Commuters felt the first stretch last week of what they’ll be facing for the next eight months, as the MTA continues to replace tracks serving the Brighton line’s B and Q trains.
According to the MTA’s website, the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. work, which sees disruptions of service at Gravesend Neck Road and Avenue U, will continue through November 16.
The work means that Coney Island-bound Q trains skip Avenue U and Gravesend Neck Road between the hours above, and that Manhattan-bound B trains will be running local between Sheepshead Bay Road and Kings Highway.
For south-bound straphangers looking to get to those stops, you will need to continue your trip until Sheepshead Bay Road, transfer to the northbound platform, and take either the B or Q back up.
Photo by Lisanne
It ain’t just the Avenue Y underpass…
From Lisanne and nolastname:
[nolastname] told me that they were dumping garbage in front of teold LIRR staircase now. The corner pavement, as you can see, has been paved, and a protective barrier put up. But that doesn’t stop people. I talked to two workers who told me it definitely would not have come from anyone involved with the end stages of the Neck Road station project.
Of course it wouldn’t have…
Neck Road subway platform, photo taken this morning by BrooklynQ.
Photo courtesy of GerritsenBeach.net
When we heard the following news, we were certain it would be followed by a Notify NYC alert telling us to beware of low-flying pigs arriving from a frozen-over Hell.
But no, none of that happened. And we’re happy to say that the Manhattan-bound platforms at Avenue U and Neck Road are now open – meaning a full restoration of service on both sides. Work is still being done and the two-year project is not yet complete. The MTA’s page on the Brighton Line Restoration project says the final touches will be in Early 2011. The project was slightly delayed, as the original completion date was supposed to be in 2010 – but at least we’ve got our service back.
Further down the line, Manhattan-bound platforms at Avenue M and Avenue H will remain closed until Fall 2011.
Tip o’ the hat to GerritsenBeach.net for spotting this before us.
BrooklynQ sent in this photo of the newest art installment at the Gravesend Neck Road train station. Seeing this brings on one of those heartwarming moments where you’re oh-so-happy that they’re raising fares again so they can keep putting in new benches, and providing fresh canvases for Sheepshead Bay’s prolific artists.
All righty, people… caption contest? Yes, I think so. What’ve you got for this photo?
As we informed you last week, the Avenue U and Neck Road train stations have reopened their Coney Island-bound platforms after more than one year.
Featuring wider platforms and wood-ish paneling, the station had its first commuters yesterday and were caught by photographer Paul Anderson.
Below you’ll see photos of the new station – a sign of things to come all along the B/Q line – which is not yet totally complete. You’ll see work is still being done on the stairwell and on the platform itself. The station’s signs appear to also be in commute, as workers temporarily placed dirty, tagged up signs from the other side of the tracks until new ones are installed.
So… we await your photos of gummed up platforms and graffiti’d walls…
And now the photos
Community Board 15 Chairperson Theresa Scavo sent us this note about the Q train stations at Avenue U and Gravesend Neck Road:
Good word from the MTA, on Monday January 18th,2010 the southbound stations of Avenue U and Neck Road will be opened at 5am and at the same the northbound stations will be closed. This work will be completed by Fall 2010. The B service will be restored in Fall 2011.
After delays and destruction at those stations, this certainly is good news.
Just so we’re clear about this, beginning next Monday you will not be able to catch a Manhattan-bound train at Gravesend Neck Road or Avenue U, though the Brighton-bound side will be reopened. In order to go to Manhattan from those stations you will need to take a Brighton-bound train to Sheepshead Bay Road and transfer to the other side of the tracks.
Courtesy of BrooklynQ
Reports began pouring in about a week ago that the Avenue U and Gravesend Neck Road train stations were already covered in graffiti. It wasn’t very long ago that the platforms finally began to take shape after a year of work, and as soon as they had walls they got some “art.”
Seriously, Sheepshead Bay needs better street artists. These guys suck.
On a related note about things that suck – our budget. We couldn’t afford the $2.25 to go up on the platform and snap a shot, so all we’ve got is this cruddy cell phone photo from a reader. So please, send us more photos of the construction and the vandalism, and we’ll post them. Free hug for every published photo!
Send photos to nberke [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com or upload them to your Facebook account and tag them with “Sheepshead Bites”
Photo by Arthur Borko
It’s a rare sight indeed, but construction workers at the Avenue V subway overpass were photographed working earlier today. The work at Avenue V is part of the rehabilitation projects at the Gravesend Neck Road and Avenue U train stations that started almost exactly one year ago. The work on this side was scheduled to be finished by now and construction on the Manhattan-bound tracks are next. But, unsurprisingly, work has been delayed and now the MTA says work on the Coney Island-bound side will finish by “Early 2010.”
Regarding the overall project affecting the entire line this side of Prospect Park, the MTA has not yet responded to our leaders’ requests for more information. Politicians and organizers for the area met with MTA officials in October to ask for alternatives to the work and guarantees of the timetable. MTA told them they would be in touch in a few days after they had gathered relevant data. Sheepshead Bites is offering $100,000 (in Monopoly money) to anyone who can snag a photo of an MTA executive at work.
Just one month shy of the first-year anniversary of construction at the Avenue U and Gravesend Neck Road train stations, the sites reek of the failures soon to ail the rest of the line.
Artist's rendering of completed station rehabilitation at Neck Road. The station will have wider platforms, larger stairwells, more exits, and vision panels.
For those who don’t take the train often, above is a photo of the Avenue U train station taken from the platform. They began putting up new frames that will hold the walls here and at the Neck Road train station earlier this week. Work began on the two stations in December 2008, and the MTA said that they finish the Coney Island-bound sides by the end of 2009. Then they’d switch to the Manhattan-bound side, polishing off the project in 2010.
Well, that was the original plan. The MTA changed the Brighton Line Rehabilitation website to reflect the fact that these sites ain’t gettin’ done on time. The tentative date for completion for the Coney Island-bound side is now “Early 2010″, and the full project will be done in “Early 2011.”
If you haven’t noticed, this is the same “Two year plan” that has been extended to the rest of the local stops between Newkirk Avenue and Kings Highway. One year work on the Coney Island side, then one year on the Manhattan side. Gee, you think they’ll honor those schedules?
By the by, for anyone keeping track, the MTA has not yet responded to our leaders’ requests for more information. Politicians and organizers for the area met with MTA officials a month ago to ask for alternatives to the work and guarantees of the timetable. MTA told them they would be in touch in a few days after they had gathered relevant data. Apparently there are delays on that, too.
(Photo courtesy of Pamela Amri)
