NY MTA Canarsie Tunnel to be shut down

[daveklepper]

Hello. There are a lot more of you reading this than last week. Maybe it's because Pat Kiernan said this newsletter is "informative"? Or maybe it's because of last week's news? Either way, if you're not caught up, please do read last week's newsletter first. On to this week. As we continue our work on the recommendations announced on Thursday, January 3, some aspects of the project will change, but many (if not most) won't. More on that below, including the latest on one of those many continuing project elements—the expansion at Marcy Av Station. Have a great weekend.

What is actually changing from the original L Project?

The major headline is that the new approach would allow for two-way service to continue on the L during the tunnel repairs. But the L Project is about more than the tunnel.  You can think of the L Project in three parts: Tunnel rehabilitation work Capacity and accessibility improvements Additional capital projects related to the L The announcement was focused on #1—the tunnel rehabilitation. The recommendation would be a change to how we execute the repairs. With safety as our top priority, we are reviewing the details and considering changes to our plan, including how the new approach will impact the other concurrent projects. We will share more information in the coming weeks. In the meantime, click the button below for the latest.

Learn more

What isn't changing about the L Project? Short answer: a lot. To start: Reopened stairs (two stations are already completed—see photo on the left) New stairs and turnstiles at various stations Three new accessible L train platforms And much more! For the full list of things that aren't changing, click the button below.

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What's new: Marcy Av Station stairs are progressing Fun fact: the average number of people using the Marcy Av Station on weekdays has more than doubled between 2003 (6,041) and today (13,969). So L Project aside, we had some work to do. We already added a new turnstile, are working to expand part of the platform, and we're getting closer to completing the stairs. Here's the latest: By mid-February: North side/Manhattan-bound stair near Havemeyer will reopen with double the width By mid-March: South side/Brooklyn-bound stair new Havemeyer will reopen with double the width We're doing similar capacity improvements at the Broadway Junction Station. Read next week's edition for details.

L Project resources We're also continuing our longstanding commitment to public outreach (yes, this includes MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford making it to a few community board meetings this week) and working to update information like our website. In the meantime, we've developed these resources:

Website: Get the latest on the L Project Contact us: Share your input Service change round-up: Review January service changes on the L Get your friends, family and neighbors up-to-speed: Share this link to subscribe to the newsletter

Service update: Overnight inspection next week As we're doing our due diligence to ensure the safety and longevity of the project, we will be doing an inspection that will impact parts of the L line during the overnights next week.  Jan 14 – Jan 18 Approx. 11:30 PM to 5 AM, Mon to Fri (for example, Mon late night into Tue morning)  All stations will be open, just with less frequent trains For more details on the work we're doing, and recommendations on how to get around, click the button below.

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Customer Question of the Week Q: How come under the "old" plan there was no consideration given to using the one tube nightly and weekend service? - H. Pollock A: The new recommendation and approach includes a method of racking the cables, in concert with other advanced techniques such as fiber-reinforced polymer and laser-based monitoring. This approach would mean we wouldn't have to fully remove the old bench wall, which was the most time-consuming part of the process and the reason it wasn't previously possible to just do the job with night and weekend closures.

We actually had looked at this racking option in the initial planning process and did not go with it, because this is typically used in new tunnels instead of existing ones with rehabilitation work. What had not been considered was all of the various new techniques working together. So as we're doing our due diligence, we're looking at this and all other elements of the plan with a focus on safety, longevity, operations and customer experience. From there, a new alternate service plan will be created. More details to come. Have a question? Submit it here.

[daveklepper]

Hello. Happy Saturday. But let's talk about this past week! On Thursday, the Governor invited the deans of the engineering schools from Columbia University and Cornell University to present a recommendation for part of the L Project. This included a revised approach that would allow for two-way, continuous service on the L during the tunnel repairs—a huge win for many of our customers and local communities. As we dig into the details (pun intended), we are working on a revised plan, with safety as the top priority. You're already signed up for this newsletter, so you're one step ahead on knowing what's coming next. Please encourage your friends, family and neighbors to do the same. We know this is a major change from what you're familiar with, and we'll keep you updated on developments and details, including what won't change. Many elements of the plan, informed by all of those late night community board meetings, town halls and even a bus tour, are continuing: station capacity, stairway work and ADA accessibility improvements, to name a few. What also won't change at New York City Transit is our commitment to keeping you informed of what you need to know going forward. Your recap is below.

