MTA, PANYNJ offering substitute service while completing major rail infrastructure work

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) are offering substitute services while major rail infrastructure work will be completed during the next several months. 

MTA 

On Nov. 14, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed a wide-ranging substitute service plan to support transit riders in the Rockaways, as the A and S lines undergo critical resiliency and rehabilitation work this winter. According to MTA, riders will have a variety of service alternatives during this period including free shuttle buses, steep discounts on fares at the Long Island Rail Road’s Far Rockaway Station and a free shuttle train extended to serve all stations on the peninsula between Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park. 

“While these construction plans and changes will create a faster and more reliable transportation experience in and out of the Rockaways for our New Yorkers, we are also cognizant of the burden it will have on residents’ commutes,” Gov. Hochul said. “This service plan helps us ensure that we can take care of our residents while transforming their transit experience and ensuring that we provide fair and reliable transportation alternatives as we carry out the resiliency plan.”   

The MTA will be completely reconstructing and rebuilding the Hammels Wye Viaduct, an elevated structure that allows A train service to split between west-bound to Rockaway Park and east-bound to Far Rockaway. The project also will make critical repairs to the South Channel Bridge. Together, Hammels Wye and the South Channel Bridge link the Rockaway Peninsula with the rest of Queens and are part of a $393 million investment to ensure reliable service on the Rockaway Line for the next 50 years.   

“It’s time to make the A train more reliable and resilient for Rockaway riders and this plan is the fastest and most efficient way to do it. I’m confident the NYC Transit team will deliver on fast and frequent alternative service while work is underway — just as they did for G train customers over the summer,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.  

“We can't wait any longer to protect the Rockaway Line from the threats of climate change. This project will ensure safe, reliable transit in the Rockaways for decades to come and MTA Construction & Development (C&D) will deliver it better, faster and cheaper,” said MTA C&D President Jamie Torres-Springer. 

PANYNJ 

On Oct. 31, 2024, PANYNJ revealed that the PATH Hoboken station will be closed from late evening Jan. 30, 2025, to early morning Feb. 25, 2025, as part of the agency’s two-year, $430 million PATH Forward program. 

During the closure, PANYNJ will carry out critical safety repairs and improvements across several elements of the 116-year-old system. PANYNJ notes the full station closure enables the agency to complete track and station work on an expedited basis that would otherwise necessitate severe schedule reductions and service suspensions repetitively over a prolonged period.  

Track work will include replacing in-station track, replacing the track switching network outside the station and repairing 4,500 linear feet of track leading to the station. Station work will include refurbishing the concrete platform surface and replacing four stairways between the station’s mezzanine and platform levels. 

PANYNJ has worked with regional transit partners to provide riders with extensive travel alternatives while work is completed. Those alternatives will include expanded ferry service, frequent shuttle buses to other PATH stations and supplemental PATH, light rail, and New Jersey Transit bus service between Hoboken and Manhattan.   

“This closure will undoubtedly pose challenges for Hoboken riders and we recognize the impact it will have on their daily routines,” said PANYNJ Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “The PATH system is a vital connection in our region and this work is crucial to ensuring it remains safe, reliable and efficient for the thousands who depend on it every day. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our riders as we work to strengthen this essential infrastructure.” 

“We recognize that a full station closure is disruptive but it allows us to fast-track extensive repair work within the station and critical infrastructure around it that otherwise would have involved years of intermittent closures if we performed it piecemeal,” said PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We are committed to full transparency throughout this process and providing an array of travel alternatives during the closure.”  

Hoboken station is scheduled to close at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 30. It is scheduled to reopen at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The full closure enables PATH to simultaneously advance multiple projects. PANYNJ says the projects, all included in the PATH Forward program, will improve rail service reliability and the overall passenger experience at Hoboken. They include: 

• Replacement of Hoboken Interlocking and tracks: PATH will replace in-station tracks and the Hoboken Interlocking, the intricate system of tracks and switches that allows all service from two tunnels to access three tracks at the Hoboken station. PANYNJ notes that without the continuous 25 day outage, the work by itself would require four complete weekend shutdowns due to the scale and location of the interlocking and an additional 50 consecutive days of significantly reduced service levels in and out of Hoboken due to the reduction in station track capacity required to maintain safe operations during the construction.    
• Track repair and maintenance work: PATH will repair 4,500 linear feet of track in the two tunnels leading into the station. PANYNJ notes the continuous 25-day outage prevents a full year of weekend service reductions that would otherwise be required to complete the work.   
• Restoration of passenger infrastructure: PATH will replace the concrete walking surfaces in public areas throughout the station and replace four staircases between the station’s mezzanine and platform levels. According to the PANYNJ, performing the most disruptive work during the outage will reduce a 28-weekend timeline of disruption to customers (selective closures, rerouting of passengers, etc.) at Hoboken. The agency coordinated the rehabilitation with the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office and the Hoboken Historic Preservation Commission.   

PANYNJ utilized outside expertise in evaluating the PATH system’s needs and potential work schedules. Consultants identified a full station closure as the best option to simultaneously complete the three projects. The agency has also collaborated with outside experts to develop a work plan based on the industry’s best practices. The agency planned the closure for a time of year that traditionally sees lower daily ridership levels.   

During the closure, a multitude of travel alternatives will be offered, though the agency says customers may still experience crowding and lines. All alternative travel options are ADA-accessible. 

“PATH is continually striving to create the best possible travel experience for our customers,” said PATH Director and General Manager Clarelle DeGraffe. “We recognize the inconvenience our customers will experience during this period of essential infrastructure and station rehabilitation and we appreciate their patience and understanding, as we work to make this 116-year-old rail network more reliable.”