MTA develops Line Segment Closure Program

Seeking a new way to minimize rider inconvenience, maintain worker safety and reduce the overall time it takes to complete major track and signal repair work, Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit has developed a limited line and track closure initiative aimed at lessening the impacts of major construction projects. Finding adequate time to perform track and signal work remains a daunting challenge while running a system that operates 24/7. Inspecting, repairing and replacing tracks, signals, power supply and infrastructure is necessary work vital to the safety of customers and employees, often requiring a series of service suspensions or slowdowns in order to be performed. "We are one of the few transit systems that operate around the clock, so it's always a challenge to find time to do work on the tracks, especially with ridership up on weekends and overnight," said MTA New York City Transit President Tom Prendergast. "Closing segments of lines so that we can get in and get the work done quickly benefits everyone; it's safer for workers, less disruptive for riders and gets projects done more quickly for everyone." Transit's Line Segment Closure Program would shut portions of subway lines overnight for consecutive nights so that workers could go in and perform tasks without having to periodically stop while trains pass through the work site. Working this way will improve efficiency because employees will not have to cease their tasks every few minutes and move out of the way as a train passes before returning to their positions and continuing their jobs. Not running trains will also allow MTA to shut off power to the third rail, increasing employee safety. Performing work in this manner is expected to shorten the overall duration of projects, minimizing customer inconvenience and maximizing worker safety. Carefully planned, such closures would only be employed where alternate service is available. Four lines running through the central business district have been identified for the line closures, which will take place over four consecutive weeknights between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The lines are the Eighth Ave (A,C,E), Seventh Ave (1,2,3), Sixth Ave (B,D,F,M) and Lexington Ave (4,5,6). The initial pilot is planned for the week of January 9th, 2012 and involves the Lexington Ave. Line. During that period, service will be suspended between Grand Central/42nd Street and Atlantic Ave, while crews work on the tracks and signals and perform a thorough cleaning of the roadbed. In addition to the line closures, similar closures for capital track work will also be piloted. This would mean closing a track segment on a continuous basis, rather than performing work in a piecemeal fashion over a longer period of time. Closures for track capital track work typically takes place on nights and weekends, with trains traveling at slow speeds over the affected areas during daytime hours. Performing this type of work in this manner has caused multiple weeks of slow speed orders and nights and weekend work. Comparing a conventional project with a capital shutdown would mean nine continuous days of shutdown compared with eight weekend and 20 weeknight shutdowns for a total of 36 days of work. Aside from lessening customer inconvenience, working this way is projected to generate a cost savings of $1.3 million. Closing track segments for up to 24 hours a day for about 16 days will allow the completion of work and restoration of full service weeks sooner than part-time closures. Performing capital track work this way has the double benefit of shortening project duration while restoring full service for customers