Beginning Monday, Apr. 30, an extensive amount of maintenance, cleaning and repair work to advance the MTA Subway Action Plan will be performed along segments of the  lines, when MTA New York City Transit’s FASTRACK program returns to stations between Upper Manhattan and the Bronx for three weeks. 

In order to minimize impact on customers and give workers unfettered access to tracks, this work will be performed for four consecutive weeknights from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Apr. 30-May 4, May 14-18, and again on May 21-25.  During those periods,  trains will not run in both directions between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Inwood-207 St.   trains will not run in both directions between 59 St-Columbus Circle and 161 St-Yankee Stadium.   and  service will end early each night.   and  trains, and Bx12, Bx19, and free shuttle buses will provide alternate service.  Special overnight service on the 42 St  shuttle will help customers reach alternatives as well.

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 p.m. and 5 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 service along some bus lines, during work periods.  Alternative transportation options are detailed in announcements and posters on trains, in stations and on buses, as well as on www.mta.info and on social media.

During this FASTRACK operation,  service will operate between Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd or Far Rockaway and 59 St-Columbus Circle, making local stops.   service will operate in two sections: between Norwood-205 St and 161 St-Yankee Stadium and between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue.  As an alternative, customers should use the  or  trains, or Bx12, Bx19, or free shuttle buses for connecting service.

Free shuttle bus service will operate in the following three sections:

• Between 110 St  station and 168 St  station, making stops at the 110, 116, 125, 135, 145 and 155 St  stations. This connects with the  at 135 St and the  at 157 St.
• Between the 168 St  station and 190 St, operating along the M4 bus route making nearby station stops at the 181 St and 175 St  stations.
• Between the Dyckman St  station and the Dyckman St  station. 

For service between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Washington Heights/Inwood through the Upper West Side, use  trains and/or free shuttle buses.   line customers going to or from the Bronx should take the  train, via transfer at 161 St-Yankee Stadium or Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr.  The Bx19 bus operates between the 145 St  station, the 145 St  station, and the 149 St-Grand Concourse  station.  The Bx12 bus operates between the 207 St  station and the 207 St  station.  The 42 St  Shuttle will operate overnight between Times Sq-42 St and Grand Central-42 St in order to help customers reach alternative routes during this work.

For a simple map illustrating these alternatives, visit http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/fastrack_ABCD.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.