LONG ISLAND CITY — This year's resolution: take the bus more.
The MTA is planning another round of 7 train service disruptions in 2016, with no trains running between Long Island City and Manhattan for eight weekends next year, according to the agency.
There will be no service in both directions between Queensboro Plaza and Times Square-42nd Street from January 22 - 25, March 18 - 21, April 1 - 4, April 15 - 18, October 21- 24, October 28 - 31, November 11 - 14 and November 18 - 21, according to an announcement on the MTA's website.
The disruptions are the latest in a string of weekend service suspensions for Long Island City riders over the last several years, spurring protests as well as an ad campaign to promote the neighborhood in an effort to offset the effects of the train outages.
But the eight weekends planned for 2016 are actually fewer in number than in previous years — there were scheduled service shutdowns on the 7 line for 12 weekends in 2015, and for 13 weekends in 2014.
"A decline in the number of weekend closures is a tiny step in the context of the need for greatly increased service," local State Sen. Michael Gianaris said in a statement. "I look forward to the day when 7 train riders will no longer have to endure such problems at all."
The weekend shutdowns are due to ongoing capital improvement projects on the 7 line, including the replacement of tracks and the updating of the line's signal system — work the MTA says is essential to keeping the line running and improving it in the future.
"These projects will bring a modern, state-of-the-art signal system and reliable, resilient infrastructure upgrades to the 7 subway Line," the MTA's website reads.
