The MTA is set to suspend A train service to the Rockaways starting Jan 17.
Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit
As the MTA is set to suspend A train service in the Rockaways in mid-January, Queens local council member Joann Ariola has devised unique ways to manage the subway service suspension.
The MTA announced in early November that train service to the Rockaways would be suspended from Jan. 17 to May 19, affecting at least 9,000 daily riders living on the Rockway peninsula.
Trains on the A-line will be suspended between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Far Rockaway-Mott Ave. or Rockaway Park-Beach 116th St. Additionally, The Rockaway Park Shuttle will not run to or from Broad Channel.
The MTA enacted the suspension for the Rockaway Resiliency Project, which will repair the A-line over a 17-week period. The agency said the line suffered extensive damage after Superstorm Sandy. Although emergency repairs restored service seven months after the storm, MTA officials say Hammels Wye Viaduct and South Channel Bridge, which carry trains across Broad Channel, need extensive rehabilitation and repair work to protect the A-line from further extreme weather events.
Due to the train outages, the MTA has offered multiple alternative service offerings, including free shuttle buses, discounted LIRR fares at Far Rockaway Station, and a free Rockaway subway shuttle extended to serve all stations on the peninsula. Additionally, the city agency announced on Dec 11 that there would be additional select express bus service extensions to Averne and peak bus trips to and from Manhattan.
On a local level, Council Member Joann Ariola, representing District 32, worked with various organizations to provide even more travel support to her constituents living on the peninsula. Ariola presides over the neighborhoods of Howard Beach, Broad Channel, Glendale, Woodhaven, Ozone Park, and the western half of the Rockaway Peninsula.
Ariola told QNS…
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