Queens commuters will enjoy the unofficial arrival of summer with the restoration of A train service to the Rockaways, along with the Rockaway Park Shuttle, on May 19, MTA officials said on Thursday.
The service will reopen following the completion of a 17-week rehabilitation project. The A train service has been shut down since Jan. 17 between Howard Beach–JFK Airport, Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue, and Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street. Rockaway Park Shuttle trains were also taken out of service to and from Broad Channel in Queens.
The line underwent critical rehab and repair work after it experienced “extensive damage” after Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Although emergency repairs restored service seven months after the storm, agency officials explained that the line’s Hammels Wye Viaduct and South Channel Bridge, which carry trains across Broad Channel, needed more work to ensure their resilience in future extreme weather events.
According to NY1 News, flyers were spotted at train stations alerting commuters to the May 19 reopening.
The service disruption affected about 9,000 daily commuters. During the downtime, the MTA provided free shuttle bus service and discounted Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) fares.
When the service reopens, passengers will have to resume paying the $2.90 subway fare and regular LIRR pricing.
Meanwhile, transit advocates celebrated news of the reopening.
“We’re thrilled that the A train is once again going out to the Rockaways and that structural damage from Hurricane Sandy has now been repaired,” said Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives. “This restoration of subway service will make daily commutes easier for more than 9,000 people, and make it so that any New Yorker can take the train to enjoy the beach as the weather is getting warmer. One of New York’s greatest joys!”
Brian Fritsch, associate director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, commended the workers for completing the work in harsh weather conditions.
“In clear need of substantial repairs since Superstorm Sandy, the Rockaway Line Resiliency and Rehabilitation project will keep the A train safe and reliable for generations to come for the over 9,000 riders who depend on it daily,” he said. “Our hats off to the workers who pushed through an incredibly challenging winter to get this project completed ahead of schedule and well before the summer rush to the beach.”
Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director at the Riders Alliance, said the return of A train service to the Rockaways is “great news for the whole city,” especially for those who live and travel to the peninsula.
“The repairs were essential and now that they’re complete, riders look forward to reliable, resilient service,” he said.
The most critical component that required fixing was the replacement of the structure and track on the Hammels Wye viaduct, where trains first enter the Rockaway Peninsula and continue either east to Far Rockaway or west to Rockaway Park. MTA officials have described the area as a “narrow chokepoint” that needed a full closure to get work done before the start of the city’s beach season.
NYC public beaches will reopen Memorial Day weekend.
