The J and Z subway lines are rolling again in southeast Queens.
The MTA announced Monday that service on the J and Z subway lines was fully restored in time for the morning rush hour following the completion of nearly 2.4 miles of track replacement. Service between the 121st Street and Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer stations returned for the first time since July 1 after the 40-year-old track was replaced with a successfully proven updated design to increase durability and improve quality of service, according to the MTA.
“We thank our customers for their patience as we worked to install modern infrastructure that will deliver service improvements and reliability on the J and Z lines,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.
With the final segment of a multi-phase project complete, the total amount of track replaced in southeast Queens is about 3.6 miles, the length of about 64 football fields. The first part of the project, completed in December 2020, involved the reconstruction of the E track between Jamaica-Van Wyck and Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer and replaced around 6,300 feet of track in 10 weeks.
“The completion of this important track replacement work along the J and Z lines is great news for Queens subway riders,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “These critical improvements will produce better and more reliable service, which will be much appreciated by all those who travel in and around the vibrant neighborhoods these lines serve.”
Unlike conventional tracks, which are most common in the subway and easier to replace in shorter time periods during low ridership such as overnight hours, direct fixation track requires the concrete roadbed to be entirely reconstructed.
Councilwoman Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, thanked the MTA for completing the Archer Direct Fixation Track Work on time and at cost.
“Regular maintenance of our trains is essential to ensuring reliable, safe and efficient service,” she said. “This critical track replacement work along the J and Z lines replaced 12,500 feet of track, completing the replacement of 18,800 feet of track.”
State Senator Leroy Comrie, chair of the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, gave a tip of the cap to all who delivered the project on time.
“Commuters, community residents and visitors depend on the MTA to deliver safe, reliable service,” Comrie said. “This track replacement work serves as an integral part of meeting that expectation for the countless people who rely on the MTA.”
