FIRST ONLINE

Switch work to complicate 1 train service this summer

Posted

It looks like weekend shutdowns on the Bronx sections of the 1 train have ended, but the work overall is just getting started.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to begin extensive work replacing 30-year-old switches at 96th Street beginning July 19, and continuing through August. The work is expected to create a number of disruptions and detours along the various subway lines that run through that Manhattan station, with some impacting the Bronx lines.

The switch replacement between the northbound express and local tracks along the Seventh Avenue Line will take place in three stages, and is expected to cover six weekends. The first phase will force the 1 train to operate in two sections, while the third phase will shut down service between Harlem and South Ferry.

Beginning late on July 19 and running through early July 22, and continuing again on the weekend of July 26, 1 trains will split service between Van Cortlandt Park-242nd Street and 137th Street, and then between Harlem-148th Street and South Ferry, skipping 145th Street.

Although 2 trains will run normally during that time, 3 trains will be suspended, with all stops in Harlem served by the 1, and Brooklyn stops handled by the 2 or 4 trains.

Free shuttle buses will run between 137th Street-Broadway and 96th Street, stopping at 137th, 125th, 116th, 110th, 103rd and 96th streets. A second bus will run between 148th Street-Lenox Avenue off the 3 train, and 135th Street-Lenox, with a stop at 145th.

The second phase starts the weekend of Aug. 2, and continues through the weekend of Aug. 9. During that time, 1 trains will run normally, while 2 trains will operate between 96th Street and Flatbush Avenue, making local stops between 96th and 72nd streets. The 3 train, however, will be suspended.

To make up for the 2 and 3 trains, 4 trains will be extended to New Lots Avenue while the 5 will operate between Wakefield-241st Street and Bowling Green. Shuttle service on the 5 train line will operate between Eastchester-Dyre Avenue and East 180th Street all weekend, while northbound riders headed to stops north of East 180th Street will need to transfer to an Eastchester-Dyre Avenue-bound 5 train at East 180th.

Free shuttle buses will be available along the affected routes.

The third phase of work begins the weekend of Aug. 16 and continues through the weekend of Aug. 23. The 1 train will continue those weekends between Van Cortlandt Park-242nd Street and 137th Street, but there will be no 1 trains from that southern point to South Ferry. The 2 train will operate between Wakefield-241st Street and Flatbush Avenue via the Lexington Avenue express, and 3 trains will be suspended.

There will be no 2 or 3 trains at regular Manhattan stations, and in Brooklyn at Clark Street, Borough Hall, and Hoyt Street.

A number of shuttle buses will run during that time, as well as extra service on the regular Manhattan bus lines. The shuttle accommodating the 1 train will run between 137th Street and 110th Street, taking riders to the C and M trains. The buses will make stops at 125th, 116th and 110th streets.

The current switches at 96th Street were installed in 1990 and are nearing the end of their useful life, the MTA said, in a release. Workers will use the service outages to complete additional work as well — including at numerous stations along the 1, 2 and 3 lines — like new track installation, existing track and track bed repairs, drain cleaning and signal fixing.

MTA, 1 train, Metropolitan Transportation Authority,

Comments