This weekend begins the intensive work on the Sandy-ravaged tunnel on the R and (late night) N line connecting Court Street station to Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan, scheduled to last until October of 2014. On weekends (presumably this means from 11:30 p.m. Friday and 5:00 a.m. Monday) and late at night (again presumably 11:30 to 5:00) Monday to Friday, the trains will run in both directions on the Q line over the Manhattan Bridge between DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn and Canal Street in Manhattan. On weekdays (presumably from 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.) R trains will run between Court Street and 95th Street in Bay Ridge in both directions. They will also run between Whitehall Street in Manhattan and all points north in Manhattan and Queens.

There are no other planned diversions or cancellations directly affecting service at any local stations this coming weekend or the following week. For planned service changes, including skipped stations, that may affect your travel plans on other parts of the system, please consult MTA Info or The Weekender.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/61431

Subway service on the R train from Brooklyn Heights may not be returning before the end of the year. According to MTA in the New York Daily News, “The line’s Montague Street Tunnel, which connects Brooklyn and Manhattan, saw more flooding than any of the eight subway tubes inundated by superstorm Sandy.”

In addition, “Water from an unprecedented sea surge cascaded down a tunnel ventilation shaft at the southern tip of Manhattan, and it rushed down the stairs of the Whitehall St./South Ferry station. The volume of water in the tunnel was so great it extended up a steep incline into Brooklyn Heights, about four blocks from the riverbank. It stopped about 500 feet from Court Street station.”

MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota says, “That’s a long distance and the water was floor to ceiling. “The tunnel and the equipment was severely damaged.” NYC Transit President Thomas Prendergast said it will probably take at least two or three weeks to repair and replace signals, signal relays and other equipment. (Photo: The Brooklyn Paper)

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51893

An article in Time titled “New York Transit System’s Openness about Sandy Recovery Makes New Yorkers Hate Them Less,” posted November 8, discusses MTA’s clean-up efforts following Hurricane Sandy, including 15 dramatic video clips uploaded in the past week showing their ongoing efforts.

Relevant to Brooklyn Heights: “The Montague Street Tunnel, which brings the R train under the river between Brooklyn Heights and Manhattan’s Battery Park, was inundated by millions of gallons of water and is still being dried out.” The L train, as we know, is also still AWOL… Sigh… One at a time.

The piece concludes, “The MTA is keeping commuters updated on every movement via YouTube and social media. It’s all very 21st century for a transit system with its roots in the 19th century. Fixing these problems has required bringing in powerful machinery—not to mention an Army Corps of Engineers ‘dewatering’ team from Illinois—as well of thousands of hours of overtime work by MTA employees. And riders, inconvenienced or not, are gaining a modicum of respect for the authority that is normally among the most hated-on in New York City.”

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51713

Service to and from Manhattan, as well as into Brooklyn, has been restored on the 2 and 3 line at Clark Street and Borough Hall, and on the F line at Jay Street/Metro Tech and at York Street in DUMBO. So, counting the 4/5 line at Borough Hall, there are now three options for Manhattan service from local stations. There is still no Manhattan service on the A/C line at High Street or Jay Street, or on the R/N line at Court Street or Jay Street. Service on the G train remains suspended.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51259

MTA is advising that as of Saturday, subway service has been restored between the Bronx and Brooklyn on the entire Lexington Avenue 4/5/6 route. For Brooklyn Heights, that means 4/5 trains are again running from Borough Hall into Manhattan. See updated Hurricane Recovery map here. (Photo: CT)

In addition, MTA sent a Tweet that the 2/3 line is also expected to return over the weekend. Of course, that links Brooklyn Heights to Manhattan at both Clark Street and Borough Hall. As well, D, F, M and J trains are supposed to resume service into Brooklyn this weekend. The No. 7 line has been restored from Midtown into Queens.

Wall Street Journal: “New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that 80% of service in the New York City subway system has been restored, including critical under-river connections between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.”

MTA says some East River tubes will remain flooded through at least Monday. South Ferry and the washed-out A in the Rockaways will remain out of service indefinitely. PATH service between New York and New Jersey also suspended indefinitely.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51132

MTA is advising that as of Saturday, subway service has been restored between the Bronx and Brooklyn on the entire Lexington Avenue 4/5/6 route. For Brooklyn Heights, this means that 4/5 trains are again running from Borough Hall into Manhattan. See updated Hurricane Recovery map here.

In addition, MTA sent a Twitter message that the 2/3 line is also expected to return over the weekend. Of course, that links Brooklyn Heights to Manhattan at both Clark Street and Borough Hall.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51132

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50747

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50747

Subway service into Brooklyn: There will be subway service between some local stations and destinations within Brooklyn. 4 trains will run between Borough Hall and New Lots Avenue, making all local stops. To get to Flatbush, change to a 5 train at Atlantic Avenue/Barclays Center. A trains will run between Jay Street and Lefferts Boulevard. F trains will run between Jay Street and Avenue X. R trains will run between Jay Street and 95th Street. There will be no service at Clark Street, Court Street, High Street, or York Street, and no G train service.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50847

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50291

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50323

State Assemblywoman Joan Millman has started a petition drive on the website Change.org to restore service on the B71 bus along Union Street. She notes that this bus has been a valuable transportation resource for residents of the Columbia Street Waterfont District, Carroll Gardens, and Boerum Hill. She will be testifying at an MTA board meeting next week, and needs as many signatures as possible before next Tuesday, July 24. You can sign the petition here.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7606

It’s another green light weekend, as there are no, repeat no, planned disruptions affecting service at any of the local subway stations. For those planning weekend trips that involve trains not serving local stations, or service in far-flung portions of those lines that do converge here, the MTA has created an interactive subway map, The Weekender, that can help you.

The following week, the only planned change affecting service here is that from 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday to Friday, there will be no 3 trains running in either direction. However, 2 trains will be running on the same route, serving both Clark Street and Borough Hall stations.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/42413

At last, it will be clear tracks in all directions this weekend on lines serving local subway stations. Those using the A/C line for travel to and from Manhattan should know that on Saturday and Sunday Brooklyn bound C trains will not be making their usual local stops between 145th Street and Canal Street. If you’re coming back from the Upper West Side, Midtown West, or Chelsea, you can catch a southbound D train, which will be making the usual C train stops, and take it to 125th, 59th, 42nd, 14th, or West 4th, where you can change to a Brooklyn bound A or C. From Soho, catch the E train at Spring Street and go one stop to Canal, where you can change to the A or C.

The following week, from 12:01 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, there will again be no service on the 4/5 line to or from Brooklyn. As before, the 3 train, which will be running normally during these hours, will have its route extended to New Lots Avenue for the convenience of those traveling into Brooklyn. Also, at the same times, Brooklyn bound A trains will be re-routed to the F line between West 4th and Jay Street-Metro Tech. Consequently, there will be no Brooklyn bound service at High Street (the C doesn’t run during these hours). North Heights residents returning late at night can take and A or F to Jay and change there for a Manhattan bound A to High Street or, more likely, use the 2 or 3 tho Clark Street or N (which replaces the R late at night) to Court Street.

Photo: Storify.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/41475