NY MTA Restores Almost All Service for Monday Morning Rush

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will operate almost all mass transit services in time for the Monday morning rush hour, after much of the MTA network was suspended during this weekend’s blizzard. This includes restoring service for nearly 80 percent of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) customers, as well as restoring service on the Metro-North Railroad and outdoor subway lines in New York City.

Customers should check www.mta.info to check the status of all MTA services before beginning their journeys, as some details may change as restoration efforts continue.

Long Island Rail Road

Seven of the LIRR’s 12 branches, representing the majority of LIRR service, will be fully operational by 5 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 25. Those seven branches are Port Washington, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, Huntington, Babylon and Greenport. Partial service will also be offered on the Montauk branch as far as Speonk.

Despite significant progress that has been made so far, additional work is required before service can be restored on the Hempstead, West Hempstead, Far Rockaway and Long Beach branches. Those four branches are relatively close to MTA bus and subway services that can be used as alternatives. To clear these branches, LIRR has deployed all available staff and equipment, as well as dozens of additional personnel and plows, loaders and snow blowers deployed by the state Department of Transportation. The work being done by this full deployment includes clearing tracks, stations, platforms, parking lots and maintenance yards of snow and ice, as well as running de-icing trains along the tracks to clear the third rails.

LIRR service to Atlantic Terminal will remain temporarily suspended. However, LIRR tickets will be cross-honored on subways to support any commuters who usually travel to Atlantic Terminal.

The MTA and multiple state agencies are working to restore service on all lines before the morning rush and customers should continue to checkwww.mta.info for service updates or changes in service.

New York City Subway

Almost all outdoor segments of the MTA New York City Transit subway system, including the Staten Island Railway, have reopened this afternoon, and will be prepared to offer normal service for the Monday morning rush. The only exceptions are the Q train in Brooklyn and the Franklin Avenue Shuttle. Recovery work on those two lines is moving well, and customers should monitor www.mta.infoto learn when they reopen.

New York City Buses

All express and local buses resumed service at 7 a.m. this morning, though some face significant diversions because of local road conditions as snow recovery efforts continue. Service is expected to be normal for the Monday morning rush, but customers should check www.mta.info to learn of any diversions on their bus routes.

Metro-North Railroad

Metro-North will run its normal weekday schedule Monday morning. There may be canceled and combined trains throughout the system as Metro-North continues to clear tracks, switches and yards of snow and ice from this weekend's storm. Customers should continue to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys as snow removal work continues.

For customers traveling southbound to Melrose and Tremont, trains will not stop at these stations. Please get off at Harlem-125th Street Station and take a local Harlem Line train north stopping at Melrose and Tremont stations. Customers wishing to travel southbound from Melrose or Tremont stations should use Fordham station. They can also take the MTA’s Bx41 Select Bus Service bus from Fordham to Melrose, where

Metro-North tickets will be cross-honored. This service change will be in effect through tomorrow due to third rail power issues as a result of the significant snow accumulations.

Pascack Valley Line and Port Jervis Line customers should visit www.njtransit.com for the latest service information.