Western Queens subway riders who frequent the N and Q lines will no longer have to wonder where their train is.
The train announcement system at the stations on these lines will receive an upgrade after the city and state agreed to fund the four-year MTA capital budget project, a total of $32 billion, which is the largest investment in MTA infrastructure in history, according to the MTA.
Of that total, $4.3 billion will go toward new technology, communications systems and railroad infrastructure.
The upgraded system will include audio and visual announcements that will inform riders when a train is two stops away, one stop away and when it is approaching. There is currently an audio announcement at five Astoria stops indicating how long riders have until the next train arrives, which state Sen. Michael Gianaris fought to implement in 2013. The new updates will be installed in 2016.
“I am pleased the MTA will be making the daily commute of N and Q train riders easier,” Gianaris said. “Upcoming train announcements were a great idea when first introduced, and although it has taken some time, I am glad to see that all of western Queens will now be able to enjoy Real Time Information. There is a continuous need for service improvements and I hope this is a sign of things to come for Astoria and other rapidly developing western Queens neighborhoods.”
The agreement also calls for time-to-station countdown clocks to be installed by 2020.
