Overnight subway shutdowns in Manhattan and Queens for repair work

NEW YORK (WABC) -- An alert for commuters this week: the MTA will be suspending service overnight on the E, F, M, and R lines in Manhattan and Queens for its FASTRACK repair program.

The changes will take effect for the next weeks on the Queens Boulevard line.

Beginning Monday, March 30, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., for four consecutive weeknights, and from Monday, April 6, to early Friday morning, April 10, E service will be suspended between Roosevelt Ave and World Trade Center.

F service will be suspended between Roosevelt Ave and 21 St-Queensbridge.

M service will end early between 71 Av and Essex St each night.

R service will end early between 71 Av and 36 St in Brooklyn each night.

How trains will operate:

E service will operate in Queens between Jamaica Center and 74 St/Roosevelt Av.

M service ends early between 71 Av and Essex St. M shuttle service between Metropolitan Av and Myrtle Av will run all night.

R service ends early between 71 Av and 36 St in Brooklyn. R shuttle service will run all night in Brooklyn between 95 St and 36 St.

F service will operate in two sections as follows:

Between Jamaica-179 St and 74 St-Roosevelt Av.

Between Coney Island-Stillwell Av and 21 St-Queensbridge.

Travel alternatives:

Take the 7 between Manhattan and 74 St-Roosevelt Av or Queensboro Plaza.

Take the N between Manhattan and Queensboro Plaza.

In Manhattan, transfer at 5 Av/42 St-Bryant Pk 7F, Times Sq-42 St/Port Authority 7ACN, and 34 St-Herald Sq FN.

In Manhattan along 8 Avenue, take the A Local or C instead of the E.

Along 53 St, use the D or nearby 6 and N stations instead.

Free shuttle buses run local between Queensboro Plaza and 74 St-Roosevelt Av making station stops at Queens Plaza, 36 St, Steinway St, 46 St, Northern Blvd, and 65 St.

In Queens, transfer between shuttle buses and trains at 74 St-Roosevelt Av 7EF or Queensboro Plaza 7N.

Joseph Leader, Senior Vice President for the Department of Subways, said, "All subway stakeholders win with FASTRACK. Workers have a better and safer work environment, customers benefit from improved train service and reliability, and New York City Transit saves money by getting more work done in less time."

During the MTA's previous FASTRACK in November 2014, train service was suspended for four consecutive nights along a five-mile section of the Queens Boulevard line between Roosevelt Av and 5 Av/53 St on the E and 21 St-Queensbridge on the F, as NYC Transit workers took full advantage of the seven hours of train-free access each night to perform a range of cleaning and maintenance tasks of station and tunnel infrastructure, signal equipment, and track and third rail components.

Track workers scraped and cleaned 12,787 feet of track, installed 882 tie plates, 23 rails, 56 friction pads, and 39 tie blocks, and cleaned 1,705 feet of track under and around the third rail. Infrastructure workers grouted 169 leaks, repaired 230 square feet of damaged concrete, including pouring 17 square feet of new concrete, cleaned 550 feet of drain line, removed 800 gallons of silt, repaired 224 feet of handrail and replaced 558 light bulbs. At stations, workers scraped and cleaned 14,700 square feet and painted 11,380 square feet of station surface areas. They also repaired 40 feet of rubbing board attached to the platform's edge, patched 22 square feet of concrete, and installed 20 feet of new drain line. Signal crews tested and serviced five signals and six switches and performed maintenance work on eight rail/switch segments and other signal components. Workers also performed preventative maintenance on elevators and escalators, and serviced communications equipment. This represents only a portion of the work completed during this FASTRACK diversion.