Petition: Weekend L Train Shutdowns Will Be Detrimental To Brooklyn Businesses

[BreeddekalbL]

 

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Some Brooklyn residents have launched a petition calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to cancel plans to shut down the L Train for five weekends in April and May.

The MTA plans to shut down the L Train between the terminal at Eighth Avenue and 14th Street in Manhattan, and the Lorimer Street stop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for five straight weekends between April 11 and May 18, according to the MTA and published reports.

Service shutdowns on the L Train were also to go into effect for the overnight hours beginning late Tuesday night, and continue for nine weeks. Between 11:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. Monday through Friday during that period of time, there will also be no service between Eighth Avenue and Lorimer Street, the MTA said.

Business owners in Williamsburg and Bushwick have launched a petition calling on the MTA to stop the weekend L Train shutdowns later this spring, saying they would be devastating for local businesses.

“Each gallery, restaurant and retail shop relies heavily on this weekend traffic,” the petition said. “If people cannot easily get the neighborhoods along the L line, like Williamsburg and Bushwick, all businesses suffer immeasurably.”

The petitioners said some merchants could even be forced out of business by the service changes.

“When the L train closed for a number of weekends several years ago, many businesses in Williamsburg were so sorely impacted they were forced to close,” the petition said. “This closure will surely have the same devastating effect.”

The petition said the L Train is the lifeline between Manhattan and some of the most popular neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and the spring season is the most crucial time for businesses in the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods.

The petitioners said they understand that repair work needs to be done, but asked that it be put off until August – when tourism and ridership drop off and some businesses cut back their hours for the summer.

As of Tuesday night, the petition had just over 100 signatures. Petitioners were seeking 1,000.

The MTA has said the work cannot be rescheduled because it would affect other planned work on the J, Z and G trains, according to a DNAInfo report.

During both the overnight and weekend L Train shutdowns, a shuttle bus will provide alternate service from Lorimer Street to Bedford Avenue, and on to the Marcy Avenue J Train station during the overnight hours.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/24/petition-weekend-l-train-shutdowns-will-be-detrimental-to-brooklyn-businesses/

QUIET HIPSTERS! IT'S ESSENTAL WORK!!!!           

[MysteriousBtrain]

I understand the reason for the petition, but I'm pretty sure it's not the end of the world if the gets a few weekends off. Late night service might be too much though.

[Art Vandelay]

They are really going to enjoy it when the Sandy rebuild happens!

[Tokkemon]

You know what else would be detrimental to Business? Having the line shut down completely because of deferred maintenance!

[MysteriousBtrain]

You know what else would be detrimental to Business? Having the line shut down completely because of deferred maintenance!

They say businesses can't live without a connection to Manhattan. Imagine the rest of Brooklyn on the Canarsie being cut. Now you have the businesses being completely screwed according to this logic.

Seriously, I'm 90% sure that the is likely to be extended at this time. If not, then you can be upset.

[Javier]

Okay, let's take this from both sides:

 

:

These weekend shutdowns will help improve service.

It will fix problems like signals and tracks so that delays do not happen often.

It will help upgrade the to get it to be the best line.

 

People of Brooklyn:

No service means people can't use mass transit to come to our stores or restaurants.

We might lose money and lose our business.

This has already happened before with other people who lost their business.

This is the most populated neighbor hood.

People need mass transit to come to our business so we don't go bankrupt.

 

So, what side are you on?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I understand the reason for the petition, but I'm pretty sure it's not the end of the world if the gets a few weekends off. Late night service might be too much though.

It is if you rely upon the for your daily commute.  

 

Okay, let's take this from both sides:

 

:

These weekend shutdowns will help improve service.

It will fix problems like signals and tracks so that delays do not happen often.

It will help upgrade the to get it to be the best line.

 

People of Brooklyn:

No service means people can't use mass transit to come to our stores or restaurants.

We might lose money and lose our business.

This has already happened before with other people who lost their business.

This is the most populated neighbor hood.

People need mass transit to come to our business so we don't go bankrupt.

 

So, what side are you on?

