Dec. 17, 2014 By Christian Murray
Get ready for the latest round of No. 7 train weekend service cuts.
The MTA released its schedule for the first five months of 2015 and the No. 7 train will be out of service between Times Square and Queensboro Plaza for nine weekends.
In addition, there will be weekend service cuts between Willets Point and Flushing-Main Street on three other weekends.
The first weekend of the Times Square/Queensboro Plaza cuts is scheduled to take place January 17-19, which will be the first of four weekends in a row that it will be down.
The MTA says that the cuts are in order for it to install a new Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signal system; replace elevated tracks; and for the reconstruction and fortification of the Steinway Tubes (which connects Queens to Manhattan).
The MTA, which is a state-run agency, claims that majority of this work has been scheduled over weekends when ridership is lower than normal.
However, Long Island City businesses and cultural groups did not get to weigh in on when those cuts would be and received little notice about the dates.
“The MTA still isn’t engaging the community or responding to the community in a meaningful way,” said Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who has been in talks with the agency. “I am very disappointed.”
Van Bramer said that it was unacceptable that the MTA would close service for several weekends in a row in January and February—during the coldest month of the year.
He said that residents might be a little more forgiving about the closures if they had seen improved No. 7 train service as promised. However, “the truth is that over the past few months No. 7 train regular service has been poor and there have been lots of delays.”
He said that on December 11 the delays were so bad that the overcrowded subway platforms put commuters at risk.
11 Comments
Can Jimmy VB tell us when the supposed deadline for track work is?
Finally. This line has been running without a hitch for as long as i could remember. I was wondering if there would even be any maintenance performed on it. Thankfully, everyone in New York works M-F, 9-5 so no people or businesses will be impacted by this shutdown. Looking forward to the fare hikes, keep up the great work!
I’m glad the MTA is investing time and resources improving our line, even if it’s unpopular in the short term.
Besides, we are so fortunate to have numerous backups: E,M, G to L, 7 to Q/N.
Other neighborhood would kill to have our transportation options.
Are you some kind of a nut? They have been upgrading these same signals since the late 80s. If somebody is not getting kickbacks from this never-ending
job, then they must be true idiots.
This is really ridiculous, all these years of stoppages for so called improvements and the train is more crowded, runs slower, and it’s got to be the bumpiest ride in the MTA. WTF is that extension to the Javits? Why not a less expensive ferry and bus service?
The trains are more crowded because of all the people moving into the area, but let’s keep bringing them in and building more developments!!!!! It could only get better, amirite?
Everyone need to write to state congressmen and look for help before all die in the cold winter waiting for buses!
This article could have been posted last year, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 … you get the picture. I’m still waiting to find out (1) exactly how much more work the MTA needs to do and (2) the date when all of that work is going to be finished. Every other person, department, agency or company I’m aware of has these things called a “project schedule” and a “deadline.” What is so vexing about fixing some tracks or stringing up wires that is so exotic that it takes years and years longer to complete than sending rovers up to Mars?
MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY. This “improvement” project seems like a never-ending ordeal. They say it’ll provide us with improved service, but with no end in sight, and little communication to suggest otherwise, I don’t see how it will ultimately help. Maintenance is one thing, but this is getting ridiculous.
The MTA is Linus van Pelt, and the rest of us chumps are Charlie Brown and Lucy, waiting overnight in the freezing pumpkin patch for the magical moment the Great Pumpkin brings us our goddamn fixed No. 7 train.
The MTA promised to provide documentation at last winter’s community meeting on why direct bus service from LIC to Grand Central would not be quicker and would not provide relief for residents relying on the #7 line. Councilman Van Bramer’s office had the funds to pay for this service. Has anyone seen the documentation? Will the MTA provide portable heaters for freezing residents waiting for the shuttle bus?