Hi all,

As you know, we’ve been working with DOT and the community to finalize a plan for additional transportation options while we reconstruct the L train tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The goal is to give all of our customers options that are safe, easy to navigate and of course, minimize commute times.

Our current alternative service plan covers 100 percent of affected customers, and today, we’ve reached another milestone in putting this plan into action: the release of an environmental assessment of the alternative service plan for public review and comment. You can access the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Section 4(f) Review for the Canarsie Tunnel Project, prepared by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) & The Metropolitan Transportation Authority/ New York City Transit (MTA NYCT), here: http://web.mta.info/mta/news/notices. I’ve also attached the public notice of availability.

I am reaching out to you to inform you about the next step in the process – a public comment period – and how we’re engaging the community to make sure everyone who wants to participate is able to do so.

The alternate service plan includes the following during the tunnel reconstruction:

• Increased alternative subway service during peak and off-peak hours – more trips and longer trains
• New temporary bus routes, including one across 14^th Street and four over the Williamsburg Bridge
• Additional trips on local bus routes during the tunnel reconstruction
• 15 electric buses to be used during the tunnel reconstruction
• New temporary ferry service between North Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Stuyvesant Cove, Manhattan
• Station access and capacity improvements
• Additional temporary bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
• Traffic management strategies, including a temporary busway on 14^th Street and the temporary implementation of HOV3+ on the Williamsburg Bridge
• Early implementation of some of the alternate service options to help customers plan and prepare for the tunnel closure

Public Process and Next Steps:

• There is a 30-day public comment period from July 20, 2018, to August 19, 2018. Following the close of the comment period, FTA will review the comments and responses, and make a formal NEPA determination.
• There are many ways to review and comment on this document (more details on all of these are included in the attached public notice):
  • Online: http://web.mta.info/mta/news/notices
  • Review a printed copy of the report in person (full location list provided in the public notice).
  • Mail comments to MTA’s or FTA’s offices (must be postmarked by August 19, 2018).
  • Attend a public meeting on Monday, August 6, 2018, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at MTA Headquarters at 2 Broadway.

For the latest information on the L tunnel reconstruction, this page will continue to be the best resource: http://web.mta.info/sandy/rebuildingCanarsieTunnel.html. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

During last December’s City Council Transportation Committee hearing regarding the L-Train shutdown, both the MTA and DOT, when asked by Council Member Stephen Levin, committed to monthly meetings with the L Train Coalition with the goal of having regular consistent dialogue about mitigation plans from now until the end of the shutdown.

We, the members of the L Train Coalition, are eager to begin these meetings as we represent every sector and elected representative in the affected area and we have been studying and advocating about the issue since it came to public attention.

We have worked with such respected experts as the Regional Plan Association, Transportation Alternatives and recently, Access Queens, to develop real world mitigation suggestions. We submitted our ideas via reports and participation in the past rounds of MTA debriefings dating back well over a year.

While we hope everyone comes out in force to question, listen and learn, during the upcoming MTA and DOT Open Houses, we still hope that they will engage with a smaller representative group in regular sessions, as there are many moving parts and specific challenges which don’t seem easily addressed in mass, public presentations.

Get involved by emailing us here

Thanks to AccessQueens for providing the material.

View the PDF here

“To accommodate the additional L train passengers, a combination of five more E, M, or 7 trains would have to run per hour. With a variety of existing constraints, it is unlikely that the MTA can provide that level of additional service: There simply is not adequate track or signal capacity to handle such an increase, and there don’t seem to be enough subway cars or personnel to operate them even if there were.”

Read the article

MTA SEEKS TO ACCELERATE CANARSIE TUNNEL REHABILITATION AND STATION IMPROVEMENT, COMPLETING WORK IN 15 MONTHS

Read the official press release here

This message was sent by the MTA to individuals that have subscibred to their L Train updates email newsletter. The L Train Coalition is further spreading that newsletter by publicly publishing it here on our website.

Dear Subscriber:

You are receiving this message because you indicated an interest in receiving updates regarding the L Canarsie Tunnel Reconstruction Project.  We are conducting public workshops in affected communities and invite your participation.

Last summer, we announced the decision to close the tunnel for 18 months beginning in 2019 so that we can address as quickly and efficiently as possible, the critical work needed in the tunnel’s two tubes.  This decision was reached after a robust public outreach process with the community.

