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'F' train to frustration: 'F,' 'G' subway riders in Brooklyn headed for lengthy shutt


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Subway riders on the (F) and (G) lines are in for a long, bumpy ride as a major construction project forces trains to skip stations - and straphangers to take shuttle buses.

 

The MTA board Wednesday is expected to award a $179 million contract to rebuild the Culver Viaduct, a crumbling concrete and steel structure above local streets and the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn's Carroll Gardens.

 

The (F) line is the third busiest in the system with more than 575,000 daily riders. The viaduct has two stations: Smith-9th Sts. and 4th Ave.-9th St.

 

Details and duration of the project are not yet clear but there's no doubt they are on the way, and could have a ripple affect beyond the borough.

 

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that bypassing stations on a heavily-used line will be tough for the riders," Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said Tuesday.

 

"It's necessary work to ensure the safety of the riding public but it's going to be a severe disruption."

 

Peter Cafiero, chief of operations planning for NYC Transit, told a Metropolitan Transportation Authority committee Monday the project will take four years.

 

He said planners were working to minimize rider impact and he'd present a detailed service plan at a later date.

 

Cafiero said that when local tracks are being replaced trains will use the middle rails, bypassing stations.

 

A NYC Transit presentation to Community Board 6 last year indicates that service options will change along the corridor as work progresses.

 

Depending on the phase, some riders will have to take shuttle buses or double-back and take a train south to another station and catch a northbound ride.

 

The first impact, Cafiero said, would be a benefit. Starting in the fall, the (G) train's route will be extended deeper into Brooklyn to Church Ave.

 

In a much needed glimmer of good news for the MTA, the contract to be approved by board Wednesday is $62.5 million less than originally estimated.

 

That is because more contractors are looking for work, increasing competition and lowering the price.

 

"This is one of the more encouraging things we've had turn up in procurement in quite some while," NYC Transit President Howard Roberts said.

 

The contract was slated to be awarded last year but was delayed as bidders asked for more time to put their proposals together, officials said.

 

The winning bidder was Judlau Contracting.

 

By Pete Donohue

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

February 24th 2009

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This should be fun for the next 2 or so years. Its about time they did this, that whole thing is about to come down. I use 15th Street- Prospect Park every day and I will not mind having to wait for the (F) because I know once done, the Smith Street line will be safer.

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Finally!

 

If the (F)(G) cant go over the Culver Viaduct now,where are they gonna get rerouted? Maybe (F) run in 2 sections,C.I To 7th Ave and 179 To Jay St? Or can they use the old lower level where the old Beregen and Caroll stations are and just bypass them and go express to 7 Ave?

 

http://www.secondavenuesagas.com/wp-content/uploads/Culver%20Presentation.pdf

Phase 1 - Set to kick off next fall, the first phase, lasting 15 months, will have only a minimal impact on the line. The center express tracks will be closed as crews will be conducting structural work on the viaduct. At this point, the G will begin running to Church Ave., and the F will run normally.

 

Phase 2A - During the second stage of work, things get dicey. For four months, the northbound local tracks will be out of service. The F and the G will run express from Church Ave. to Smith-9th Sts. with southbound trains providing service to 15th St.-Prospect Park and Ft. Hamilton Parkway. Northbound trains will service 4th Ave. via a temporary platform, and Smith-9th Sts. will be closed completely with shuttle bus service running along the path the train currently takes. Good thing that’s only four months in MTA time.

 

Phase 2B - The second part of Phase 2 will last 8 months, but service will slowly return to some semblance of normality. The F and G will run local on the northbound tracks except the trains will bypass Smith-9th Sts. for the first five months of this phase. Smith-9th Sts. will reopen after nine months of repairs and renovations in the middle of phase 2B, but at that point, northbound, only the G will stop there while southbound both the F and the G will service that station.

 

Phase 3A - This is, in effect, the opposite of Phase 2A. Southbound trains will run express from Smith-9th Sts. to Church Ave. with northbound service only to 15th St.-Prospect Park and Fort Hamilton Parkway. Temporary platforms will service southbound F and G riders at 4th Ave. and southbound G riders only at Smith-9th Sts. This phase will take around five months.

 

Phase 3B - The last ten months before things get back to normal constitute phase 3B. Here, F and G trains return to local service south of Smith-9th Sts., but Smith-9th Sts. will be service southbound by G trains on a temporary platform. Northbound service will be normal.

 

Phase 4 - For the last three months of work, riders along the newly-extended G line and F line won’t notice a thing. NYCT is installing new switches on the express tracks just north of 4th Ave. that should allow for that long-awaited F express service.

 

Originally written by Benjamin Kabak on the Second Ave Sagas. Originally written 26 November 2007

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If the (F)(G) cant go over the Culver Viaduct now,where are they gonna get rerouted? Maybe (F) run in 2 sections,C.I To 7th Ave and 179 To Jay St? Or can they use the old lower level where the old Beregen and Caroll stations are and just bypass them and go express to 7 Ave?
They will be running on the express lines, except I do not know how the (G) can run to Hoyt St., if they are running express.
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They will be running on the express lines, except I do not know how the (G) can run to Hoyt St., if they are running express.

 

I recall reading that they are going to install switches west of Smith 9th that would allow the F and G to go express before that station in order to bypass it. So the G could bypass stations without having to enter the lower level (it can't anyway)

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Thanks for the info MTR! :D

 

Wow this is gonna take so long,like 2 years. But its good there doing this,and the (G) gets extended to Church Av and after this project is finished we might get Culver express service! I wonder if there gonna make the (G) the Culver Exp or extend the (V) and make it the Culver Exp. I say it would be better if they made the (G) the Culver Exp.

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I REALLY hope this leads to a full (F) express. As in, stops at Bergen lower level uses the express tracks which means it passes 4th Avenue and Smith 9th Street stops at 7th Avenue and uses the express tracks to church. The (G) can be local to Church Avenue.

 

The (G) can't handle the crowd that the (F) get's during rush hour. An (F) express that skips 4th Avenue would be a BAD idea.

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The (G) can't handle the crowd that the (F) get's during rush hour. An (F) express that skips 4th Avenue would be a BAD idea.

 

It will happen 1 direction at a time or so it looked like on a plan I saw a while ago. What else can they do when then rehab the structure at 4th Ave? Remember its not a normal station rehab were elevators and new tiles are all thats done, its the actual structure thats being repaired.

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It will happen 1 direction at a time or so it looked like on a plan I saw a while ago. What else can they do when then rehab the structure at 4th Ave? Remember its not a normal station rehab were elevators and new tiles are all thats done, its the actual structure thats being repaired.

 

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=91464&postcount=12

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(F) down the Sea Beach again?

 

i dont think they'll actually put the (F) train to run on the (N) line, unless they have a major G.O. where they'll eventually make the (F) trains run on the (D) line, and the (F) line will have a (S) train operate from Stillwell Av to Church Av, and another (S) train from Church Av to 4 Ave-9 St where (D)(R) service can be available, then a shuttle bus to Jay St where (A)(C) service is available.

 

*in a situation like this, the (D) will run local via 4 Ave as an alternate for 6 Ave customers. its happened plenty of times.

 

or if the (F) runs on the (D) line in both directions, then the (D) can operate via 4 Av Exp, normally, and the (F) can run via 4 Av Local to make that 9 St-4 Ave stop. i highly doubt they'll do that, but you'll never know, Thats the (MTA).

 

therefore, i dont think they'll have the (F) run on the (N) line because of the culver viaduct construction, but then again, you'll never know, that's the (MTA), lol.

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