Weekend Line Closures Start Sat.
The first of six additional weekend service disruptions scheduled on the 7 line for the rest of 2014 begins early this Saturday morning, Sept. 20, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
Service on the 7 line will be suspended between 74th Street in Jackson Heights and Times Square-42nd Street in Manhattan from 2 a.m. Saturday until 5 a.m. Monday morning, Sept. 22. Free shuttle buses, operating in two sections, will replace 7 train service between 74th Street and Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.
Further details can be found in the Transit News column on Page 18.
Two additional weekend service disruptions in October, and three more in November, are planned, the MTA indicated to Community Board 2 in an email forwarded to the Times Newsweekly. On each weekend, the 7 line will not operate between Queensboro Plaza and Times Square-42nd Street.
The next service disruption will also begin on an early Saturday morning, 2 a.m. Oct. 18, and continue until 5 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 20. During this period, 7 train service between 74th Street and Queensboro Plaza will be reduced.
The same service reductions will also be in effect the next weekend, from 11:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, until 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 27.
Riders will experience more of the same inconveniences during the first 7 train shutdown in November, which takes place from 11:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7 until 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10. Additionally, the MTA noted that Flushing-bound 7 trains will operate express service between Queensboro Plaza and 74th Street, stopping only at Woodside-61st Street.
More service reductions between Queensboro Plaza and 74th Street will occur on the fifth scheduled shutdown, Nov. 14-17.
During the final scheduled disruption, Nov. 21-24, westbound 7 trains will operate normally between 74th Street and Queensboro Plaza, but only express service will be available on the Flushing-bound side.
Earlier this year, the MTA closed part of the 7 line between Manhattan and Queens on eight non-consecutive weekends to allow for improvements to the Steinway Tube, which runs below the East River. This includes installing a communications based train control system, which allows the MTA to more accurately track train positions.
Riders are advised to visit www.mta.info to check for service changes and details about alternate service. In past 7 line shutdowns, the MTA extended service on the Q line, which stops at Queensboro Plaza on weekdays, and increased service on the E line to accommodate riders traveling between Manhattan and Queens.