This week's events

On January 3, 2019, the Governor and a team of experts he enlisted recommended several engineering practices and methods that would dramatically reduce the customer and community impact of the L Project. Specifically, they looked at the tunnel rehabilitation piece of the project and shared a new approach that would mean that the L won’t have to close between Manhattan and Brooklyn during the project, which would be great news for many of our customers and local communities. The recommendations outlined that the work could be completed with weekend and nighttime closures of one tube at a time, leaving the other to run trains in both directions with reduced service. Following that announcement, the MTA issued this press release.

What's next

We are reviewing the details and are getting to work on a revised plan. We will be sharing more information in the next few weeks about what you can expect, including information like: What is actually changing from the original L Project? What isn't changing about the L Project? If the L is not closing totally for 15 months, but there are service changes, what is the alternate service going to look like? Since the below-ground plan will change, what about the above-ground construction work? And more (P.S. if you want a question answered in the newsletter, a reminder that you still can send it to us here as usual)

Okay, one unrelated thing

You told us it would be helpful to have all of a month's service changes on the L line in one place. You also told us that it would be interesting to know a little more about what actually is happening behind the scenes. So we made a web page for December, and in case you haven't seen January's yet, click the button below. Note that with our 24/7 system and a revised plan in the works, changes may happen, so check back here if you're planning a trip.

L January Service Changes WEEKNIGHTS Jan 2 - 3 Beginning 11 PM, Wed to Thu (i.e. Wed night into Thurs morning, Thurs night into Fri morning)  Less frequent  trains toward 8 Av What’s the work? We are doing an inspection of the  tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan. What should customers do? All stations will be open, just with less frequent trains in the 8 Av-bound direction. From 11 PM to 5 AM on these weeknights, 8 Av-bound  trains will run approximately every 20 minutes. If you're using 1 Av or 3 Av Stations, all trains will stop on the 8 Av-bound track—look for the signs on the platform to point you in the right direction. Also, be sure to check out to the countdown clocks, the MYmta app and announcements for additional details. DAYTIME Jan 7 - 11 • Jan 14 - 18 • Jan 21 - 25 • Jan 28 - Feb 1  11 AM to 3 PM  Every other  train will terminate early at  Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs What’s the work? To make sure that we can run  trains effectively, we’re bringing on new train operators. This service change is to accommodate the training program they need to complete to be specially CBTC-trained. What should customers do? This change will just impact customers using the  between 11 AM and 3 PM on these weekdays. You will see  trains running approximately every 6 minutes between Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs and 8 Av, and  trains running approximately every 12 minutes between Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy and Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs. Use the countdown clocks, the MYmta app, and listen for announcements to make sure you’re on a train that will get you where you need to go.   WEEKNIGHTS  Jan 28 – Feb 1  Approx. 10:45 PM to 5 AM, Mon to Fri (i.e. Mon night into Tue morning)  No  trains overnight between Broadway Junction and 8 Av What’s the work? For the  project, we’re installing brand new rail in the tunnel so customers have a more reliable and comfortable trip. The rail must be delivered ahead of time, and during a time when we don’t have impacts on other nearby    lines. What should customers do? If you’re traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan, you can take the  ,  ,  or  . For Manhattan  stations, you can take the M14 bus. In Brooklyn, we’re running shuttle buses along two routes:. 1.    Between Broadway Junction and Lorimer St, connecting with Marcy Av  2.    Loop between Marcy Av , Hewes St , Broadway , Lorimer St-Metropolitan Av , and Bedford Av. These shuttle buses are free and will stop at  stations between Bedford Av and Broadway Junction. You can also use the MYmta app for the latest trip-planning information.

[sandyhookken]

Yesterday, the information in my previous post was presented as accomplished fact; today, it's now a recommendation by the Governer's office that must be acted on by the MTA Board. Seems someone in the Governer's office was a little too quick to claim glory for their boss. Tomorrow may bring another version of the truth.

