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Revisiting the debate over the MTA's L train tunnel repairs
By
Stephen Nessen
Published May 9, 2025
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Governor's Office
By
Stephen Nessen
Published May 9, 2025
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This column originally appeared in On The Way, a weekly newsletter covering everything you need to know about NYC-area transportation.
Sign up to get the full version, which includes answers to reader questions, trivia, service changes and more, in your inbox every Thursday.
Let’s start with a brief trip down memory lane.
In 2017, the MTA planned to close the L train tunnel below the East River for 15 months to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Just months before the work was set to start, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo swooped in with a group of engineers from Cornell and Columbia universities. In lightning-fast time, they devised an alternative that would allow the MTA to do the repairs on nights and weekends instead of closing the tunnel completely.
The plan was cheaper than the original and kept trains running, averting the feared “L-pocalypse.” But it also didn’t accomplish everything the MTA had initially planned. The benchwall, a slab of concrete spanning the length of the tunnel where electric cables are kept, was not replaced. Instead, about 40% was coated in plastic so it didn’t collapse. The cables were attached to a rack on the tunnel wall rather than being encased in concrete as they were before.
The original plan was designed to leave the tunnel in good shape for another century. Now, the MTA must constantly monitor the tunnel for any flaws or damages.
A debate about the benefits and drawbacks among transit experts eventually fizzled as everyone moved on — until now.
The MTA suddenly revived the debate this month by urging Amtrak to take a similar approach with its East River tunnel repairs.
That project, which has also been planned for years, would repair two of four tunnels used by Amtrak and NJ Transit. To do the work, Amtrak would fully close one tunnel at a time over three years. The MTA fears any construction issues or track problems could cause delays for Long Island Rail Road trains coming in and out of Penn Station, which use the other two tunnels.
Amtrak has said it looked into the L train tunnel approach, but noted a few key differences that would make this impossible. Subways use power cables transmitting 600 volts. Commuter trains need 12,000 volts transmitted by catenary cables attached to the tunnel ceiling. Amtrak’s rails are supported by ballast, or loose rocks, while the MTA’s rails are fixed to the ground with concrete. For all those reasons, Amtrak says it's impossible to do work on the weekends and have the tunnels ready for trains by Monday morning.
“A total singular tube shutdown is the most responsible method and the only way to fix the damage inflicted by Superstorm Sandy,” Amtrak President Roger Harris wrote to Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday. “Any other solution would be an expensive, short-term Band-Aid and a disservice to passengers and taxpayers.”
In a tweet, Amtrak cited drawbacks of the L train tunnel repair, noting there is “potential further disruption in future years to address degradation.”
LIRR President Rob Free suggested Amtrak could do a mix, with longer outages during the summer when there are fewer riders and some long weekend outages over a longer period of time. But he couldn’t say whether that would result in a tunnel that’s built to last for another century.
“I know that we didn’t inconvenience tens of thousands of customers by doing continuous outages on one of the busiest networks in North America,” Free said, referring to the L train project. “And here it is, the busiest rail terminal in North America, and that's exactly what we're trying to do.”
Cuomo, who’s now running for mayor, stands behind his decision with the L train. “ You can't cavalierly just say ‘short-term pain for long-term gain,’” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said. “When it's people's lives, it's their jobs, it's their homes, it's their home values — it was causing a ripple effect. And he's proud of what he did here.”
For now, Amtrak is still planning to do the project its way, with a shutdown set to begin on May 23.
Have a question about subway cars (or literally anything else NYC-transit related)? Use this form to submit yours and we may answer it in a future newsletter!
But note that Curious Commuter questions are exclusive for On The Way newsletter subscribers. Sign up for free here.
George, from Brooklyn
I've noticed more trapezoid-shaped gray boxes atop a metal bar between subway rails. What are these for?
Answer
That is communications equipment — specifically, a transponder that communicates with a receiver on trains — for the MTA’s new signal system.
The MTA has been adding the new signals to the F line in Brooklyn between Church Avenue and West Eighth Street in Coney Island, on the entire G line, and on the A, C and E from 59th Street in Manhattan to High Street in Brooklyn. The agency reports the new signals are nearly completed on the E, M and R lines along Queens Boulevard and between Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike and Jamaica-179th Street.
We did a deep dive earlier this year on the MTA’s antiquated signal systems, which require train cars to maintain a certain distance. With new signals, the MTA says it can run more trains closer together safely, meaning George shouldn’t be waiting as long for his next train.
The latest NYC area transit headlines
Fewer car crashes within the congestion zone. Collisions in Manhattan south of 60th Street have been declining since 2023, but the trend has accelerated since congestion pricing took effect. The decline also goes beyond the congestion zone — since the tolling program began on Jan. 5, crashes across New York City have dropped 15%.
Brooklyn bike lane brouhaha. Democratic City Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who supports a bike lane that runs through a portion of northern Brooklyn's Hasidic Jewish community, is facing a primary challenge from Sabrina Gates, who’s made her opposition to the bike lane a major campaign issue.
Queens bike lane brouhaha. A Queens judge has cleared the way for a protected bike lane along Review Avenue in Long Island City, dismissing a legal challenge from local businesses that didn’t want to lose parking spots.
Rockaway A train service is returning in time for beach season. After a four-month shutdown for climate resiliency work, the MTA is bringing back full A train service to the Rockaways on May 19.
New Jersey: Keep planning to work from home. NJ Transit said this week that it’s not any closer to a contract resolution that would keep unionized train engineers from striking as early as May 16.
Mayhem at Newark airport. As hundreds of flights in and out of Newark were delayed or canceled this past week, the air traffic controllers’ union said that managing flights at the airport has gotten so bad, some members have had to go on trauma leave.
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Stephen Nessen
Stephen Nessen covers transportation. Since 2008 he has reported on everything from Occupy Wall Street, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Hurricane Sandy, to Trump’s campaign for president. His transportation reporting has taken him everywhere from the MTA’s secret Rail Control Center to the gleaming subways of Seoul. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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