Superstorm Sandy flooded the tunnel with seven million gallons of salt water, heavily damaging vital infrastructure and systems.  Service was restored some 10 days later, and conditions were and continue to be closely monitored.  While the tunnels are safe, a full reconstruction is required.

Officials from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and NYC Department of Transportation will be on hand to provide information on the repairs, and gather community feedback on travel alternatives between Brooklyn and Manhattan.  This is your opportunity to share your thoughts and preferences on travel alternatives that can be provided for L line riders.

Locations and times follow:

Williamsburg
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Thursday, February 16, 2017
The Williamsburg HS for Architecture & Design
257 North 6^th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11211

Manhattan Westside
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Our Lady of Guadalupe
328 West 14^th Street, NY, NY 10014

East Williamsburg
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Progress High School
850 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Manhattan Eastside
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Thursday, March 9, 2017

Town and Village Synagogue
334 East 14^th Street, NY, NY 10003

Please visit our Canarsie Tunnel Reconstruction microsite
http://web.mta.info/sandy/rebuildingCanarsieTunnel.html for complete project details.

As a person who has subscribed to receive email updates, you will automatically continue to receive news and information about the project.  Thank you for your interest.

Sincerely,

L Line Canarsie Reconstruction Project Team

The workshops will take place from 6pm to 8 p.m. on the following dates:

February 9, 2017: Eastside of Manhattan
Town and Village Synagogue
334 East 14th Street, New York

February 16, 2017: Williamsburg
The Williamsburg HS for Architecture & Design
257 North 6th Street, Brooklyn

February 23: Westside of Manhattan
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
328 West 14th Street, New York

March 2, 2017: East Williamsburg/Bushwick
Progress High School
850 Grand Street, Brooklyn

Read the full article on the MTA’s website.

Customers who have concerns about upcoming L train work will have a chance to speak their minds. The MTA has announced the first of two public meetings to discuss future reconstruction work on the Canarsie Tunnel, which carries the train under the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The first meeting will be held on Thursday, May 5 at 6 p.m. at the Marcy Avenue Armory at 355 Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn. A Manhattan-based public meeting to be held later in May will be announced soon.

MTA Announces Plan to Engage with Community on L Train Tunnel Reconstruction Work

Elected Officials Representing Brooklyn and Manhattan Ensure MTA Will Consult with Residents, Businesses and Others on Construction and Alternatives
Saturday, February 6, 2016

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has developed a plan to engage in detailed community consultation on how to proceed with necessary repairs for the Canarsie Tubes, which carry the L train under the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan.

MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast and MTA New York City Transit President Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim announced the new plan after meeting with a delegation of elected officials led by Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, representing neighborhoods in both boroughs that will be affected by the construction project. Senator Martin Malavé Dilan, Assemblyman Joseph R.

Lentol, and City Council Member Stephen Levin also attended the meeting, where Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Senator Daniel Squadron were also represented.

“The Canarsie Tubes were heavily damaged during Superstorm Sandy when they were flooded with 7 million gallons of saltwater, which has eaten away at the metal and concrete materials that make up the tubes’ infrastructure,” Chairman Prendergast said. “We need to bring the Canarsie Tubes to a state of good repair, and we need to work closely with the community and its elected officials to determine the best way to proceed with this work and provide travel alternatives while it occurs.”

“I am thrilled that the MTA has agreed to work with the elected officials and the community to make the L train repairs and upgrades as undisruptive as possible,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “The MTA has been awarded nearly $5 billion in federal Sandy aid and has prioritized repairs to the flood-damaged 100-year- old Canarsie Tubes. Upgrades to the Bedford Avenue and 1st Avenue stations – two old stations that are inadequate to handle the huge surge in ridership in recent years – are great news for the L train. Our meeting with Chairman Prendergast was productive, and I am very pleased that the MTA has agreed to host community engagement meetings in the near future so that all my constituents who will be affected by the work can be sure that their concerns are heard.”

The MTA will seek to use as much federal Sandy relief funding as possible to perform this work. Congresswoman Maloney was instrumental in obtaining these relief funds and ensuring they can be allocated for rebuilding the Canarsie Tubes. Cost estimates and construction timelines for the project will be developed as planning and design work commences, and no timeline has been established for work to begin on the Canarsie Tube itself.