There was an interesting comment on the news about the large number of people who have moved out of the L train service area to avoid the commuting hassle.

[sandyhookken]

News update as of Wednesday 01/02. Tunnels will not be shut down, all contingency plans are cancelled.

During the flooding caused by Superstorm Sandy, the conduits in the tunnels carring numerous wires were filled with muck that subsequently hardened. These conduits are encased in concrete benches along the tunnel walls. Initial plans were to demolish the concrete benches, replace the conduits, and reinstall the concrete benches. Now, the plan is to abandon the conduits in place and install new conduits on the tunnel side walls. This apparently was never considered in the original planning.

[daveklepper]

Hello. Did you know the L will still run all throughout Brooklyn when we do the tunnel work? If you said yes, you're right—and in the minority. We learned a lot from talking to ~3,000 customers this month about the L Project. More on this and other news below—including some behind-the-numbers on how we predicted L customers' travel paths. And happy holidays if you're celebrating. Your next weekly newsletter will be in the new year, but our lines will stay open for you to tell us what you’d like to see in these newsletters.

How did we predict how people will travel?

If you’ve seen the reports, you know that we’ve made extensive projections on what routes affected L customers may take come April (for example, 4 percent are expected to take the ferry). So, where do these models come from? We sat down with Jay Krantz, a director on our planning team and the go-to on our modeling data to get the scoop. Here are the five things you need to know: 1. We paint a picture of where L riders currently travel using card swipe data and a team of checkers—people who go out and stand at the front of a platform to estimate how many people are in cars. For example, if someone swipes in at Bedford Av and the next time they use the MetroCard is at 14th St-Union Sq, we can be pretty certain that this customer took the L. Some cases may be more ambiguous, so the data from checkers help us fine tune the models and get a better estimate of where L riders are going.  2. This is a method we’ve been using for many years, and is similar to the one we used to model the Second Avenue Subway ridership before it opened. For those new stations, we were within 2 percent of peak hour projections–so we are confident it works well for planning purposes. 3. Once we have this data, we basically do a million trip planners at the same time. In addition to travel time, we consider factors like crowding, and that some people will take longer paths to avoid busy spots. 4. Then we can make projections, such as 32 percent of L customers will take the J, M, Z lines while the L tunnel is out of service. 5. From there, these predictions help us determine how frequently to run the trains, buses and ferry, as well as important prep details like how many buses to buy or maintain, and how many operators to hire. And FYI that our planning assumes that people will try a few different options before they settle in to the best one for them over the first few weeks. So even if one spot is crowded on one day, it will likely look much different the next day.

Survey: Most people don't know the L will still run in Brooklyn

Say it with us, "In April 2019, the L will run Brooklyn-only." We've been out at key stations the past two weeks with a short survey to see what people know—and unfortunately more than 50 percent don't know the L train will still run when the tunnel is closed, making its last west-bound stop at Bedford Av Station.   While we like to see customers' smiling faces when we share this happy surprise, we'd much prefer to set the record straight. So we've been reminding people about the facts: we have new L Project brochures that we were handing out this week, and are continuing to direct people to mta.info/LProject and to follow #LProject.

[daveklepper]

Previous post edited to allow deleting this one.  Thank you.

[daveklepper]

With new measures, much more user friendly  --  but cost effective, any long-term improvements resulting?

NYC Transit began public outreach on the Canarsie tunnel reconstruction project in 2016, with more than 100 public workshops, neighborhood town halls and meetings with community boards, elected officials, the New York City Department of Transportation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation to plan the project and proposed service mitigation, and to solicit public feedback on how best to accommodate approximately 225,000 riders who currently take the L train between Manhattan and Brooklyn and the 50,000 riders who take the L in Manhattan.

 

The result of the extensive public outreach was a comprehensive package of temporary service alternatives that include::

• Additional subway service on seven lines

• Five new high-frequency Select Bus Service routes
• A new peak-hour limited-stop bus route between Canarsie and Crown Heights
• Increased service on existing bus routes that link L customers to alternative subway routes
• A new ferry service between Williamsburg in Brooklyn and Stuyvesa Cove at East 20^thStreet and Avenue C in Manhattan

NYC Transit continues to solicit feedback and plans to make adjustments to the alternate service plans if needed.

