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MTA restores subway service after Times Square water main break halts commutes
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Aug 29, 2023
Modified Aug 29, 2023
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Marc A. Hermann/MTA
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Aug 29, 2023
Modified Aug 29, 2023
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A water main dating back to the 19th century broke in Times Square early Tuesday, halting trains on several subway lines and leaving hundreds of thousands of commuters scrambling as crews worked to repair the mess.
The MTA suspended or rerouted service on the 1, 2 and 3 lines in Manhattan after the break, which also disrupted the 4 and 5 lines. The stretch of Seventh Avenue between 39th and 42nd streets was also shut down.
MTA officials reported that subway service had been restored on all lines by about 11 a.m. City Councilmember Erik Bottcher posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that pipe replacement will begin at "a later date due to the depth and complexity of the break."
During a news conference, NYC Transit President Richard Davey said that although the water main broke near Times Square around 3 a.m., subway stations located farther south experienced the worst damage. MTA officials estimated the flooding affected commutes for 300,000 riders.
“The good news, if there is good news, is that it's the week before Labor Day," said Davey. "Typically this is a lower ridership week for us."
Davey said 1.8 million gallons of water flooded into the subway system as a result of the break.
The overnight water main break flooded a street near Times Square.
Marc A. Hermann/MTA
Photos shared by the MTA show water pouring into the ceilings of the Times Square station early in the morning, causing debris to funnel onto the tracks.
The 20-inch water main — which was installed in 1896 — broke at Seventh Avenue and West 40th Street, said DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala. The cause of the break remained a mystery.
Tuesday morning commuters were disgruntled when they couldn’t access the 1, 2 and 3 train platforms at Times Square, one of the city's busiest subway stations.
“I feel like the trains have been messed up for a while, all summer there have been delays … so not surprised,” said Louisa Oreskes, 26, who takes the train to tutor kids on the Upper West Side.
Xander Garden, 23, said he was just trying to find a way to get to his first day of classes at Manhattan College.
“There’s just no way to get to class unless I want to spend $75 on an Uber and that’s just not what I want to do today,” he said. "I’m gonna have to email my professors.”
Crews on Tuesday morning also responded to another water main break in the Morris Heights neighborhood of the Bronx. Officials from the city's Office of Emergency Management reported a pipe burst near University Avenue and West 176th Street, flooding streets in the area.
This story has been updated with additional comment from city officials.
Tagged
manhattan
transportation
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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