August 02, 2019
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MTA to Transform 42 St Shuttle to Provide Better Service, Fully Accessible Crosstown Transit Connection |
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Redesigned Times Square Terminal, Reconfigured Grand Central Platform to Add 20 Percent Peak-Hour Capacity, Allow Longer Trains; Complete Final Piece of Accessibility at Times Sq-42 St 42 St Shuttle to Continue Operation with Minor Service Changes Through Construction; Work Set to Start August 16 Historical Photos of the 42 St Shuttle are Available Here
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that the 42 St Shuttle, which moves thousands of customers between the subway system’s two busiest stations, will undergo a historic transformation that includes replacing the Times Square Shuttle terminal with a larger and accessible station, reconfiguring platforms at Grand Central, and modernizing 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. Work to modernize the 42 St Shuttle, which is over 100 years old and is part of the original 1904 subway system, is scheduled to run from August 16, 2019, through 2022. The 42 St Shuttle service will continue operating during a multi-phased construction timeline, with only minor service reductions scheduled to minimize customer impact and changes to arrival tracks. Additional information is posted on the project website, new.mta.info/42StShuttle. “Making our system accessible and easier to use for all New Yorkers is essential to modernizing the MTA, and this 42 St Shuttle transformation project is another example of our progress. Instead of simply fixing the most urgent conditions, we’re taking this opportunity to truly transform the 42 St Shuttle,” said MTA Managing Director Veronique Hakim. “The project will allow the MTA to move more people, run longer trains and simplify transfers for customers between the city’s busiest transit hubs. We’re making crossing Midtown Manhattan quicker and easier for millions of customers.” More than 100,000 customers use the 42 St Shuttle daily. During peak hours, approximately 10,00 customers use the Shuttle to travel crosstown between the subway system’s two largest station complexes. Operating at all hours except overnights, the 42 St Shuttle provides access to Metro-North Railroad’s Grand Central Terminal and commuter and intercity bus service at 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal, and serves popular tourist destinations near both stations. It currently operates on tracks and stations built 115 years ago as part of New York City’s first subway line, which ran from City Hall across 42nd Street to Harlem. The track segment along 42nd Street was later repurposed as the existing crosstown 42 St Shuttle. The project will modernize every aspect of the 42 St Shuttle, from the track operations and signaling to accessible platforms and new station entrances, including:
The Shuttle platforms are the last remaining area of the Times Sq-42 St Station complex to be updated for accessibility. Improvements include:
At the 42 St Shuttle’s Grand Central terminal:
Construction will be scheduled in multiple phases to minimize service impacts and customer inconvenience. Throughout the project, some crowding is expected during peak travel times in the morning and afternoon. As the construction moves forward, new service changes will be posted and announced at affected stations and on trains to give customers time to plan ahead. Ahead of the construction start, the MTA conducted public outreach to provide notice to the affected stakeholders, and will continue to provide project updates. Customers are advised to:
Approximately 640,000 customers pass through the Times Sq-42 St station complex and approximately 490,000 customers use the Grand Central-42 St subway complex each weekday, making them the two busiest stations in the subway system. For more information about the 42 St Shuttle accessibility and modernization project and service changes, visit new.mta.info/42StShuttle or follow #42StShuttle or @NYCTSubway on Twitter for updates.
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