 

In addition to rebuilding the L tunnel, NYC Transit also plans to make improvements at several L stations as well as other stations that will be used by L customers seeking alternative service.

 

Information on the L train tunnel repairs, the alternate service changes and the station improvement projects are available at

 http://mta.info/LTunnelReconstruction.

[daveklepper]

PATH is solving a similar problem, with a considerably longer and older pair of tunnels, by weekend-only closings for an eight-year period.   Hopefully, the TA will reconsider their still current rather commuter-unfriendly scheme. 

[tomikawaTT]

Dave,

Obviously a well thought out approach.  Hopefully, the collection of authority figures you addressed won't simply say, "What does dis guy know dat our teams of x-spurts don't?  Besides, he ain't even a Noo Yawka."  (Even though you were born there, as was I.)

Chuck (Native Noo Yawka, 3000 miles removed)

[daveklepper]

Appropriate letters base don the above sent tothe Borough Presidents of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manahttam with copes of all three to Mr. Cafiero, his boss at NYCTA, her boss at MTA, and his boss in Albany.

[daveklepper]

The Authority did not give NYers a choice between shutting down one tunnel at a time for three years of both tunnels for half the time as they said they would, because the one-tunnel solution had total shut-down between Berverly and Lorimer with bus shuttles, entirely unnecessary.  Also, there is a controversy between two groups of Brooklyn F-line riders regarding Jay St. Church Avenue express service, easily solved by restoring Bergan lower-level platfomrs and timed connections to and from the G. I suspect I will have to mail the following to the Mayor, the Governor. and the Borough Presidents of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

8 Tamuz 5776, 14 July 2016        Email: [e-mail]          14.07.16,ח' תמוז תשע"ו

Mr. Peter G. Cafiero, Planning Operations Chief, New York City Transportation Authority

2 Broadway, New York, NY 10004, U.    S.    A.

F-Train Brooklyn Service and 14^th Tunnel Repair Service

 

Dear Mr. Cafiero,: 

 

F Brooklyn Service

 

Every-other F train (6.7 tph) runs express Bergen Street, - Church Avenue.  All F trains (13.3 tph) stop at Bergen Street.  Bergen St. Station renovations required, convenience of transfer between upper and lower levels improved.

 

G runs with full-length trains on nine-minute headway (6.7 tph).  Schedule such that each southbound G leaves Bergen Street upper level 90 seconds after an F-express-to-Church-Avenue leaves from lower level. Southbound at Bergen upper level equipped with holding light to insure connections, for use by G.

 

Norhbound G leaves Church Avenue 3-1/2 minutes after northbound F-local, giving a one-minute connection time for passengers from G to transfer to F express from Church Avenue on lower level.

 

The F trains that run local between Church Avenue and Begern turn at Kings Highway instead of running through to Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island.

 

The F trains that run express between Church Avenue and Bergen also run express Church – 18^th Avenue- Kings Highway, in the direction opposite heavy travel, when the center-track is available.

 

Silver Plan for 14^th Street Tunnel Repair

 

Fleeting:  Every 15 minutes does not mesh well with 4-1/2 minute headway of F, and since C-to-Canarsie and M are part of the overall solution, an 18-minutes module is suggested.  Four Canarsie – 8^th Avenue L trains fleeted each direction every 18 minutes (13.3 tph).  Westbound to 8^th Avenue, the first stops only at 8^th Avenue in Manhattan, the second 6^th and 8^th Avenues, the third Unions Sq., 6^th and 8^th Avenues, and the fourth all stops.  Five minutes after the last of the four, a short turn to Beverly leaves, using the track and platform to the out-of[-service tunnel as the reversing pocket.  It runs eastbound eight minutes in advance of the first eastbound train passing Beverly, eight minutes after the all-stops train of the previous fleet left Beverly..  At Canarsie, four minutes after the Beverly short-turn, the every-18-minutes (3.3 tphs) C-train leaves.  The cycle is repeated every 18 minutes.

