By Bill Parry
Service on the No. 7 subway line will be suspended in both directions this weekend between Queensboro Plaza and Times Square, leaving Long Island City straphangers stranded for the second of five weekends this fall.
The service interruption, beginning at 2 a.m. Saturday through 5 a.m. Monday, is due to the continued installation of a new signal system and the replacement of critical track panels along the Flushing Line.
The MTA is running free shuttle buses from Queenboro Plaza to the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue station, making stops at Hunters Point Avenue and Court Square. As another alternative, the Long Island Rail Road will cross-honor and will accept displayed MetroCards from customers traveling in both directions between Penn Station and Woodside.
“The ongoing work on the 7 remains absolutely critical to the line’s reliability, safety and longevity,” MTA NYC Transit President Carmen Bianco said. “We understand that these service disruptions are inconvenient to the customers who depend on the 7 train and we appreciate their patience.”
The multi-year, $550 million capital improvement project to replace the antiquated 50- to 90 year-old signaling system with state-of-the-art technology will continue into 2017. The MTA says the improvements will reduce crowding, prevent signal problems associated with old equipment and further accommodate the population growth in the borough.
“When completed, this work will result in a more reliable subway line with the ability to run more trains and improve performance for growing neighborhoods in Queens,” Bianco said.
— Bill Parry
