Frustration arises as MTA surprises commuters with express track closure on N, R, D lines
Straphangers got an unpleasant surprise during their morning commute on Monday, July 30, when they had to cope with extensive delays thanks to the unexpected closure of the express tracks between the 36th Street and 59th Street stations on the N, R, and D lines, which will be closed for repair until the end of the year.
Many riders didn’t know about the closure of the track until they got stuck on a train or waiting for one; at around 11:11 a.m. — well after rush hour — the MTA posted a message on its website stating, “Expect longer wait times and delays on the N Subway, R Subway, and D Subway lines in Brooklyn while we perform necessary structural repairs in the tunnel — essential work to restore reliable service. Thank you for your patience.”
Commuters were not happy.
“I was on an N train this morning and all of a sudden it just started going local and there was no announcement or anything like that,” one rider — who got to work 45 minutes late — told this paper. “There were huge delays. Everything was running local. I think the most frustrating thing was I kept checking the MTA website because they usually update if there are delays and even before I had gotten on the train, I checked to make sure there was good service like I usually do. There was zero communication about anything that was going on. I didn’t know if it was a temporary thing.”