Beginning Monday, Nov. 27, extensive maintenance, cleaning and repair work to advance the MTA Subway Action Plan will be performed as New York City Transit’s FASTRACK program returns to stations along the  lines in Manhattan and Brooklyn, between 34 St-Penn Station and South Ferry/Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College.  The work will be performed for four consecutive weeknights, on Nov. 27 – Dec. 1, from 9:30 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., in order to minimize impact on customers and allow maximum efficiency with workers receiving unfettered access to tracks.

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.

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.”

During the most recent FASTRACK work on the  lines in Manhattan, NYC Transit track workers replaced various track components that were past their useful life, corrected various defects, and scraped and cleaned the roadbed including areas under and around the third rail, removing accumulated debris.  Infrastructure crews completed maintenance and repair tasks, including leak repair and track cleaning to remove accumulated silt and other debris from drains and pump plants.  At stations, workers performed station cleaning and repair tasks such as the removal of litter and scrap debris, repairs to station safety features and lighting, concrete and platform repairs, and painting.  Workers also performed maintenance of electronic equipment, including CCTV cameras and monitors.  Signal crews tested and serviced signal and switch equipment.

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.  Customers were first notified of alternative transportation options last week via electronic alerts, and detailed announcements and posters on trains and in stations.

During this FASTRACK  trains will not run between 34 St-Penn Station and South Ferry/Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College.  For service between 34 St-Penn Station and South Ferry/Brooklyn, take the .  For service to/from Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College, take the .  Trains will operate as follows:

•  service operates between 242 St and 34 St-Penn Station.
•  service operates between the Dyre Av 5station and 34 St-Penn Station.
•  service is suspended.
•  trains provide alternate service in Brooklyn.
•  service operates between Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College and the 241 St .
• Free shuttle buses operate between the 148 St and 135 St  line stations.

Our next FASTRACK overnight closure will be on the  lines Manhattan stations for one from December 11-15.  During this FASTRACK closure,  trains will run in Queens and Brooklyn only,  trains will run in Brooklyn and are rerouted via the 6 Av  lines in Manhattan, and  service will end early in Manhattan and Queens each night.