I would be interested in knowing what exactly they are doing and why is service on the line knocked out so frequently... I have a friend who lives along the line and I can remember going back to the 2000s having service knocked out or running in sections.  This is not a long line so it's ridiculous that service is constantly interrupted.

[Fresh Pond]

As with the other tunnels during Sandy, it got flooded out. It aint the end of the world, so what if you lose your direct connection into the city for a few weekends, that's the whole point of having alternatives.

 

I'm not happy about this either, but if it has to be done then so be it.

[Art Vandelay]

This isn't the sandy rebuild. When that happens, it will be a much bigger deal than this is. 

[LTA1992]

When will these people realize that this maintenance is needed? Do they think they are the only businesses affected in when any shutdown happens in this city?

[MysteriousBtrain]

It is if you rely upon the for your daily commute. 

Of course you would be upset if you use it everyday, but if something needs to be repaired, find an alternative route.

I mean, do you want the 1970's all over again?

[CDTA]

Personally, I would cancel the shutdowns just so that when the line is constantly failing they have no one but themselves to blame, and hopefully regret ever signing such a stupid petition. And maybe, if we're lucky, other neighborhoods will follow suit and realize, maybe we need maintenance.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Of course you would be upset if you use it everyday, but if something needs to be repaired, find an alternative route.

I mean, do you want the 1970's all over again?

Nobody is questioning the need for repair but perhaps it could be better coordinated.

[QM1to6Ave]

One issue I always have with these shut downs is that the shuttle bus sevice could be so much better. Now, obviously the buses are not going to be as good as the subway since there is street traffic and each bus holds waaaaay less people than a train. That being said, I see a lot of these shuttle buses running completely empty until big crush times where there are suddenly way too many people and not enough buses. I think there needs to be dispatchers near the main stops who can better coordinate the buses so that they have buses available at busier times. 

[Tokkemon]

Nobody is questioning the need for repair but perhaps it could be better coordinated.

In what way?

[MTA Dude]

There is always ferry service and the . They should run shuttle service between Bedford and Marcy.

[Javier]

Tell me, what is better?

 

Holding off maintenance which could jepordize the and cause more delays, and even the ones who sign this petition gets stuck in a delay

 

OR

 

Let the do their job, and make the more better for your business.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Tell me, what is better?

 

Holding off maintenance which could jepordize the and cause more delays, and even the ones who sign this petition gets stuck in a delay

 

OR

 

Let the do their job, and make the more better for your business.

Even with these suggestions, the problem is, they say that if the doesn't run THEIR WAY, they're gonna be b.s.ing about how they don't have any costumers, specifically from Manhattan.

Honestly, one way or another, whether it is tomorrow or next year, every line needs to be checked for maintenance and you need to accept it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Even with these suggestions, the problem is, they say that if the doesn't run THEIR WAY, they're gonna be b.s.ing about how they don't have any costumers, specifically from Manhattan.

Honestly, one way or another, whether it is tomorrow or next year, every line needs to be checked for maintenance and you need to accept it.

This is correct, but the issue is how it is done, and that's the problem here.

 

One issue I always have with these shut downs is that the shuttle bus sevice could be so much better. Now, obviously the buses are not going to be as good as the subway since there is street traffic and each bus holds waaaaay less people than a train. That being said, I see a lot of these shuttle buses running completely empty until big crush times where there are suddenly way too many people and not enough buses. I think there needs to be dispatchers near the main stops who can better coordinate the buses so that they have buses available at busier times. 

Agreed!!

 

In what way?

Shall I name the ways: As QM1 said, better coordinate shuttle service.  Shuttle service continues to be poorly managed.  Improve alternative bus and subway options and have an actual plan so that there as little disruption as possible.  Given how many people will be impacted by this, it's imperative that this is done properly.

 

Tell me, what is better?

 

Holding off maintenance which could jepordize the and cause more delays, and even the ones who sign this petition gets stuck in a delay

 

OR

 

Let the do their job, and make the more better for your business.

