, ventilators, and deteriorated concrete, and perform water mitigation work to address water seepage in the express tunnel between the 59 St and 36 St stations.   trains will stop at 53 St and 45 St in both directions.

From 11 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 16, uptown trains will skip Prince St, 8 St-NYU, 23 St and 28 St due to station improvements at 14 St-Union Square.  As an alternative, use a downtown  local or  to complete your trip.  Transfer at 34 St-Herald Sq, 14 St-Union Sq, or Canal St.

From 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Mar. 17 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, downtown trains will stop at 28 St, 23 St, 8 St and Prince St due to station improvements at 14 St-Union Square. 

From 9:45 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15, and from 6 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 16, uptown trains will skip Prince St, 8 St-NYU, 23 St and 28 St due to station improvements at 14 St-Union Square As an alternative, use a downtown  or  local to complete your trip.  Transfer at 34 St-Herald Sq, 14 St-Union Sq, or Canal St.

From 10:45 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Mar. 18, Manhattan-bound trains will run express from 36 St to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr due to track replacement and maintenance between 36 St and Altantic Av-Barclays Ctr.  As an alternative, use a Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound  local or Bay Ridge-bound  train to complete your trip.  Transfer at Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr or 36 St. 

Beginning 8:30 p.m. Friday, Mar. 15,  service will end early due to station improvements at 14 St-Union Square.  Take the  or .  As a reminder,  trains do not run on weekends.