Legislators Push MTA to Release Info, Engage Public on Major Repairs Planned for F Train Tunnel Under East River

July 2, 2020

On July 2, 2020, Senator Kavanagh and colleagues from Manhattan and Brooklyn requested that the MTA provide information about possible service changes to the F train resulting from necessary repairs to the tunnel under the East River. The work, necessary because of damage caused by Superstorm Sandy flooding, could require rerouting of F trains for a significant period. The legislators asked the MTA to provide details and ensure community involvement in the decision making process. The text of the officials' letter is below; the original may be viewed via the link above.

_______________

July 2, 2020

Pat Foye, Chair
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
2 Broadway
New York, NY 10004

Dear Mr. Foye:

We write regarding the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's plans to do rehabilitation work on the Rutgers Tube, the subway tunnel that carries the F train under the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn. We understand that the tunnel is in need of substantial rehabilitation due to damage sustained by Superstorm Sandy, that the MTA released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the project, and that the deadline for responses was June 15, 2020, after an extension due to the COVID-19 crisis.

In February 2020, many news outlets reporting that the MTA had released the RFP for the repairs asserted that “the East Broadway and York Street stations will be closed for repairs from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. most nights and weekends during the 20 week period... [and] the F train will be rerouted via the A/C, and make stops along the line before rejoining the F track at West 4^th Street.” In March 2020, Senator Kavanagh’s office reached out to the MTA to verify this information. The MTA responded that the specific details of the rehabilitation project would not be determined until later in the contracting process and that the media reports were merely speculation.

Now that the RFP deadline has passed, we request that you ensure that the MTA:

publicly discloses concrete information about the possible impacts on F train service, especially at the East Broadway and York Street stations, and other details of the rehabilitation project, its effects on transit service, and any plans for mitigating negative impacts;
hosts public forums, both virtually and in person, if possible, (in each impacted borough) to inform the communities about these matters and to provide opportunities for community feedback and consultation before final decisions are made regarding the project, as well as updates during construction; and
conducts ample outreach through elected officials and civic organizations to promote those public forums.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to your response. If you or your staff would like to discuss this project, please feel free to contact any of us directly or via Greer Mayhew in Senator Kavanagh’s office at 718-875-1517.

Sincerely,

Brian Kavanagh
State Senator

Yuh-Line Niou
State Assemblymember

Jo Anne Simon
State Assemblymember

Stephen Levin
City Councilmember

Margaret Chin
City Councilmember

Nydia Velazquez
U.S. Congresswoman

Eric Adams
Brooklyn Borough President

Gale Brewer
Manhattan Borough President

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