Commuters in Brooklyn and Queens could be down a train next summer even before the L train shuts down for repairs.
The MTA said Thursday that M line repairs will begin in the summer of 2017, according to a press release.
There will be no M trains between the Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue and Myrtle Avenue stops for the first two months of repairs while the MTA fixes a bridge between the Fresh Pond Road and Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue stations, the MTA said.
Once the bridge is repaired, there will be an eight-month rebuild of a viaduct between the Myrtle Avenue and Central Avenue stations, the MTA said.
This construction is expected to take eight additional months, but during this time, there will be a shuttle train available between Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. The shuttle will not stop at the Knickerbocker Avenue and Central Avenue stations, which will remain closed the entire 10 months, the MTA said.
Shuttle buses will be available between Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue and Myrtle Avenue during the first two months, as well as between Myrtle and Myrtle-Wyckoff avenues during the second phase of construction.
NYC Transit president Veronique Hakim said these repairs are crucial for the safety of riders.
“Both of these structures have deteriorated to the point that there is simply no other option than complete replacement, and undergoing this step will ensure a safe, more reliable experience for customers for decades to come,” Hakim said in a statement.
The repairs should be done before the L train shutdown, which is expected to begin in late 2017 or early 2018. The MTA plans to shut down one half of the train’s Canarsie Tube at a time to repair damages left by superstorm Sandy, which could take three years to complete.
When construction begins on the M line, about 60,000 riders will lose service. M trains will run along the J and Z line between Marcy Avenue and Broadway Junction. J and Z trains will make all stops between Marcy Avenue and Broadway Junction, the MTA said.
