amNewYork Metro, in conjunction with the MTA, present “Ask the MTA,” a column where MTA officials answer your questions about transit service in New York City. If you have a question for the MTA about subways, buses, commuter rails and more, email askthemta@amny.com.
Q: I go to City College. What’s the status of the project underway at the 137 St subway station? Fausto R., Harlem
A: Major construction should wrap up by early 2026. Crews are installing a new elevator to make the station fully accessible. They’re also widening staircases and making some critical state of good repair improvements.
You can track the progress of the 137 St-City College project and many others on the MTA’s new and improved Capital Program Dashboard. It can tell you what’s being built or replaced, where it’s happening, what the budget is, how much has been spent, and when it will be completed. – Bhargav Shah, Assistant Vice President/Deputy Program Executive, MTA Construction and Development
Q: Why is the MTA swapping the F and M lines between Manhattan and Queens? Gina B., Elmhurst
A: We’re making the swap to cut down on delays for riders. In this case, we analyzed service data to identify a major chokepoint near Queens Plaza, where E, F and M trains wait to cross over each other before continuing along their routes. Eliminating this merge reduces the time spent sitting at red signals.
So, during our busiest hours when the M operates on Queens Boulevard – weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. – the F and M lines will permanently swap to help keep trains moving without interruption. During that window, F trains will stop at Queens Plaza, Court Square-23 St, Lexington Av-53 St and 5 Av–53 St, while the M will make stops at 21 St-Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av-63 St and 57 St.
You can learn more about the swap online at mta.info/fmswap. – Bill Amarosa Jr., Executive Vice President of Subways, New York City Transit
Q: I saw photos on Instagram of turnstiles being removed at Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center station. What’s going on there? Joseph L., Prospect Heights
A: Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center is one of several locations where we’ll be testing next-generation fare gates in coming weeks. Riders will have a chance to try out four prototypes currently under consideration by the MTA for inclusion in the 2025-2029 Capital Plan, which will invest more than a billion dollars in new gates at 150 stations systemwide. We’ll announce the winning design after the pilot is completed. – Jamie Torres-Springer, MTA Construction and Development President
