38 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 7, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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Put more train repairs on the ‘Fastrack’
Of all the ideas that came out of the Regional Plan Association’s Nov. 30
report on improving transportation in and around New York City, none
drew as much attention as a proposal to close the New York City subway system
on overnights for maintenance.
Th e reaction from many New Yorkers was what you’d might expect.
Impossible! Outrageous! Th is is New York, “the city that never sleeps,” as
Frank Sinatra famously crooned. You can’t shut the entire subway system
down on overnights. Th is isn’t Boston or Washington, D.C.
But the RPA, we believe, is on the right track. We don’t think the entire system
should be closed every night at a given time, but what about closing certain
lines on certain evenings for much-needed repairs?
In fact, the MTA is already doing that on a periodic basis with its “Fastrack”
maintenance program. Over the last few years, the MTA has closed entire
lines for four-straight overnight periods to remove trash, check equipment
and make light repairs.
But Fastrack work is periodic and only takes place “where nearby alternative
subway service is available,” according to the MTA’s website. Th ey also
make sure that “no other service changes are planned on lines which provide
alternate service” before embarking on Fastrack maintenance.
It’s common knowledge now that the city’s antiquated subway system is
falling apart, the result of the MTA kicking the can down the road when it
comes to funding maintenance projects in recent years. Everyone is in agreement
that a much-needed overhaul must occur in the immediate years ahead;
the problem is how to get all of this done without causing massive inconvenience.
Expanding the MTA Fastrack program is certainly an option worth exploring.
Th e MTA should have Fastrack maintenance every single week, rotating
crews throughout the system to work on one to two lines at a time on overnights.
To minimize inconvenience, the MTA should provide shuttle buses
along the aff ected lines, using larger express and articulated buses to help
aff ected commuters get around.
While Fastrack isn’t a solution to all of the MTA’s maintenance problems
— the L line still needs to be closed for major renovations that will take years
to complete — it can help the authority bring the rest of the system up to
speed in a more timely manner. Th e improvements made would make the
subway system more reliable than it is presently — and increased reliability is
truly what the commuters want and deserve for the fares they pay.
STORY: New report suggests adding new train lines in northern
Queens to increase transportation access
SUMMARY: The Regional Plan Association, a New York-based
regional planning association, released a new report on Nov. 30
outlining 61 suggestions to improve the lives of city residents.
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