By Philip Newman
It was 2010 and the financially desperate Metropolitan Transportation Authority was so broke that it had to curtail dozens of bus lines and shut down two subway lines. Now the MTA has said that the W train may live again.
Transit authorities said they may hold a public hearing this spring on the proposed W train restoration.
The proposal would allow the Q train to begin serving the Second Avenue subway between 63rd Street and 96th Street.
The MTA said adding the W line to the system would provide more choices to Queens and Manhattan straphangers who use the Broadway N, Q and R lines, as well as allow transit authorities to prepare for a seamless transition and connection of service between those lines and the Second Avenue subway.
The proposed service changes would return the W to Astoria, where it would operate local service into Manhattan and terminate at Whitehall Street. The line would effectively replace Q service in Queens. The Q would temporarily stop at 57th Street/7th Avenue but continue to 96th Street upon completion of the Second Avenue subway. N trains would run express in Manhattan from 34th Street/Herald Square to Canal Street, a change from its current local service. on weekdays. R service would remain unchanged.
The W line would be restored to weekday service making all local stops from Astoria/Ditmars Boulevard to Whitehall Street via the Broadway line. There would be no service on weekends or late night.
