We Survived The First Week Of MTA's "FASTRACK" Subway Work!

It's been a long week fraught with anxiety and panic, but all is well now: the city has survived the first week of the MTA's new "FASTRACK" subway work plan. The MTA is certainly very happy with themselves: "Jobs that would usually take weeks or months to complete were accomplished in days because, for the first time, maintenance workers were allowed to perform their tasks without the interruption of passenger trains rolling through a massive work area that stretched from Grand Central-42nd Street to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn." But this is only the beginning.

For four nights this past week, the 4, 5 and 6 lines were shut down so the MTA could perform and complete "more than 300 vital tasks...from rail replacement to roadbed cleaning to the scraping and painting of ceilings over tracks and platforms." They note that much of that work had not been performed in several years, which doesn't exactly fill us with pride. Nevertheless, NYC Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast says the program works: “I consider this effort a success and it could not have come about without the hard work and dedication of the hundreds of Transit workers who worked on the tracks, tunnels, and in the stations.”

But this "success" has only emboldened the MTA to continue with their plans—next up is the Broadway/Seventh Avenue 1, 2, 3 line between 34th Street and Atlantic Avenue. That line will be worked on from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for four consecutive nights beginning Monday, February 13 (and ending at 5 a.m. Friday, February 17). If you really need to get where you're going, there's always the Station Rat Sherpas.

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By Ben Yakas in News on January 14, 2012 12:50 PM

Comments [rss]

Unkle_Bob

If I were a project manager I would have practically creamed my pants at having this opportunity to Get Shit Done after years of getting it done very very slowly.

RW

I used to see workers pressure-washing stations in Manhattan every night and they're still pretty grubby... on the Bklyn side on the R it's like they haven't been washed down since 1970.

nimbyist

imagine how bad it'd be if they didn't even do that then...

they also have gum scrapers. it's very sad how little people care for their surroundings, especially little kids who have parents who can't even bother to teach them even this little ounce of 'respect'

CheLucero

I am thoroughly confused about how any New Yorker could not see this as the smartest way to handle the work with the least overall amount of intrusion. Can anyone here give me a good argument against the new program and what disadvantages outweigh the very clear and strong benefits of it?

nimbyist

it gets in the way of my going out on weekends

/s

GentleGiant

Well it's different. When something's different I don't like it. And if I don't like it it can't be good.

longacre

Success? Did any reporters or MTA brass actually ride the train at 3am to ask what the poor shlubs trying to go to/from work at that hour how they felt about it? Something tells me they'd disagree with the "success" angle.

nvk

Can anyone please point out that you still have alternatives while *in*
the subway? This isn't a system-wide shutdown as is the case with other
systems world-wide (which, if you've travelled any, know run a lot better due to better planning almost from day one.)

The real issue here is what happens when disabled people need to use the
stations that are now closed, though Access-A-Ride should really come
through for them then.

The MTA does a plenty good enough job telling you what disruptions will happen. It's not their fault if you choose to ignore them.

nimbyist

i think we all know nyc does not care about its disabled and is trying its hardest to get them to move to jersey.

ixvnyc

Yeah, let the guy who goes to work at 3am tell us what success is, we are all ears! Sorry dude, couldn't resist :)

Adam Moreira

The repairs had to be done at some time though. I personally would support a round-the-clock shutdown for a few days to get the work done faster. Such areas where it could be done include the D in the Bronx...run shuttle buses to and from 205 Street from Mosholu Parkway...and everything else is use the 4 a few blocks away.