USA TODAY International Edition
Closed tunnel could tangle commutes
The New York subway system will close one of its busiest tunnels for 18 months to make repairs, a move that will cause one of the largest commuter disruptions in the transit system’s history.
The repairs will begin in 2019, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ( MTA) said Monday.
The L train, one of New York City’s most crowded subway lines, travels through the almost 100- year- old Canarsie Tunnel, which transports 225,000 passengers a day under the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The transit authority says it must close the tunnel to repair serious flood damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
New Yorkers have long awaited the decision as the agency considered two options: Close the tunnel entirely for 18 months, or partially close it for three years, leaving only one track open during construction.
The MTA said it chose the 18- month plan after a detailed operational review and talking to commuters.
MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast and other officials led four large- scale meetings in communities af- fected by the closure. A survey by the Riders Alliance, a public transit advocacy group, found that 77% of New Yorkers living along the line preferred the 18month option.
“There is no question that repairs to the Canarsie Tunnel are critical and cannot be avoided or delayed,” Prendergast said in a statement.
The MTA and other city agencies are working to develop alternative plans to accommodate the thousands of riders who commute into Manhattan each day to work. The authority is considering adding extra subway services on nearby lines, according to a statement.
John Raskin, executive director of the Riders Alliance, thinks the shorter, more comprehensive shutdown was the right choice, but will still be troublesome for riders who depend on the L train.
“The L train is a lifeline for many communities in Brooklyn, and there are few other options,” he told USA TODAY. “This is why we need to think creatively to make sure L train riders can get to work.”