The has a history of communicating poorly.  Numerous businesses on the Upper East Side have shuttered due to the 2nd Avenue subway project, and many owners argued that it was the who killed their business and I have to agree.  When you have projects going on for MONTHS, there has to be constant open communication about what is happening and changes.  With construction projects and maintenance projects, there will almost ALWAYS be changes, and what's important is that those changes are dealt with accordingly.  The didn't try to improve the situation in the above case unitl too much damage has been done, and I think many fear that they'll endure a similar fate.  These projects deal with A LOT of subcontractors on site, and sometimes the can't manage everything. They admit that they aren't as experienced as they would like to be on the construction side, and therefore, it's wise of the communities involved to be vocal from the start to protect their interests.

[Fresh Pond]

Notices get put up in stations up to a week in advance of the actual disruption. Every car, every other station column, and recently a color mini map poster showing the alternatives (because just reading it was too hard apparently). I still don't understand why every time a G.O happens, people act like there was no warning.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Notices get put up in stations up to a week in advance of the actual disruption. Every car, every other station column, and recently a color mini map poster showing the alternatives (because just reading it was too hard apparently). I still don't understand why every time a G.O happens, people act like there was no warning.

It's understandable that people may not know about it.  People don't go around looking for G.O.'s.  When I take the subway, I'm interested in getting from one place to another as quickly as possible.  Now if I happen to see something posted I will look, but nobody has time to go all over looking for that nonsense.  It's the (MTA)'s responsbility to make every effort to keep their customers updated about changes to their commutes, and overall I find that they do a horrible job on that end.  Now I make an effort to check for changes to my commute on the website when taking the express bus due to the waits involved and the amount of time that detours can eat into my commute, but with the frequency of subways, it's less likely that people would check.

[Cait Sith]

Anyone remembers the shuttle when they did Sandy repairs?

According to the people that used that(and the L), that was the best thing to happen to them. That shuttle was pretty coordinated to me....

 

It's understandable that people may not know about it.  People don't go around looking for G.O.'s.  When I take the subway, I'm interested in getting from one place to another as quickly as possible.  Now if I happen to see something posted I will look, but nobody has time to go all over looking for that nonsense.  It's the (MTA)'s responsbility to make every effort to keep their customers updated about changes to their commutes, and overall I find that they do a horrible job on that end.  Now I make an effort to check for changes to my commute on the website when taking the express bus due to the waits involved and the amount of time that detours can eat into my commute, but with the frequency of subways, it's less likely that people would check.

They do, people are just genuinely stupid, especially since there's more than one way to find out about these things. People are even informed about using mta.info to find out about the latest changes and whatnot. There's notices on the platforms, mezzanines and even IN the subway cars in many different languages at that, folks just refuse to pay attention to them. You can't blame the TA for other people's stupidity and lack of attentiveness.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Anyone remembers the shuttle when they did Sandy repairs?

 

According to the people that used that(and the L), that was the best thing to happen to them. That shuttle was pretty coordinated to me....

 

They do, people are just genuinely stupid, especially since there's more than one way to find out about these things. People are even informed about using mta.info to find out about the latest changes and whatnot. There's notices on the platforms, mezzanines and even IN the subway cars in many different languages at that, folks just refuse to pay attention to them. You can't blame the TA for other people's stupidity and lack of attentiveness.

It's a combination of stupidity on both ends.  The train coordination is one of the few situations where the did a good job.  The problem is they aren't consistent.  I have been burned quite a few times by the website and misinformed  employees, as have others.

[Fresh Pond]

You completely glossed over what I said...

 

The posters are not hard to find at all. Its damn near impossible to not run into a G.O poster since they're plastered everywhere. The weekender gets updated every Wednesday for the upcoming weekend G.O and there's multiple apps for phones that tell you how to get around the service changes.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You completely glossed over what I said...

 

The posters are not hard to find at all. Its damn near impossible to not run into a G.O poster since they're plastered everywhere. The weekender gets updated every Wednesday for the upcoming weekend G.O and there's multiple apps for phones that tell you how to get around the service changes.

Not at all.  I gave my own personal experiences when I ride the subway.  When they shut down service early due to "winter conditions" , there are barely any posters put up at any of the stations, so your comments are simply not accurate about them communicating so effectively when there are changes in the system.