A train subway riders prepare for detours, major work in Queens
QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Subway service changes and important repairs are on track for the A train in Queens.
Beginning Jan. 17 and running until May 2025, the A train will not run from Howard Beach to the Rockaways. Major work needs to be done on the tracks that travel over the water of Jamaica Bay.
Riders said they are worried about crowded buses and extra stress.
"It's always an issue with buses and trains. Something is always happening for us out here and it’s not fair for us," said Adrienne, who lives in the Rockaways.
A shuttle train will operate on the peninsula and make station stops between Mott Avenue and Beach 116th Street.
Free shuttle buses will take commuters to the train station at Howard Beach-JFK Airport from designated points.
For riders from Broad Channel and the Rockaway Peninsula, free shuttle buses will run on two routes:
- Q97, nonstop between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue
- Q109, between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Beach 67th Street, stopping at Broad Channel and Beach 90 Street
For more than a year, presentations have been made to tenants' associations, community boards and civic groups.
A monitor has been assigned to work on project delivery.
“Consistent with what has been done in the past for the L train Canarsie Tunnel project and G line modernization work, this next phase of the A train resiliency work has undergone internal and external expert review to weigh alternate delivery and construction methods. It was determined that the plan presented is the best option for getting this work done as quickly as possible, with the least impact to commuters," said MTA Deputy Chief Development Officer of Delivery Mark Roche.
Mayor Eric Adams supports the MTA's work plan and said NYC Ferry has a role with a dock in Rockaway Beach.
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) runs the ferries and has been coordinating with the MTA.
An NYCEDC spokesperson told PIX11 News that the system has "planned for additional seat capacity on its normal winter schedule for the Rockaway Route" and will monitor ridership trends.
The track and structures in Jamaica Bay were severely damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The line was shut down and upgrades were made. In 2023, repair projects continued and are now ready for the next phase.
Many other pieces of the line are also more than 65 years old.