MTA to complete reconstruction on M line Fresh Pond Bridge on time

Written by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor
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The reconstruction of Fresh Pond Bridge on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) M line is on schedule for a September 1 completion.

This marks the end of the first phase of the $163-million project to replace two deteriorating M line overpasses. MTA says that the rebuild was “essential” to “ensure safe and reliable service for thousands of customers in Brooklyn and Queens.” Completion of the first phase of this project will allow the restoration of train service to four stations on the Myrtle Avenue line in Queens.

Phase 2 work on the elevated tracks atop the Myrtle Viaduct will begin on Saturday, September 2. This century-old, 310-foot-long concrete structure connects the M with the J and Z lines and MTA says it has been in daily, non-stop use since it was built in 1913. The aging concrete deck has deteriorated after decades of heavy use and exposure to inclement weather and will be replaced along with the tracks and other infrastructure.

The reconstruction of the Myrtle Viaduct, which is located between the Myrtle Av J, M and Z and Central Av M stations, involves building a concrete deck structure and safety walkways and installing new third rail, low-vibration tracks, new steel columns, new foundations and new drainage. Train service will be fully suspended on the overpass to allow for a complete demolition and provide unencumbered access to workers. Construction is expected to take eight months.

“Work is on schedule for this critical M line reconstruction project that is sorely needed on the Myrtle Avenue Line. Without rebuilding the Myrtle Viaduct and the Fresh Pond Bridge, we would not be able to continue to run M trains safely because the deteriorating condition of these structures are getting to a point beyond what our crews can fix during routine maintenance. We thank our customers for their patience and we hope they will agree that the short-term inconvenience now will be worth the improved reliability moving forward,” said MTA Managing Director Veronique Hakim.

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