The MTA has committed to meet regularly with residents, businesses and others affected by the Canarsie Tube work, as well as to consult with elected officials representing the affected areas, before making any decisions about the construction process and service alternatives.  Discussions at the meeting made clear that further study of these topics is necessary before any final decisions are made, and that the MTA will take community concerns into account.

MTA New York City Transit is weighing the operational and engineering impacts of different proposals for rebuilding the Canarsie Tubes. This agreement on a framework for community consultation ensures that the MTA will be able to consider those technical issues within the larger context of the concerns expressed by residents, businesses, community boards, merchant groups and civic associations.

“By soliciting input from the affected communities as this process moves forward, we will develop a stronger and more responsive plan for how to accomplish this vital work while respecting the concerns of those who rely on the L train,” President Hakim said. “We share the goal of frequent and reliable L service between Brooklyn and Manhattan, and we will work closely with those who will be most affected by this work.”

“As news of a potential long term closure of the L Line spread, riders and businesses rightfully feared the worst. The meeting with New York City Transit and the MTA represents the beginning of a dialogue with the L Line community. I appreciate the MTA’s commitment to working with our offices and recognizing the value of the community’s input before finalizing plans to repair the Canarsie Tube,” said Senator Dilan.

“The impact these repairs will have on the community is detrimental to thousands of riders and hundreds of businesses. However, our number one priority is to ensure everyone’s safety,” said Assemblyman Lentol. “By engaging the community in the planning and a dialogue about the need for the repairs and finding ways we can mitigate some of the difficulties we will face, together we are taking the necessary steps towards an inclusive and transparent process. As many of my colleagues in the legislature know well, some of the finest solutions to problems come from our constituents.”

“The MTA, led by Chairman Prendergast, had a very productive meeting with elected officials from Brooklyn on the situation with the L train. The meeting provided clarity for us on the significant damage to the line from Sandy as well as potential courses of actions. While a timeline and an exact course of action are not yet clear, we are confident that the affected communities will have good and productive dialogue with the MTA moving forward,” said Council Member Levin.

“Brooklynites who live and work along the path of the L train, from Canarsie to Williamsburg, need to be part of a constructive conversation with the MTA on the impending Canarsie Tube repairs” Borough President Adams said.  “The impact of the rehabilitation work will be significant on riders, and they deserve nothing less than a comprehensive mitigation strategy, as well as a transparent dialogue while that strategy is developed. The MTA’s commitment to community engagement is an important component of the eventual solution to this civic challenge, and I will be working hand-in- hand with residents and business owners to ensure we reach the right destination.”

“From full line reviews, to the R and G train closures, we’ve found that when community engagement happens, so do results,” said Senator Squadron. “It’s important to have an open conversation, with all stakeholders at the table, on all options available. That’s how we can understand what needs to happen to keep the L train on track, and how to mitigate impacts. I thank the MTA for agreeing to this kind of engagement – I’ll continue to work with the community and colleagues on a plan that works for riders.”

The L train carries 225,000 customers through the Canarsie Tubes on an average weekday, and is the main transit route for large sections of the Williamsburg and Bushwick neighborhoods of Brooklyn. Since 1990, ridership at L train stations has more than doubled, and ridership at the Bedford Ave station in Brooklyn has more than quadrupled.

The Canarsie Tubes suffered extensive damage to tracks, signals, switches, power cables, signal cables, communication cables, lighting, cable ducts and bench walls throughout a 7,100-foot- long flooded section of both tubes. Bench walls throughout those sections must be rehabilitated to protect the structural integrity of the tubes.

During this rehabilitation process, the MTA will also make significant improvements to stations and tunnel segments closest to the under-river section. New stairs and elevators will be installed at the Bedford Av station in Brooklyn and the 1 Av station in Manhattan, and three new electric substations will be installed, providing more power to operate additional trains during rush hours.

MTA New York City Transit has taken several steps to ensure the Canarsie Tubes remain reliable until permanent repairs can be performed. The agency is inspecting the tunnels’ duct banks more frequently, and has installed redundant power cables to ensure the pumping system will operate without interruption.

The Canarsie Tubes are one of eight under-river tunnels that flooded during Superstorm Sandy, all of which required extensive rehabilitation and repair. Some of that work has been accomplished during night and weekend closures, while the R train’s Montague Tubes under the East River were closed for more than a year for a complete renovation.

—  Metropolitan Transportation Authority

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