N train renovations to begin next week

January 13, 2016 Anna Spivak

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Anna Spivak

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Mark your calendars, the scheduled N train repairs are coming to a station near you starting Monday, January 18.

Slated to take over four years in total to complete, the repairs will affect nine stations in southwest Brooklyn, beginning with a 14-month renovation on the Manhattan-bound side, and then flipping to the Coney Island-bound side for an additional 14 months, according to Community Board 11.

“There will be station closures and back-riding in order for them to make repairs to the platforms,” said CB 11 District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia. “There will be significant inconveniences [for those] that use the N line. However, it will be an investment for upgrades in those stations which is terribly needed.”

Stations in line for the overhaul—which will include the repair and replacement of platforms, stairs, floors, doors and windows; updated safety features; up-to-date communication systems; revamped walls and fresh paint—are Eighth Avenue, Fort Hamilton Parkway, New Utrecht Avenue, 18th Avenue, 20th Avenue, Bay Parkway, Kings Highway, Avenue U and 86th Street.

As part of the project, according to the community board, the MTA will build temporary platforms at Eighth Avenue and Bay Parkway. Additionally, the N will only make express stops at Eighth Avenue and 86^th Streets and two stations will be made Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible. Two ADA-compliant ramps will be added to the Eighth Avenue station, and four elevators will be installed at the New Utrecht Avenue station to bring riders from street level to connect to N and D trains.

“It’s overdue,” said Laurie Windsor, first vice chairperson of CB 11. “Unfortunately, it’s going to be a huge inconvenience, but the work is definitely needed.”

According to Windsor, the N line stations were built in 1914 and show serious signs of deterioration and corrosion.

“It’s a safety issue,” Windsor added. “Once [renovations] are done and over with, it will be 100 times better.”

According to the MTA, the $395.7 million contract to renovate these N stations was funded under the 2010-2014 Capital Program. While the contract for these nine stations “pre-dates Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s recently announced plan for rapid redesign and renewal of an additional 30 subway stations,” the MTA will “work with the contractors involved to push for greater efficiency in the renovation process.

“Once these renovations are complete, customers will be greeted by modern amenities including new lighting, Help Point Intercoms, and station artwork that will greatly improve their trips along the Sea Beach Line,” said Wynton Habersham, acting senior vice president of the Department of Subways. “We appreciate our customers’ patience while we complete this important project, and regret the inconvenience this work may cause. In order to ensure that our customers are well-informed of these station closures and alternative travel options, notices will be posted in stations and on trains, and announcements will be made on all N trains.”

For updates, station closures and alternative routes, visit www.mta.info. Riders can also receive customized alerts via e-mail or text message by signing up at www.mymtaalerts.com.