Just in time for summer, A train service to the Rockaways will resume later this month following a four-month shutdown. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that regular service will return on May 19, restoring subway access for the more than 9,000 daily commuters who travel in and out of the Rockaways. The shutdown, which began in January, allowed the agency to strengthen infrastructure against extreme weather and repair viaducts and bridges damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
The work focused primarily on the Hammels Wye viaduct, a critical piece of infrastructure where trains first enter the Rockaway peninsula and continue east toward Far Rockaway or west toward Rockaway Park. The project also installed new flood barriers and pumps along the line in areas at risk of flooding, as reported by Gothamist.
During the closure, Rockaway residents were provided shuttle buses and discounted Long Island Rail Road fares. A train service was suspended between Howard Beach–JFK Airport and the line’s last stops: Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street or Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue.
The limited A train service is reminiscent of the disruptions following Hurricane Sandy, which took seven months to fully restore subway access to the Rockaways.
Mark Roche, the MTA’s deputy chief development officer of delivery, told amNY in November that the shutdown is consistent with similar projects, including the L train Canarsie Tunnel and G line modernization work.
“This next phase of the A train resiliency work has undergone internal and external expert review to weigh alternate delivery and construction methods,” Roche told amNY. “It was determined that the plan presented is the best option for getting this work done as quickly as possible, with the least impact to commuters.”
According to Gothamist, several riders said the disruption made their already long commutes even harder. Many Rockaway residents are “super commuters” who travel over an hour each way to work every day.
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