MTA New York City Transit is performing critically important switch replacement work at the 96 Street Interlocking in Manhattan starting this month and robust alternate service plans will help customers get around the system while that work takes place. Beginning late in the evening of July 19, New York City Transit will deploy a network of alternate subway service on weekends and free bus shuttle service where there is no subway service in order to help connect customers impacted by the reroutes and service outages, which begin next weekend and are expected to culminate before the end of next month. That alternate service will include the extension of  trains to accommodate regular  train customers,  enhanced service on local bus lines, and extended  train service up the West Side during the work’s final two weekends. Ultimately, the work will help improve long term service reliability and was chosen for completion during weekends in late July and August in order to impact the smallest amount of customers possible.

 

The project will take place in phases, ultimately leading to the installation of entirely new switches between the northbound express and local tracks at the 96 Street Interlocking on the Seventh Avenue Line . The current switches were installed in 1990 and are nearing the end of their useful life. Workers will use the service outages to complete additional work as well in August up throughout numerous stations up and down the  line, including installing new track, repairing existing track and track beds, cleaning drains, and fixing signals.

 

New York City Transit personnel began deploying signage and informing the public earlier this month.

 

The first phase of the work will begin late in the evening on July 19, with more extensive closures taking place during the same times beginning late in the evening on the weekends of August 16 and August 23, the latter of which marks the final weekend for the work. 

 

SERVICE CHANGES:

The majority of the work will take place over the course of six weekends beginning late in the evening on July 19. The first four weekends will feature significant service impacts along the , , and  lines in preparation of the full switch replacement, which will take place during the final two weekends of the work and require closure of a large part of the line. The project will also require some work on late nights on weeknights — check the project microsite at https://new.mta.info/planned-service-changes/96stswitches for the latest schedule. A complete list of weekend service changes and service alternatives is included at the bottom of this release.

 

PHASE 1:

Beginning late on the evening of July 19 and beginning late in the evening of July 26,  trains operate in two sections (South Ferry to 148 St on the ; 242 St to 137 St),  trains operate normally, and  trains will not run.

 

PHASE 2:

Beginning late on the evening of August 2 and beginning late in the evening of August 9,  trains operate normally,  trains will run between Flatbush Av and 96 St, and  trains will not run.

 

PHASE 3:

Beginning late on the evening of August 16-19 and beginning late in the evening of August 26-29, there will be a full suspension of service at  stations between Harlem and Downtown Brooklyn.

 

ROBUST WEEKEND SERVICE ALTERNATIVES PLANNED DURING THE WORK:

A robust shuttle bus network will help connect customers impacted by these reroutes and outages. Each weekend, customers will be able to take advantage of free bus service, which will run frequently and connected those subway stations impacted by the station closures. Extended  service into Brooklyn represents another option for impacted customers during all six weekends. Riders may also ride  trains up the west side of Manhattan to 145 St. in Harlem during the final two weekends of the work.

 

Weekend Service Change Schedule

Phase 1: Beginning late on the evening of July 19-22 and beginning late on the evening of July 26-29
Local track out of service

•  operates in two sections:
• Between Van Cortlandt Park-242 St and 137 St
• Between Harlem 148 St and South Ferry, skipping 145 St
•  operates normally between Wakefield-241 St and Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College
•  suspended; all stops in Harlem served by the  (note that Brooklyn stops are served by  or  train)

Additional weekend service
Subway

•  extended to New Lots Av all weekend to replace 

Free shuttle buses

• Bus #1 operates between 137 St-Broadway  and 96 St , stopping at 137, 125, 116, 110, 103, and 96 Sts
• Bus #2 operates between 148 St-Lenox Av  and 135 St-Lenox Av , also stopping at 145 St 

Phase 2: Late on the evening of August 2-5 and late on the evening of August 9-12
Express track out of service

•  operates normally between Van Cortlandt Park-242 St and South Ferry
•  operates between 96 St and Flatbush Av, making local stops between 96 St and 72 St
•  suspended

Additional weekend service
Subway

•  extended to New Lots Av all weekend to replace 
•  operates between Wakefield-241 St and Bowling Green all weekend, including overnights, replacing the  between 241 St and E 180 St
•  shuttle service operates between Eastchester-Dyre Av and E 180 St all weekend; northbound customers headed to stops north of E 180 St will need to transfer to an Eastchester-Dyre Av-bound  at E 180 St
• S 42 St Shuttle operates between Grand Central and Times Square all weekend, including overnights

Free shuttle buses

• Bus #1 operates between 149 St-Grand Concourse  and 96 St, stopping at 149 St-Grand Concourse , 135 St , 125 St , 116 St , 110 St , and 96 St 
• Bus #2 operates express between 149 St-Grand Concourse  and 96 St  making no other stops
• Bus #3 operates between Harlem 148 St  and 96 St , stopping at 148 St , 145 St , 135 St , 125 St , 116 St , 110 St , and 96 St 

 

Phase 3: Late on the evening of August 16-19 and late on the evening of August 23-26
Local and express tracks out of service

•  operates between Van Cortlandt Park-242 St and 137 St
• No  service between 137 St and South Ferry
•  operates between Wakefield-241 St and Flatbush Av via Lexington Avenue express
•  suspended

• No  service at regular Manhattan stations and in Brooklyn at Clark St, Borough Hall, and Hoyt St

 

Additional weekend service
Subway

•  extended to New Lots Av all weekend to replace 
•  operates between Eastchester-Dyre Av and E 180 St all weekend
•  42 St Shuttle operates between Grand Central and Times Square all weekend, including overnight
•  operates on local track at night between 145 St and 59 St-Columbus Circle
•  rerouted to 145 St via Central Park West local track on Saturday and Sunday, supplementing the  on the west side of Manhattan 

Free weekend shuttle buses

• Bus #1 operates between 137 St  and 110 St () making stops at 125 St , 116 St , 110 St , and 110 St ()
• Bus #2 operates between 149 St-Grand Concourse  and 110 () making stops at: 145 St , 135 St , 125 St , 116 St , 110 St , and 110 St ()
• Bus #3 operates between Harlem 148 St  and 110 St (), making stops at 145 St , 135 St , 125 St , 116 St , 110 St , and 110 St ()

We're also running extra service on the M104, M5, and M7 to help accommodate you while we complete this important work.