 

Eastbound, the first train skips 1^st and 3^rd Avenues and makes its first Brooklyn stop at East New Yorl; the second runs nonstop Union Squaare – Myrtle and Wycoff.  The third runs non-stop 3^rd Avenue to Metropolitan Avenue, and the 4^th makes all stops including 1^st Avenue.  In addition one train only, running every 18   minutes in each direction, runs as an 8^th Avenue -3^rd Avenue shuttle, using the track and platform at 3^rd Avenue leading to the tunnel out of service.   It would follow eight or nine minutes after that last train, the all-stops-train, of each fleet and makes all stops in both directions.

 

Between West 4^th Street and the "K-Connection" to the Williamsburg Bridge, F trains would operated every 4-1/4 minutes (13.3 tph), and the combined headway of C and M would be 4-1/2 minutes (13.3), with one-out-of-four a`C, Canarsie - 168^th Street (3.3 tph) and the remaining three-out-of-four M (10 tph).   Combined J/Z service would also average to every six minutes (10 tph).

 

C rush-hour trains not running to Canarsie would run to World Trade Center.  E trains would run to Euclid Avenue or alternate between Euclid Avenue and World Trade Center.

 

Off-peak Canarsie service would simply have L trains running every 12 minutes, complemented by .all C trains running to Canarsie.  A`one-train World Trade Center – Canal Street shuttle would operate on the northbound track.  The E would run to Euclid Avenue.

 

Canarsie would be served rush hours by six trains every 18 minutes (20 tph), with four trains every 18 minutes each way through the single track portion of the L line (13.3 tph).

 

Gold Plan for the 14^th Street Tunnel Repair

 

Money, engineering talent, and the will to do it will be found to implement ATC-cab-signal West 4^th Street – East New York in time for the tunnel repairs, allowing headways as close as 100 seconds. The next steps will be to continue the installation up 6^th and 8^th Avenue, through the 53^rd Street and 63^rd Street Tunnels, to the yar-lead junction east of 71^st Street, Forest Hills on the Queens Boulevard line.  The installation on the express tracks on 6^th and 8^th Avenue may not see service initially.

 

Between West 4^th and 2^nd Avenue, F trains will run on an alternating four and five minute headway, instead of constant 4-1/2 minutes, (still 13.3 tph).  Every 18 minutes there will be three C and three M trains each, average headway six minutes each (10 tph, combined 20 tph):. F M F C M F C F M C F M….   On the Williamsburg Bridge,  C, M, and J/Z,will each run every six minutes (each 10 tph, combined 30 tph).  This will be good enough service for Canarsie, (Canarsie – Atlantic Avenue) with the C trains running express on the Broadway Elevated in the direction of heavy travel.

 

The truncated and fleeted, 18-minute-cycle L will operate East New York upper-level – 8^th Avenue.  Westbound to 8^th Avenue, the first stops only at 8^th Avenue in Manhattan, the second 6^th and 8^th Avenues, the third Unions Sq., 6^th and 8^th Avenues, and the fourth all stops.  Five minutes after the last of the four, a short turn to Beverly leaves, using the track and platform to the out-of-service tunnel as the reversing pocket.  It runs eastbound eight minutes in advance of the first eastbound train passing Beverly, eight minutes after the all-stops train of the previous fleet left Beverly and makes all stops in both directions.

 

Eastbound, the first train would run non-stop Union Square- Myrtle and Wycoff, the second Union Square – Metropolitan Avenue, the third would stop at Third Avenue, skip 1^st and Beverly and begin stopping at Lorimer, and the fourth would make all stops..

 

In addition one train only, running every 18   minutes in each direction, runs as an 8^th Avenue - 3^rd Avenue shuttle, using the track and platform at 3^rd Avenue leading to the tunnel out of service.   It would follow eight or nine minutes after that last train, the all-stops-train, of each fleet and makes all stops in both directions.

 

There would be no overall reduction in subway ridership with the Gold Plan.

 

Thanks again, very best wishes and all possible respect,

 

 

David Lloyd Klepper

 

.cc;   Thomas Pendergast, Ms. Veronique Hakim

[BaltACD]

Tough times ahead for the Big Apple

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/07/25/busy-new-york-subway-tunnel-close-18-months/87525942/