MTA New York City Transit’s FASTRACK program returns with the first FASTRACK of the year on the  lines between Midtown Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. 

Beginning Monday, Jan. 15, an extensive amount of maintenance, cleaning and repair work to advance the MTA Subway Action Plan will be performed as New York City Transit’s FASTRACK program comes to stations along the  lines between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Jay St-MetroTech, for two consecutive weeks.  In order to minimize impact on customers and allow maximum efficiency with workers receiving unfettered access to tracks, this work will be performed for four consecutive weeknights, from 9:30 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., on Jan. 15-19 and again on Jan. 22-26. 

The MTA Subway Action Plan is a comprehensive plan to stabilize and modernize the subway system by attacking the key drivers of 79 percent of delay-causing major incidents, strategically targeting additional personnel and equipment to focus on critical parts of the system.  Track and signal components are maintained and repaired, and massive amounts of debris are removed to reduce delay-causing track fires.  The Subway Action Plan also focuses on improving communications to help customers plan their trips.

FASTRACK was introduced in January 2012, devoting four straight weeknights to maintenance work in tunnels, stations and on tracks by suspending service within a given line segment for a seven-hour period between  10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.  During each seven-hour period, an army of maintenance workers will take advantage of train-free access to the tracks to perform dozens of tasks that are vital to providing safe and reliable train service.  These tasks include the repair and replacement of track, third rail, electrical and signal components, debris removal from tracks and under or around the third rail, and the repair of tunnel infrastructure.  Improvements to stations include painting, platform work, and repairs to signage, lighting fixtures and ADA components.

"The unfettered track access of FASTRACK enables us to advance Subway Action Plan goals and minimize customer impact by allowing workers to do more in less time,” MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said.  “We are on an urgent path to stabilizing and modernizing the subway system and intensive overnight work will help us get there.”

FASTRACK schedules have been designed around the careful determination that there is adequate alternate means of transportation, including enhanced services along some bus lines, during work periods.  Alternative transportation options will be detailed in announcements and posters on trains, in stations and on buses.    

During this FASTRACK operation,  service will be suspended in both directions between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Jay St-MetroTech.   trains will be run via the 6 Av  line, and  service will end early each weeknight.  Trains will operate as follows:

•  trains will stop at  line stations between 59 St-Columbus Circle and 34 St-Herald, and  line station stops between 34 St-Herald Sq and Jay St-MetroTech in Brooklyn.
• When  service ends early,  trains will run local.
•  trains will make  line station stops between 5 Av-53 St and B’way-Lafayette St, then run via the  line to/from 2 Av, the last stop.
• Use nearby  stations on the 7 Av line, or nearby  stations on the Broadway line.
• More information on this FASTRACK can be found on the web at http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/subwayActionPlan/Subwayplans_ace.htm

 The most up-to-date information on MTA service status is always available at http://www.mta.info.  For immediate notice of service changes, sign up for email or text alerts at www.mymtaalerts.com, or use Trip Planner+ to plan your trip accordingly.