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The L line runs from Eighth Avenue and 14th Street in Manhattan to Rockaway Parkway in Brooklyn, making it one of only three crosstown subway lines in Manhattan.
The L train’s daily weekday ridership between Manhattan and Brooklyn is 225,000, while its daily ridership along the entire line is 400,000, according to the MTA. Ridership on the L line has more than doubled since 1990, the MTA said.
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Photo Credit: Anthony Lanzilote -
The contract that the MTA approved for the Canarsie Tunnel rehabilitation is projected to cost $477 million.
According to Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan), the MTA was awarded $5 billion in federal Sandy aid, and funds for the infrastructure improvements on the Canarsie Tunnel were prioritized.
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Photo Credit: Anthony Lanzilote
Freaking out about the L train shutdown? You’re not alone. The L train plays an integral role in getting hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers between Manhattan and Brooklyn every day.
In 2012, superstorm Sandy’s surge flooded the Canarsie Tunnel under the East River with millions of gallons of salt water, causing severe damage.
In response, the MTA said it would need to shut down the L train between Manhattan and Brooklyn for 15 months beginning April 27, 2019, so that it could make critical repairs.
The state-run agency and the city Department of Transportation have since unveiled a comprehensive plan to mitigate the effects of the shutdown. The agencies also released an analysis of the potential environmental impacts the mitigation plan, dubbed the Alternative Service Plan, could have on the city.
The City Council, meanwhile, has passed several bills aimed at keeping commuters informed and the agencies accountable during the rehabilitation project.
Below, find out more about Sandy’s impact, the shutdown plan, the official transportation alternatives, community input and the unofficial proposals that have been floated by others.
