New Permanent Livonia-Junius Connector to be Completed in 2020-24 Capital Plan

MTA New York City Transit today announced the extension of a free transfer for customers who travel between the L at Livonia Av and the 3 at Junius St in the Brownsville/East New York neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

Customers have been using the free MetroCard-activated transfer over the past nine months during the ongoing construction on the L line. MTA officials announced that the transfer will continue until a permanent connector is complete -- linking the two elevated stations, which are less than 1,000 feet apart, under a single facility. Customers will have two hours to make the MetroCard activation for the free transfer between the two stations.

“As we continue to work on a connector, we are happy to continue free transfers to link customers between the Livonia Av and Junius St stations,” said New York City Transit Senior Vice President of Subways Sally Librera. “This is a well-used transfer point between two key lines serving the heart of Brooklyn, and as we construct a permanent path between them,  we want people to be able to move between them without having to pay twice.”

“When you’re struggling to make ends meet, every dollar counts. Yet the the residents of Brownsville and East New York, many of whom have low incomes, have had to pay more for their daily commute than others just because of the way the subway lines were set up. A free transfer between the Livonia and Junius Stations will make a huge difference in their daily lives,” said State Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie.

“The residents of Brownsville and East New York rely on transportation on the L and 3 lines every day, so a free transfer between the Livonia and Junius stations makes a huge difference in their daily lives,” said State Senator Roxanne Persaud. “We thank the MTA for realizing the importance of this issue and for the work they are doing towards permanently connecting the two stations and improving their accessibility.”

"Many residents in the Brownsville and East New York communities rely on the 3 train and L train lines as their primary mode of transportation. For years my constituents have suffered paying two fares for stations directly across the street from each other. A free transfer between Livonia and Junius stations will make a huge difference in their daily lives,” said Assembly Member Latrice Walker. “I thank the MTA for finally addressing this hardship. I will continue to advocate for an MTA that is accessible, affordable, and reliable. The next step is for these two train stations to become elevator accessible, providing access for our most vulnerable communities."

"The L and 3 Lines are integral parts of daily commutes for many Brooklynites,” said Councilmember Alicka Ampry-Samuel. "The free transfers have made a difference for New Yorkers, but a permanent connector and the MTA's commitment to accessibility in this project are significant steps forward to improving mass transit for our communities."

“We are delighted that this important free transfer is being extended, and the permanent enclosed transfer is coming in the next capital program. This transfer gives Brooklyn riders many options for completing their trips, and is one of the last places in the system where lines cross but there hasn't been a connection. Now, there will be,” said Andrew Albert, Chair of the NYC Transit Riders Council and MTA Board Member.

The MTA allocated $38.4M in the 2020-24 Capital Plan for the project and has spent $400K as part of the 2015-19 Capital Plan for pre-design activities related to implementation of the permanent walkway. The project will be designed and awarded in combination with a companion ADA accessibility project at the Junius St Station that will include new ramps and elevators.

The ADA accessibility project at the Livonia Av station was included in the 2015-2019 Capital Plan and is expected to be awarded later this month with construction to begin in the first quarter of 2020. That project is one of many that will progress as MTA Construction & Development anticipates committing more than 90% of funds from past capital programs by the end of this calendar year.

“Making the Livonia Av station accessible is part of our aggressive construction calendar for the coming year,” said MTA Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber. “We have made station accessibility a priority in our capital program and we are determined to build these projects faster and cheaper so we can do more of them, and get them open sooner.”

For more information about MTA Capital Programs, click here