NEW YORK– Train service to the Rockaways will be shut down for five months starting in 2025, impacting thousands of travelers.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says that from January to May, A trains will not run between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and the Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue or the Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street stations, the last two stops on the line. Additionally, there are no Rockaway Park Shuttle trains to or from Broad Channel.
The MTA says it will make upgrades to overpasses and bridges to help protect them from storms.
“The Rockaway Line, which carries the A Train and the Rockaway Park Shuttle and serves as a vital link between the Rockaway Peninsula and the rest of New York City, suffered extensive damage following Superstorm Sandy,” the MTA wrote in a press release on its website. “Emergency repairs restored service seven months after the storm. However, the viaducts and bridge that carry trains across the Wide Canal need major upgrades to protect the line from future storms and ensure reliable service for the more than 9,000 daily passengers.”
Commuters told CBS News New York they are concerned about the closure.
“It will cause some problems. This is the only train that runs here, so if people have to find a way out, it will be difficult,” said a passenger.
The MTA says a free shuttle bus will be available. View the full schedule of service changes below.
A train service will change from January 17
The work will start with the following service changes on the weekend of January 17 to 20.
A train service changes from January 20 to May
The following service changes will then take effect from January 20 to May 2025.
- There are no trains between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Far Rockaway-Mott Av or Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St.
- Rockaway Park Shuttle trains do not operate to/from Broad Channel.
- For service between Howard Beach-JFK Airport, Broad Channel and the Rockaway Peninsula, you can take free shuttle buses, which operate on two routes:
- Q97, nonstop between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Far Rockaway-Mott Av.
- Q109, between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Beach 67 St, stopping at Broad Channel and Beach 90 St.
- Trains run between Inwood-207 St and Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd or Howard Beach-JFK Airport.
- Rockaway Park Shuttle trains operate between Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St and Far Rockaway-Mott Av.
Here you can take a closer look at the project and its expected impact.
